Bee Movie Game – PS2
The game adaptation of DreamWorks’ Bee Movie will not likely appeal to any gamers above the age of 10, but youngsters might just extract enough sweetness from it to keep a smile on their faces for its duration. The gameplay is hardly challenging, quite the contrary. However, there is a depth of content from the story based missions to a multitude of mini-games. Combine this with cheerful presentation and wacky humour and Bee Movie Game offers a modest yet entertaining gaming experience.
Players assume control of Barry B. Benson (voiced by Jerry Seinfeld), a honeybee with a thirst for a more meaningful existence than the mundane production of honey, the stability of a honeybee empire. The adventure begins in New Hive City where players can interact with people and places with a kind of sandbox-style of freedom. In the city there are various job opportunities from making and producing honey to fixing and racing cars, all which reward the player with bee currency depending on Barry’s skill at the job. Players can also engage with stand-alone arcade games and goof around with various outfits to add a bit of flavour to Barry’s appearance. However, it’s in the real world, the world of humans, where the true action begins and where bees feel truly at home, in the air.
Inside the city, players are restricted to hoofing it via foot or making use of any available car to get around. Outside New Hive City though players take to the air and make use of Barry’s wings. Various challenges and dangers await Barry outside the city. From torrential rain showers, tennis balls, and assaults from the bees’ arch enemies the wasps, the outside world is a very dangerous place for a humble young bee like Barry. Players have at their disposal several abilities designed to combat these hazards such as the pollinator, a device that is used to harvest pollen to make honey while also doubly as a weapon that harnesses harvested pollen and can be used to shoot sticky pellets and enemy wasps and dragonflies. Another useful ability employs the powerful senses of a bee to slow down time using a matrix-style bullet time technique, which allows players to deliver more accurate shots with the pollinator and more importantly navigate the deadly rainstorms.
While nothing eye popping, the graphics are smooth and faithfully capture the artistic style of the film. Voice acting is sharp and well presented and the music accompanies the innocent tone of the game admirably. Bee Movie Game is certainly not a breakthrough in gaming nor will it appeal to the majority of gamers out there, but kids under 10 will have a ball with its Disney style of fun.
