Swimming with the fishes is now a good thing!

Based on the Disney / Pixar film of the same name, Finding Nemo swims to your Xbox courtesy of THQ and Traveller’s Tales. Games based on children’s animated films are always a risky business in that more often than not they fail to capture the charm of the subject mater or any modicum of fun. Fortunately Finding Nemo breaks the mold and provides a fun, challenging, and refreshing experience for fans of the film and gamers alike.

Features

Relive the film and help Nemo find his way home

Over 15 levels

Unlock mini-games in each level

Play as Nemo, Marlin, and Dory

Beautiful 3D graphics

Features film clips from the film

Gameplay]
Closely following the storyline of the film, Finding Nemo revolves around the struggle of a young fish named Nemo and his father Marlin as they try to reunite after being separated. In the event someone is reading this review and has not yet seen the film, we will not dive deeper into the story in order to preserve the film experience.

Being a game set underwater, gamers would be mistaken if they are expecting a knockoff of Sega’s Ecco the Dolphin games. Unlike those games, Finding Nemo provides an adventure and gameplay that should be enjoyable to anyone who picks it up. Levels are mix of both 2D and 3D styles, similar to past Disney game efforts such as Tarzan. These levels present players with the usual gameplay elements they would expect to find in any platformer game, without offering anything new or unique. Levels usually consist of swimming through a set number of bubble rings, collecting items, following the leader, being chased, racing, and avoiding obstacles. While this would usually be considered a bad thing, Traveller’s Tales has managed to take all the tried and true elements of the genre and arrange them in a manner that is fun and rewarding. One way they accomplish this is by having the player take control of not only Nemo, but also Marlin and Dori when the story dictates their use. In order to keep the levels connected to the film, at beginning and end of each level players are treated to FMV sequences taken directly from the film.

While the gameplay elements may seem basic, the game does manage to provide enough challenge for gamers both young and old. While older games will likely be able to blow through the game under ten hours, younger gamers will take considerable longer to complete it. This is not completely due to the level of challenge the game provides, but in that there are some occasions where you are not completely sure what you should be doing and end up wandering around until you figure it out. This aside, the game is still put together well enough that players will be able to overcome this without getting too irritated.

Graphics
Traveller’s Tales has successfully managed to recreate the look and feel of the film’s graphics in the game. This fact is shown off with the almost seamless transitions between actual film footage and in-game graphics. Players will find themselves swimming though beautifully crafted underwater environments brimming with sea life and other objects one would expect to find in the ocean. Environments are bright and clear when the level calls for it, and murky and dark when needed. The game also manages to run smoothly, which is more important in a game set in a fluid world. Character models are also very well done, looking nearly identical to their film counterparts.

Sound
While the game does not feature the music from the film, the music in the game is always fitting to the action on screen. Many of the tunes are mellow and even somewhat relaxing. You will not find anything offensive to the ears in this game. Sound effects are also well done and never become grating or too repetitive. Voice work is strong, but then the majority of it is provided by the films actors. Some of the in-game non-FMV voice work, such as Dori’s, is not provided by the original voice actor, but instead by a decent sound-alike.

Closing
Finding Nemo is a testament to the fact that it is possible to create a solid game based on a children’s animated film. Traveller’s Tales should be commended for their efforts and other developers should take note. Anyone who was a fan of the film and would like to relive the adventure can rest assured that their money will not be wasted on purchasing this game. For anyone still not sure if it is worth a purchase, rent the game and you will not be disappointed.