True to its name, Disney Interactive has released another game geared towards younger audiences, this time in the form of Herbie: Fully Loaded. However, though the movie may have been worth its price, its videogame counterpart needs more material to justify the thirty-dollar price tag. Extremely short and very simple both in mechanics and difficulty, the game feels underdeveloped, giving off the impression that it was rushed out to generate quick profit.
"Extremely short and very simple both in mechanics and difficulty..."
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The so-called Story Mode is composed of only eight tracks that really aren’t much different from each other. Competing against four other cars, you are required to come in first place to unlock and advance to another track. After each race, photo stills are shown of Lindsay Lohan along with forgettable one-line phrases, which, quite amusingly, are supposed to be the "story." And most surprising of all, the entire mode can be completed in a dismal span of time, which compounds to less than half an hour.
The other two modes in Fully Loaded do little else but build upon the eight races that are featured in the Story Mode. The Free Race mode allows you to race in any of the tracks that you have unlocked before, and the Championship mode is exactly the same as the Story Mode, except for the fact that you are awarded points based on your overall placing instead of having to place first to proceed to the next race.
"The gameplay of Fully Loaded is, for the most part, straightforward and uncomplicated."
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The gameplay of Fully Loaded is, for the most part, straightforward and uncomplicated. The game’s unintelligent computer-controlled opponents frequently run into each other and often drive straight over what look like puddles of mud that make the cars spin out. For this reason, it isn’t difficult to win each race with relative ease. The only thing that might be slightly annoying is that once you drive onto the dirt on the outskirts of the tracks, you’ll slow down extremely quickly, allowing the computers to pass you. Other than that, however, most everything else is an easy ride.
Throughout the race tracks, four different power-ups in the form of stars are dispersed in varying places to help you cross the finish line before your opponents. Blue stars allow Herbie to do a wheelie and speed up for a while, and green stars also make the car go faster, but the wheelie is replaced with a high jump into the air. The yellow stars, which make Herbie do a complete 180 degree spin, then speed up while temporarily driving backwards, are helpful at times but often make you lose control of your car. Lastly, the red stars let Herbie launch a tire at another car to make it spin out, which is something to chuckle at.
"More than anything else, Fully Loaded’s short length and shallow game modes are its downfall..."
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Fully Loaded’s visuals are decent, though inconsistent. The surroundings are somewhat grainy, and the opposing cars are fairly blurry, but the frame rate is fluid and there is never any slowdown. Especially worth noting is the excellent car model of Herbie. It is very detailed and smooth, making you wonder why the rest of the graphics didn’t look as nice. The soundtrack, on the other hand, is actually pretty good, but there is a severe lack of music tracks. There is only one music track during races that repeats after it is finished; it would have been nice if more clips were available to choose from. As for the sound effects, the bulk of what you’ll be hearing is engine sounds and screeching tires—really nothing too special.
More than anything else, Fully Loaded’s short length and shallow game modes are its downfall, turning a game with potential into a missed opportunity. There isn’t enough value to the title to justify a purchase, unless you’re buying it for a young child. But even in that case, you’ll probably want to pass on this game.
