So I traveled into the world of Adult Swim video games recently. I still can’t decide if it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but here is my reviews, nonetheless!

The first game on my agenda was Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Zombie Ninja Pro Am. At first glance, this game was very “rude”, even by PS2 standards. After awhile of game play, I understand why. ATHF: ZNPA is not supposed to be pretty and that’s what really gives it character. The voice overs, cut scenes, and even the menu pages give you that feeling the Frylock, Master Shake, and Meatwad really made the game. Even Carl contributed some!

This game is definitely relying on the voice actors transition from tv to interactive entertainment and I think it succeeds. The actual game play can be cumbersome as a standalone golf game, and the amount of enemies you have to face while walking to wherever your ball is sometimes never-ending. But the fact that it’s sprinkled with characters from the show keeps it entertaining throughout the repetitiveness.

The biggest flaw, however, lies with the ability to hit a ball where you want it. Using the old three button hit technique (push button to start swing, push button at top of swing, push button at end of swing). This made it difficult to judge exactly where the ball was going to land and it took away any real challenge of making accurate shots. You pretty much just hit away, and if you land in water, you hit it maybe a little bit softer. If they could have allowed you to hook the ball or put some spin on it, a lot of the trial and error shots would have been a bit easier to solve. Instead, I’d end up with double or triple bogies because my shot would just sail straight away and land in a lake. The other problem was the actual physics. How could a shot on the moon travel the same distance as a regular golf course?

Then again, the faults are all forgotten once Cybernetic Ghost starts speaking in between rounds! My overall score here is going to be biased by the fact that I am an avid fan of ATHF. The 3.5 I’m giving it isn’t because it’s a particularly good game. It’s just fun to listen to those three constantly go at it and to hear some of the great secondary characters chime in with their own two sense!

The second game in the same vein is Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law. The other Adult Swim contribution that also banks on the ability of the voice actors to make the game. This one, in my opinion, works a lot better than the previous.

The style is on par with the Phoenix Wright games, without as much attention to detail. It’s your basic sleuth around and ask questions to get info and profile your “suspects”. Once that’s completed, you head off to the courts. Here, you get to interact with all the characters, including Mentok and Hiram Mightor.

The court cases are not that difficult and it’s more about presenting the right evidence at the correct line of the witness’ statement (I got stuck on that part a couple of times). But you generally have ample chances to make a mistake here and there. The ability to skip through a lot of the cut-scenes really works in the game’s favor if you end up having to restart a level though.

I really don’t have anything bad to say about this game except that it could have been a little more challenging. But once again, I’ll take a simpler approach if it means that I get to listen to all the innuendos and double entendres thrown out there by those lads at Sebben & Sebben!

My rating for this one is an easy 4. It may not be hard to play, but you are Harvey Birdman!