Disney does it again
Younger gamers in search of a bit of charming old-school Disney fun would be well advised to check out this enjoyable platformer. It's based on the movie of the same name, and does a good job of recreating its spills, thrills and adventures, thus making it a nice addition to any Disney collection alongside Toy Story 2 and A Bug's Life. This one sees you in control of Kenai, the movie's bear hero, and sees you trying to reach where 'the lights touch the earth.' Pairing up with your buddy Koda, you get to make your way through various levels based on the movie, including the Valley of Fire, and the Aspen Forest. Along the way you get to meet up with some familiar faces including Rutt and Tuke, while also trying your hand at combat with Denahi, the hunter. In terms of gameplay, this is a simple enough 3D platformer, where you roam around the various levels, navigating tricky logs over rivers, fighting off enemies and so on. Brother Bear is certainly no classic, but where considered with the target audience in mind, it definitely delivers the goods. Like most Disney games, it looks the part, with some pretty nice 3D visuals that are colorful and vibrant and which do a great job of bringing the movie's characters and world to life. The platforming action itself is straightforward but thanks to some nice simple controls and a well implemented camera system, it all turns out to be enjoyable stuff. The story is charming too so on the whole, if you've got younger Disney fans in the house, this is a great way to keep them quiet.
