When the first Ape
Escape was released on the original PlayStation it was heralded as one of
the best games of its type, proving once and for all that Sony's 32-Bit system could do just as much as the
Nintendo 64. Not only was the game a
chaotic mix of platforming and playground tag, but it was also the first game
to really take advantage of Sony's
Dual Shock control. Critics and fans
fell in love and it looked like Ape
Escape was Sony's E-ticket for
family entertainment.
But what was once the critic's darling quickly got swept
away to be ignored and forgotten. Sony,
who was riding high with the success of games like Jack & Daxter and Ratchet
& Clank, opted against releasing Ape
Escape 2 in the U.S.,
pawning it off on UbiSoft who released it a full year after the Japanese
release. Fans of the series had a right
to be concerned; it looked like Ape Escape's days were numbered.
But never fear, Sony apparently saw the error of their ways
and decided to take back control of Ape Escape and release this third
installment. Not a lot has changed since
the very first game, but to the millions of fans out there who have been stuck
on this rollercoaster it's just nice to have a bunch of new simian villains to
fight, chase, and (hopefully) catch. Ape Escape 3 may not be the most
original game of the year, but once you get a taste for simian hunting you'll
never want to give it up.
Early into Ape Escape
3 we're re-introduced to Specter, the leader of those adorable (but deadly)
little monkeys. His latest scheme
involves taking over the TV airwaves, making a lot of monkey-infused television
broadcasting. But this isn't just your
normal bad TV; we're talking about programs so bad that it will literally melt
your mind. That's right; these are shows
that are actually worse than the Bachelor, Fear Factor and Deal or No Deal --
though, not by much. But I digress; Ape Escape 3 has you jumping into dozens
of film and TV-inspired worlds doing your part to rid those areas of those
damned annoying little apes.
Clearing each area of monkeys is easier said than done;
we're hunting a prey that doesn't want to be caught and is ready to put up a
fight. These aren't your everyday monkeys;
these simians are dressed up in all kinds of outfits and sporting a number of
deadly weapons (including swords, guns, and even missiles). Worse yet, these apes are natural born
runners; you'll find yourself scrambling to catch these little buggers, but
hey, that's half the fun, right? Unlike
most 3D platformers that have you rushing around to pick items up, Ape Escape's
items rush back and do their best to get away from you and your net.
Those crazy little monkeys aren't the only thing that sets
Ape Escape apart from the crowd; this game is some of the most unique gameplay
mechanics you ever will see. Instead of
using the control's face buttons like most platformers, Ape Escape is all about
using both analog sticks and the shoulder buttons. Actually, the only thing the face buttons do
is change between four different items.
Just about everything you want is mapped to the two analog sticks giving
this game a smooth feel that is unlike any other platformer on the market.
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