Ape Escape
5
Ah, the year was 1999. While Sony and Nintendo were clashing, people thought that 2000 would be the end or at least the end of their computers. SpongeBob SquarePants began to reign to over kids, along with Pokemon. And some people were wondering why their Ape Escape game wouldn't work as they threw their non-Dualshock controllers down on the floor, while I was hating the game for not knowing how to play it. However, when I got it together, it became one of my favorites until its demise in 2008, when, wanting to make an ISO of my aging disc, I found it with a huge crack on it, under unknown circumstances.
So, now that I've got a little of my nostalgia out, onto my review of this unique little game.
GRAPHICS: Blocky, polygonal, and furthermore, colorful. In other words, it is the typical PS1 game. Nothing like a PS3's, but who cares?
MUSIC: A big kudos to the people who composed to the music, because even after ten years it is still fun to listen to. Catchy, synth-like riffs fill this level, each level having a unique soundtrack. What's also cool is when you crouch, some of the instruments cease.
SOUND/VOICE ACTING: The sounds, while sort of primitive, are also catchy. The swoosh of the net will be music to your ears, along with the footsteps and other stuff. The voice acting, while so-so, is actually the best voice acting in the trilogy. I wish the cast would have stayed for 2 and 3, but oh well.
STORY: Simple, but pretty original. Specter, the most popular monkey in the monkey amusement park, finds the Professor's Peak Point Helmet, which enhances intelligence. Once he puts it on, he wants revenge for being locked up in there, so he makes more, gives them to all the monkeys in the park, and he raids the Professor's lab to use his time machine to rewrite history so apes can rule the world. Now only Spike, who kind of looks like Yu-Gi-Oh, can capture the monkeys, defeat Specter, and save his friend, Jake, who is under Specter's control.
GAMEPLAY: Now here's where the game truly shines. Before I talk about the actual gameplay, however, let me discuss the controls.
The Dualshock controller had been out for a while, but was still unneeded to enjoy the game. All it provided was vibration, and the ability to play with the analogue stick, the right stick as useful as wisdom teeth. Then Ape Escape came along and changed everything. Those without DS controllers had to get some to enjoy this game, whilst many tried to figure out the layout. The directional pads were only used for the camera, while the triangle, square, cross, and circle buttons were just used to change gadgets. It was then where the right stick, the L3, and the R3, (the latter both not having a title yet. It was just `push the left/right stick down like a button,) finally got their chance. This paved way for more functions for the Playstation controller.
As for the gameplay itself, it is a blast, even if it's your 10th play. You time travel to many eras, your mission being to catch the apes. You also got gadgets, which help you solve puzzles and catch some out of reach monkeys. You start off with a stun club and a net, but you later get a total of nine gadgets, each having their unique function. The apes themselves are diverse, with each color of pants they wear representing their abilities. Some move so fast that you must catch them via stealth. After all, this was made a year after Metal Gear Solid came out. You don't have to catch all the monkeys in the level (some you can't until later when you got a different gadget,) but if you do, you can play the level with a time trial, which gives you nothing, but is fun. You also need to catch every single ape if you want to catch Specter. Your health is represented by cookies. You can also get Specter Coins, which allow you to play three different mini-games once you get the required amount. There's a skiing game, a boxing game, and a space shooter game, the last one the best IMO. There are also two racing levels where you race the brainwashed Jake for Specter coins.
As for bosses, there are none until you get to Crumbling Castle. It's a shame, because the bosses are fun to fight. Instead, the game relies on enemies to keep you at bay besides the apes. You can't kill the apes, but you can kill the enemies and get goods. You'll have to search everywhere for those damn dirty apes, from the ocean to the Ice Age to even inside a dinosaur.
Ape Escape, overall, is quite a fun game. It's not too hard, but it's still entertaining. This is a must buy. They also remade this game for PSP, but I never tried it. But I think AE is best on the big screen with a controller.