The game isn't the best or most innovative game. By gaming standards, its marginal, fun, but nothing remarkable. Now you throw in all the Futurama elements, and this game is hilarious! I have never laughed out loud so much during a game before! There seemed to be so many references thrown through the game (The junk in everybodys lockers at Planet Express, the "Space Jockey" from Alien in the Bender area... brilliant!). The animation of the cut scenes was okay, but it really took second base to the comedy. The only thing missing, sadly, was Zap Brannigan... though I do love Mom as the evil tyrant! All in all a decent outing, totally worth playing! It seemed to be over too quickly, though it played it roughly 10hrs, I just didn't want it to end!
5 Reviews
It's just OK
silverscreenvacation21 November 2015
I was expecting a lot more from this game. The good things are that the original voice actors are all present, and the usual flavor and all the quirky, humorous things that make Futurama awesome are still there. The music mix is great.
Unfortunately, it plays like a 2015 app at best. I bought this for the original Xbox and was really excited. The unresponsive controls, however, made it near impossible for me to play. I gave up after the first real level (after the intro/tutorial). Even Futurama jokes aren't worth repeated, hair- pulling, controller-throwing fails that stem from the (lack of) game mechanics. Hopefully I'll be able to watch a play through, because I love all things Futurama.
I'll be taking this to my local buy/sell/trade place in hopes that someone with better motor skills than mine will enjoy it.
Unfortunately, it plays like a 2015 app at best. I bought this for the original Xbox and was really excited. The unresponsive controls, however, made it near impossible for me to play. I gave up after the first real level (after the intro/tutorial). Even Futurama jokes aren't worth repeated, hair- pulling, controller-throwing fails that stem from the (lack of) game mechanics. Hopefully I'll be able to watch a play through, because I love all things Futurama.
I'll be taking this to my local buy/sell/trade place in hopes that someone with better motor skills than mine will enjoy it.
Not really worth the prices it's fetching these days...
Analog_Devotee3 August 2021
I remember this one being pretty okay. Definitely wasn't as good as Simpsons: Hit & Run, which was more in the vein of what I was expecting. The controls and camera movement were clunky, and the story was just mediocre. The best part of this game, for me, was the graphics.
Nowadays this game has become quite the collector's item. Makes me wish I still had my old copy! But, alas, all I can find is the manual. Oh, well.
Nowadays this game has become quite the collector's item. Makes me wish I still had my old copy! But, alas, all I can find is the manual. Oh, well.
play it for the game, not the animation
gforte15 February 2004
Warning: Spoilers
Anyone expecting to see footage or a storyline worthy of the TV version of Futurama is likely to be disappointed by the rather poor animation and script for the game. On the positive side, all of the voicings were done by the original actors, and if you close your eyes and just listen you can almost imagine it's a TV episode in a lot of the cut scenes (although the timing is very stilted in some spots, and some of the jokes are just lame).
The gameplay itself is decent, although the movement is choppy and takes a little getting used to, and the camera control is not the greatest either. There are some very trite platform-ish elements - it's hard to tell if they were just being lazy, or trying to parody the average mediocre platformer. Overall, I'd give the gameplay a B-, except for a couple of very tedious rail-style levels (constant motion, the player just steers or shoots). Definitely not good enough to make me want to turn around and play it again, but not bad enough to make me put it down and never finish it.
Not a very glowing review, I know. I WILL say, however, that the ending joke was actually worth the entire thing (can't say any more without being a spoiler!). And the game is fairly short, so you won't waste more than a weekend.
Recommendation: rent or borrow, this probably isn't a keeper.
The gameplay itself is decent, although the movement is choppy and takes a little getting used to, and the camera control is not the greatest either. There are some very trite platform-ish elements - it's hard to tell if they were just being lazy, or trying to parody the average mediocre platformer. Overall, I'd give the gameplay a B-, except for a couple of very tedious rail-style levels (constant motion, the player just steers or shoots). Definitely not good enough to make me want to turn around and play it again, but not bad enough to make me put it down and never finish it.
Not a very glowing review, I know. I WILL say, however, that the ending joke was actually worth the entire thing (can't say any more without being a spoiler!). And the game is fairly short, so you won't waste more than a weekend.
Recommendation: rent or borrow, this probably isn't a keeper.
Zany platforming fun bolstered by brilliantly authentic comedy
tryzon28 April 2010
Is Futurama the best thing ever? Possibly. Is it the best animated sitcom ever? Probably, since the only competition is its older but less daft cousin The Simpsons. In any case, it's an exceedingly good show, and chances are you agree with me, seeing as you're reading this, and all. Now consider the Futurama game. Best game ever? Hell, no. While it's not without its charms, I could name a dozen similar but superior titles. But here's the thing: this gets a good bit more right than it gets wrong, although when it does slip up, it does so quite inelegantly.
What with this being a licensed title, the only reason I or anyone played this was the subject matter, so it seems like a perfect starting point. What with this being released after the fourth series ended and the show was cruelly put on hiatus (a crime against fun, although it has recently restarted, which is cause for celebration), many consider the game a 'lost episode', and it does deserve the reputation, for the comedy and styling is more or less spot-on, and nearly all your favourite characters are there, all seemingly with their proper voices. Amy, Hermes and Scruffy were apparently away at the time of the events unfolding, but I didn't notice anyone who was there with a bad impersonator instead of the real deal. It would also appear that some non-speaking help was at hand, with the writing and comedic timing being all but seamless. If you just wanted an interactive episode, you couldn't have hoped for more.
Basic plot is as follows: Professor sells Planet Express to Mom (who I like to call 'Mum' because I'm a British crumpet-chomper), which gives the evil hag a 51% stake in Earth's value, effectively giving her control of the globe. Naturally, the trusty trio of Fry, Leela and Bender have to clean up the mess. This is done by partaking in traditional but solid platforming malarkey across varied environments filled with amusing enemies, countless references to past jokes as well as a number of new 'uns. Where could you go wrong? The first thing I noticed while playing was that the jumping was pretty damned responsive, and that Fry's shooting-things combat was simple but effective. Less good by far was the foolish inclusion of a lives system, although the game's explanation for repeated deaths is gold-quality funniness. Lives are a horrible way of artificially hardening and lengthening (*girlish giggle*) gameplay. Die one too many times, and you have to do the whole level again instead of just appearing at the nearest checkpoint like usual. Stupidity incarnate, and there is no defence against it. Luckily, there exists a cheat to give oneself extra lives, which I suggest you use. It makes the game the proper, unfiddled-with difficulty, which is to say a tad easy, but that's far superior to hair-tearing. Finally, the camera is a bit squiffy, especially in enclosed areas.
All the characters have different combat styles and so forth, with Fry being gun-crazy, Bender spinning like a certain orange overgrown rodent from down under, and Leela being pretty rubbish. In fact, Leela is a bit broken, because her punches don't seem to be able to hit without getting her damaged too, so jump-kicking like a spring-booted retard is the only guaranteed road to victory. It's the old "why can't they pick up a gun from their fallen enemies" thing again, like in Wolverine's Revenge. That game is better than this, but not by much, and Futurama's funnier. Zoidberg suddenly pops up late in for a brief, mildly enjoyable but increasingly annoying timed romp through a swamp (hey, that rhymes!) on the back of a 'horse' as he calls it, tentacles and all.
This is the kind of game that doesn't strive for originality or greatness, but it's better than The Simpsons Hit & Run by a long shot, although when it comes to licensed games, King Kong is probably king, conveniently enough. It has a few nice ideas with platforming challenges, but the puzzles are at best boring and at worst absolutely horrific, but they shall feel my wrath in but a few moments; I want to compliment the game more before kicking it in the balls.
The biggest selling point is also its biggest strength, as I touched on before, and the atmosphere truly is consistent all the way through, although the very beginning is a tad slow. The humour is straight out of the Telly, the music is all new and old Chrisopher Tyng work, and the visuals are more than sufficient cell-shaded loveliness. Each location has a different feel, but the sun civilization's living skeleton army were my favourites, because everything they say is either a bone joke or a bone pun.
All the characters constantly sprout appropriate witty remarks, with varying degrees of annoyance. Fry was irritating, Leela teetered on unbearable, Bender was tolerable (mainly because I basically have metal fever for him) and Zoidberg is completely enjoyable, since I only spent half an hour with him. Also very nice are the recurring 4th-wall shattering remarks, including Zoidberg explaining his being on a distant planet by proclaiming "I'm here for my cameo!", and Fry's seeing a large game over sign upon death. It's terrific stuff, and the writers clearly took advantage of the medium when they had the chance. Hit & Run's jokes were almost all just stolen from the show, too.
Pretty much the only major dealbreaker is a monumentally awful series of number puzzles near the climax, which damn near spoiled my enthusiasm.
But that aside, there's a lot to like about Futurama, though you'll doubtless appreciate it more if you're a fan. Hunt it down, slip it in and prepare your funny bone for a workout.
What with this being a licensed title, the only reason I or anyone played this was the subject matter, so it seems like a perfect starting point. What with this being released after the fourth series ended and the show was cruelly put on hiatus (a crime against fun, although it has recently restarted, which is cause for celebration), many consider the game a 'lost episode', and it does deserve the reputation, for the comedy and styling is more or less spot-on, and nearly all your favourite characters are there, all seemingly with their proper voices. Amy, Hermes and Scruffy were apparently away at the time of the events unfolding, but I didn't notice anyone who was there with a bad impersonator instead of the real deal. It would also appear that some non-speaking help was at hand, with the writing and comedic timing being all but seamless. If you just wanted an interactive episode, you couldn't have hoped for more.
Basic plot is as follows: Professor sells Planet Express to Mom (who I like to call 'Mum' because I'm a British crumpet-chomper), which gives the evil hag a 51% stake in Earth's value, effectively giving her control of the globe. Naturally, the trusty trio of Fry, Leela and Bender have to clean up the mess. This is done by partaking in traditional but solid platforming malarkey across varied environments filled with amusing enemies, countless references to past jokes as well as a number of new 'uns. Where could you go wrong? The first thing I noticed while playing was that the jumping was pretty damned responsive, and that Fry's shooting-things combat was simple but effective. Less good by far was the foolish inclusion of a lives system, although the game's explanation for repeated deaths is gold-quality funniness. Lives are a horrible way of artificially hardening and lengthening (*girlish giggle*) gameplay. Die one too many times, and you have to do the whole level again instead of just appearing at the nearest checkpoint like usual. Stupidity incarnate, and there is no defence against it. Luckily, there exists a cheat to give oneself extra lives, which I suggest you use. It makes the game the proper, unfiddled-with difficulty, which is to say a tad easy, but that's far superior to hair-tearing. Finally, the camera is a bit squiffy, especially in enclosed areas.
All the characters have different combat styles and so forth, with Fry being gun-crazy, Bender spinning like a certain orange overgrown rodent from down under, and Leela being pretty rubbish. In fact, Leela is a bit broken, because her punches don't seem to be able to hit without getting her damaged too, so jump-kicking like a spring-booted retard is the only guaranteed road to victory. It's the old "why can't they pick up a gun from their fallen enemies" thing again, like in Wolverine's Revenge. That game is better than this, but not by much, and Futurama's funnier. Zoidberg suddenly pops up late in for a brief, mildly enjoyable but increasingly annoying timed romp through a swamp (hey, that rhymes!) on the back of a 'horse' as he calls it, tentacles and all.
This is the kind of game that doesn't strive for originality or greatness, but it's better than The Simpsons Hit & Run by a long shot, although when it comes to licensed games, King Kong is probably king, conveniently enough. It has a few nice ideas with platforming challenges, but the puzzles are at best boring and at worst absolutely horrific, but they shall feel my wrath in but a few moments; I want to compliment the game more before kicking it in the balls.
The biggest selling point is also its biggest strength, as I touched on before, and the atmosphere truly is consistent all the way through, although the very beginning is a tad slow. The humour is straight out of the Telly, the music is all new and old Chrisopher Tyng work, and the visuals are more than sufficient cell-shaded loveliness. Each location has a different feel, but the sun civilization's living skeleton army were my favourites, because everything they say is either a bone joke or a bone pun.
All the characters constantly sprout appropriate witty remarks, with varying degrees of annoyance. Fry was irritating, Leela teetered on unbearable, Bender was tolerable (mainly because I basically have metal fever for him) and Zoidberg is completely enjoyable, since I only spent half an hour with him. Also very nice are the recurring 4th-wall shattering remarks, including Zoidberg explaining his being on a distant planet by proclaiming "I'm here for my cameo!", and Fry's seeing a large game over sign upon death. It's terrific stuff, and the writers clearly took advantage of the medium when they had the chance. Hit & Run's jokes were almost all just stolen from the show, too.
Pretty much the only major dealbreaker is a monumentally awful series of number puzzles near the climax, which damn near spoiled my enthusiasm.
But that aside, there's a lot to like about Futurama, though you'll doubtless appreciate it more if you're a fan. Hunt it down, slip it in and prepare your funny bone for a workout.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
