Charlie's Angels (video game)
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| Charlie's Angels | |
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| Developer(s) | Neko Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Ubisoft |
| Platform(s) | GameCube, PlayStation 2 |
| Release date | PlayStation 2 [1] PAL July 4, 2003 GameCube [2] USA July 9, 2003 PAL July 18, 2003 |
| Genre(s) | Action |
| Mode(s) | Single Player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) PEGI: 7+ |
Charlie's Angels is a third-person action-adventure video game released stateside in 2003 for the Nintendo GameCube and developed by Neko Entertainment. The game is based on the recent 2000 and 2003 films rather than the original television series. The game has received very low ratings from both consumers and critics, and received the lowest possible score, 1/10, from The Official PlayStation 2 Magazine UK.
Charlie's Angels follows the continuing adventures of private investigators Alex (Lucy Liu), Dylan (Drew Barrymore) and Natalie (Cameron Diaz) as they attempt to solve the mystery of a series of missing national monuments. The heroines do not use firearms but can utilize blunt weapons and certain environmental objects.
[edit] Gameplay
Based in the 3D beat-em-up realm, the game begins on a beach beauty pageant runway. Wearing swimsuits, Natalie and Alex must each individually fight their way from the beach through the community and warehouses to the docks. Joined there by Dylan, the three continue to each fight their way through a series of enemy locations (ships, islands, monasteries, etc.).
The gameplay is very simple, and involves fighting groups of enemies while progressing through the levels. Simply by performing combos, using weapons or fighting barehanded to defeat the enemies, you will progress through the game. While you are engaged in a fight, you cannot move to another area until you finish it, as invisible walls will block your way. Also, Charlie's Angels features an option to switch from playing one Angel to another. However, this option is not available during a fight, and it is not required to complete the game. Occasionally, one Angel must perform a task such as pressing a switch, pulling a lever, or accessing a computer so that another Angel is allowed to progress. Most levels end when all of the Angels have completed their current objective.
Additionally, unlockables such as trailers and photographs from the movie Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle can be unlocked by collecting items such as Movies Reels and Memory Sticks, which are hidden in each level.
[edit] Reception
Charlie's Angels was critically panned primarily for its low quality graphics and bland, repetitive gameplay. From the pinnacle of 2D beat-em-ups (Final Fight, Streets of Rage, etc.), many game developers have had difficulty translating the genre into 3D.
While Charlie's Angels does feature the voice talents of film stars Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu and Drew Barrymore, the rest of the game serves as a textbook example of a poorly licensed game. Each playable character has only a handful of available moves, and the already weak graphics are further handicapped by stilted animation. Invisible walls ensure that you follow a linear path throughout the adventure, and the original storyline doesn't make much sense.
