Creep Show
At A Glance
That pesky bag of insects, Oogie Boogie, has hatched yet another one of his evil schemes, but saving the day is as easy as picking up an Xbox® controller.
'Till death do us pa ... er, never mind. As a designer, recreating a musical on a console game, even a hauntingly beautiful one based on spooky imagery, isn't the easiest task. Nevertheless, hands-on time with the title gives the impression that the creators are making a spirited attempt, as the captivating soundtrack, complete with full-length sing-along ditties and snappy instrumentals, proves. The plot in a nutshell: It's one year after the events depicted in the film. Mischievous henchmen Lock, Stock, and Barrel have sewn Oogie back together again, after his defeat at the end of the 1993 motion picture. Jack, meanwhile, is just arriving home from an extended absence to research methods of creating the scariest Halloween ever. Upon his return, our fleshless hero finds the village crawling with enemies and the fate of the other holiday worlds in jeopardy. Thank heavens for the Soul Robber, a gift given to Skellington by mad scientist Dr. Finkelstein. Picture a glowing green whip of goo that can be used to pummel enemies, fling them around, and help you move about various environments by grappling your way up to hard to reach places. Wandering about the town square and various decrepit structures, you'll find it a handy weapon. It allows you to slap baddies down with fancy combos, pound foes against the ground or throw them about the screen.
Whip it good. Violence isn't the only activity you participate in. Hobnob with familiar faces like Sally, the Vampire Brothers, the Mayor, and Corpse Kid while you retrieve items and solve puzzles to progress through the tale. This will give you ample chance to absorb the title's spine-tingling aesthetic, a mix of hilarious, cartoon-style creepiness and traditional Gothic horror overtones. Tim Burton and Deane Taylor, the movie's art director, each lend a hand in terms of audiovisuals, so you can be certain the production is as true to its inspiration as possible. Where the game differs slightly is in terms of Jack's abilities. In times of need, he can transform into super-powered alter-egos Santa Jack or The Pumpkin King. Grab a Christmastime costume, and you dole out presents which stun or paralyze enemies. Dress up as the freakish Pumpkin King instead, and spit fire at unlucky opponents. Either way, each offers some variation on the adventure's basic play mechanics, extending the title's overall value. Boss battles, especially those that pit you against Oogie, aren't of the typical "go here, bash that" variety. While some scrapping is required, the presence of music-driven mini-games helps keep everything fresh and interesting on a long-term basis. Hit a boss, and notes spill out. Collect them to spark off rhythm-based encounters where you'll attempt to mash buttons and D-pad keys in time with on-screen indicators. Do this successfully, and you can land some serious hits on your adversary before they recover and go on the offensive again.
Gotta dance! It's important to note that while all of this is happening—exploration, combat, one-on-duels—the musical score is constantly going, helping lend a sense of urgency and impact. Play for a time, and you'll almost feel as if you're starring in your own silver screen romp. It's a testament to the power of high-end production values, and, for that matter, the technical wizardry of the crew behind the game. With a certain jolly holiday quickly approaching, now of all times is the right moment to give the title a glance. I promise you won't be sorry; The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge is one fiendishly addictive escapade. Article by Chris Zimmerman |
