Typical licensed movie game, and ALL that that implies.
User Rating: 2.6 | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory XBOX
First of all let me say that this review is written as a parent, not as someone who was generally interested in this game hisself. That being said, let me get on with the review proper... Charlie and the Chocolate Factory(CCF) is nothing more than your typical licensed movie game that doesn't try very hard and doesn't even accomplish a basic link between the movie and the game itself. The whole point of purchasing a movie game is to try and relive part of a movie that you really enjoyed. Movies have a way of staying with us and it's normal to want to recapture a little part of that. My daughter often asks for movie games and as a gaming parent it's hard to say no. I mean I have made my own share of movie game mistakes in the past *cough* Fantastic Four *cough*. That being said, this game manages to be nothing more than a by the numbers platformer with little in the way of challenge and a horrible interface for accomplishing that which the game asks you to do. Rather than letting your character, Charlie, have access to things in the game, you are required to lead around droves of OOmpa Loompas and make them perform tasks which will in turn lead you to the goals set up by the game. This might sound interesting in theory. But in the end it is a clunky interface which is unchallenging even to my 9 year old, but still the game is difficult due to the horrid camera and the botched platforming said camera provides. At the end of the day, CCF seems to be slightly entertaining to my daughter. It's a small tie to the movie which she wants to see (but as of yet has not). But please take my advice, if your child asks for this game just take them to Blockbuster and rent it. DO NOT buy this lousy slapped together movie cash in game.
