Family Guy Video Game!
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| Family Guy Video Game! | |
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| Developer(s) | High Voltage Software |
| Publisher(s) | 2K Games, Fox Interactive |
| Platform(s) | Xbox PlayStation 2 PlayStation Portable |
| Release date |  October 16, 2006 November 3, 2006 December 1, 2006 |
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: M PEGI: 18+ OFLC: M |
| Media | 1 DVD-ROM 1 UMD (for PSP) |
Family Guy Video Game! is a 2006 video game released by 2K Games and developed by High Voltage Software, based on the animated series Family Guy. It appeared on the Xbox and PlayStation 2 consoles, and the handheld PlayStation Portable. The game's structure reflects an episode of the TV show, and its gameplay is similar to an arcade game.
It was believed that the game would be given an ESRB rating of T, to match the show's usual rating of [TV-14]. However, it was actually rated M for its disturbing humor, dialogue and partial nudity. It was also given a PEGI rating of 18+ for violence, profanity and drug abuse.
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[edit] Gameplay
The game is split into 22 levels for the three playable characters, Brian, Peter, or Stewie. Brian has six levels, while Stewie and Peter both have eight. Each character has their own unique style of play.
Peter's levels have a beat 'em up style, similar to Final Fight and Double Dragon. In Peter's levels, the player rampages across a section of town, attacking anyone and anything in his path. In addition, depending on the player's progression through the game, Peter will adopt a different persona as a result of head trauma, giving his attacks different animations but otherwise similar results. Peter's alter egos are Rufus Griffin, Hooker Peter, and A.N.N.A. (Automaton Nuclear Neo-Human Android), played in that order. Peter begins and ends the game as himself.
Stewie's levels resemble a shoot 'em up like Galaga or Space Invaders, but also with similarities to games like the Futurama video game. Stewie uses his upgradeable laser gun and conveniently placed "sky hooks" to move through various stages.
Brian's levels have more in common with stealth games like Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell. Brian must avoid detection by those around him, and can adopt disguises to fool onlookers. A secondary element in Brian's levels is avoiding his natural urge to urinate on things. Should the player remain near certain objects for too long (potted plants, fire hydrants etc), Brian will be forced to urinate on them, exposing himself to those around him.
A key feature of the game are mini-games done in the same style as the cutaway gags that the show is famous for, usually lasting less than 10 seconds. The mini-games often repeat cutaway gags from the shows, such as Peter inexplicably burning his hand in a waffle iron. Successfully completing the mini-game offers a bonus: Brian becomes invisible for a short period, while Peter and Stewie receive powerups for their respective abilities.
[edit] Story
Each character has a unique story, and the three stories are done erratically, reflecting a real episode of Family Guy. Almost every recurring character from the series appears at one point or another, most of them on the receiving end of Peter's violent rampage across town.
Stewie is preparing for his latest plan for world domination; he plans to utilize Peter's PTV satilite dish to release a mind control ray throughout the world, making him the "most powerful dictator since Dick Cheney." However, before he can begin, he notices Bertram attempting to steal the dish. Stewie confronts Bertram, and destroys it. However, Bertram reveals that it was a trick so he can move through his own plans for world conquest without any competition. When Bertram escapes, Stewie plans to infiltrate his lair in Peter's testicles. Stewie finds Peter in the hospital, injured after being smashed on the head by the satilite dish Stewie destroyed, and shrinks himself down to size. After a lengthy journey around Peter's insides, Stewie enters Bertram's main study in the testicular region, and finds a book that reveals the location of Bertram's new lair. Stewie finds the building, and reeks chaos, destroying Bertram's cloning chambers and biological weapons, claiming that he and Bertram "agreed 'no germ warfare'". Stewie finds Bertram at the top of a missile silo, who plans to launch the rocket that will create a mind control beam around the world. As an added bonus, Rupert the bear is placed inside the rocket. However, Stewie destroys the rocket, rescues Rupert, and makes plans with Bertram to fight at the playground. Soon, Stewie battles Bertram, who uses a device to grow to tremendous size. Bertram is defeated, but calls for his "mommy" to escape, leaving Stewie by flipping him off.
Peter, after being smashed on the head by the PTV satilite dish, wakes up in the hospital, and sees a spotlight identical to the Bat-Signal, only in the shape of Mr. Belvedere. Peter believes that Belvedere kidnapped his family, and vows to destroy him. Peter beats down anyone in his path as he runs across Quahog, and eventually arrives at Cheesie Charlie's. However, Peter is smacked in the head by the doors, opened by several African-Americans, and thinks himself to be black, calling himself 'Rufus Griffin'. Peter destroys the entire arcade before waking up in the closet, seeing that the Belvedere signal is now at the Indian Casino. Peter, before entering, takes another blow to the head when a hooker attempts suicide by jumping off the roof. When Peter comes to, he believes himself to be a hooker himself, and enters the casino, beating up every patron and indian he sees, before taking a fifth blow to the head. Peter sees the Belvedere signal again at the docks, and travels there, only to take yet another blow to the head, this time from the debris of Bertram's rocket that Stewie had destroyed moments ago. Peter then believes that he is ANNA, an android programmed to destroy Mr. Belvedere. Arriving in a cave on the far side of the pier, Seamus confronts him, and places him in a fight with the Black Knight. Peter defeats the knight, but takes a seventh blow to the head when the knight's helmet falls of and hits him on the head. When he comes to, Lois confronts him, furious that Peter had destroyed half of Quahog looking for Belvedere. Peter decides to drown his sorrows at the Clam. However, Peter sees Belvedere again, but Belvedere rips off a disguise revealing none other than the Giant Chicken. In the final battle of the game, Peter defeats the chicken, and just barely escapes a massive explosion in a penthouse, landing safely... on Meg.
Brian is at home when Seabreeze arrives. Brian sniffs her and finds that she is 'inceminated'. Suddenly, Carter and two policemen come in, accusing Brian of impregnating Seabreeze. Brian is taken to lockup by Joe, but when Joe is distracted by a speed-bump in the hall, finding it in poor taste, Brian slips away. He finds Seabreeze in the offices, and sniffs her over, finding a familiar scent, when he remembers he found the scent on Tom Tucker. Brian sneaks over to the Quahog News Station, and finds Tucker's dressing room. However, sniffing everything he can, Brian finds that Tucker is not the father. Seeing an ad for the Quahog Dog Races, Brian tries there. Disguising himself as a food vendor, Brian finds the scent on a discarded ticket stub, and decides to disguise himself as Seabreeze, win the race, and draw the father out. Using drugs to increase his chances of winning, Brian wins by a long shot. Brian reveals that the father of Seabreeze's puppies is Quagmire, thereby clearing his name.
[edit] Cultural references
- During the most part of the game, Peter fights what he believes to be the minions of Mr. Belvedere, after watching a five-day marathon of the TV show.
- When Quagmire is revealed to be the father of Seabreeze's puppies instead of Brian, Joe goes on a long rant, citing a small list of celebrities: "I thought it would be that guy ... he was married to that 80s workout queen, she hasn't worked in a few years ... well, she did have that one movie with that actress with the fat ass ...", to which Brian replies, "Are you trying to get us sued?" Joe is referring to Ted Turner, who was involved in the episode this scenario is based on.
- When Peter transforms into Rufus Griffin, he also goes on a long rant, saying: "Watch out, Belvedere! I'm gonna mess you up worse than breast augmentation surgery messed up that formerly-hot chick who was in that movie where that Jewish kid stuck his thing in the pie!", referring to Tara Reid and her role in American Pie.
- Stewie remarks that he'll have to "go all Black Hawk Down" on the helicopter and its remote.
- Stewie criticizes Bertram for utilizing the cliché of a slow clap, often used in classic movies as a dramatic turning point.
- Stewie remarks "how the hell can he afford an Eames chair?!" upon seeing one in Bertram's study. When sitting in it, he remarks "Oh... My, this chair is orgasmic! I hope these diapers can absorb semen!"
- Stewie also remarks (early on) "Where does he get all his wonderful toys?" when referring to Bertram - This is a reference to Batman where The Joker says the same thing, referring to Batman's gadgets.
[edit] Reception
The game received average to poor reviews, though it was slightly better received on the Xbox. The review collation site Metacritic gave the Xbox version a score of 53%.[1] The same site awarded a slightly lower score of 52% to the PSP version,[2] and the PS2 version scored slightly lower still, at 51%.[3] X-Play gave the game 3 out of 5, mentioning Brian's levels as a weak point, and suggesting there is little to recommend in the game beyond its humor.[4] The Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine gave it a 3 out of 10 score, the main problems being broken AI, frustration and repetitive objectives. Another UK based PlayStation magazine, PSM3, gave it a 48 out of 100, with uninspired levels, restrictive controls and obscure references being the main reason for panning it. Game site IGN gave the game a 4.1 out of 10, a "poor" rating. However, it did win the "Best Cast" Award in 2006 on Spike TV's Video Game Awards.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Family Guy Video Game Official Site
- Family Guy at GameFAQs
- Family Guy video game preview from Planet Family Guy
- Family Guy: Playstation 2 Review at Gamestyle
- Family Guy: Xbox Review from Neoseeker
- Family Guy Video Game! at MobyGames
- Blast Magazine review February
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