Reader Reviews

The Haunted Mansion (PS2)

by Peej

Funny old game this reviewing business. For a laugh, and after reading Kami's excellent Resident Evil Code Veronica Gun Survivor thingy last week, I thought "OK I'll review my Star Review prize: Disney's "The Haunted Mansion" then!"

The prize (cheers Tom) [Tips hat] would I'm sure immediately have pretty much every hardcore or even the most casual gamer running screaming into the trees. But bear with me here, I've got something slightly weird to say. It's... not... that... bad!

Now anyone who knows me and knows my various rants will no doubt have sussed out that I'm a picky sod and if I don't like something I will say so, mostly to the chagrin of other EG regulars (Everything or Nothing). So approaching this game, putting its shiny little disc into my PS2, I almost felt like I was committing some gross act of sacrilege (particularly as I had to remove the revered Beyond Good & Evil disc to do so, the gaming equivalent of peeing on your well respected grandfather's grave). After sitting through some PS1-esque CGI intro sequences that (spare my scant knowledge of the Eddie Murphy vehicle) had pretty much nothing in common with the film, a bland menu appeared. I took a couple of shots of Andrews, speed-chugged a couple of Rennies and dived in.

Firstly and foremostly what might strike you as strange is the fact that the main character is A) Not Eddie Murphy (quelle surprise!) and B) Looks more like Rowan Atkinson after a swift month or two on an Atkins diet. Once you're through all the waffle that accompanies the introduction you're in and playing.

Let's pause for a moment here. The Xbox has "Grabbed by the Ghoulies" as its token comical scary game. An excellent polished little game which sold, well, less copies than the last Norton Antivirus package, am I right? Similarly, the GameCube has Luigi's Mansion and similarly that probably sold quite a few less copies than other GameCube launch titles despite being rather lovely to look at (if a bit short on longevity).

Now I'm pretty sure that the PS2 has other comical ghostly/spooky outings (not least of which might include the excellent Gregory Horror Show) but now it also has this curious little title to add to the throng. Haunted Mansion is obviously aimed at the younger player (though I'm sure most 7 year-olds would probably much rather thrash around Vice City causing mayhem than help our hero trap lost souls) but it's very polished, quite slick in fact and some of the puzzles are quite a joy to behold.

Early on you will enjoy weird platform fun in the library, where structures made out of poltergeistly books will appear before you as you navigate around. There is also a puzzle involving a pool table, where you're reduced down to the size of a ball and a ghostly player aims the cue ball at you. Get him to sink all the pool balls and you beat him. Sure it's not the rod-lock puzzle from Prince of Persia, but fun nonetheless. Another puzzle worthy of mention occurs in the kitchen where a mad plate-flinging poltergeist must be defeated by getting him to smash bottles of flammable alcohol with the plates, making a trail of fire from one side of the room to the other. Sounds easy but in practice it'll take a good few goes (and this is a kids game, right?)

So what's to like about this game? Well it's good inoffensive fun, nothing too taxing but there are a few touches that are both pleasing and seemingly out of place in a game that you'd expect to sell in relatively small numbers. Admittedly if I had to pay £40 for it I probably would be feeling slightly ripped off (in fact the thought of buying this game would never have entered my head) but as a freebie, in fact even as bargain basement fare it's probably worth a go. Graphically it's strictly on a PS1 level, soundtrack's a bit grating, and presentation is OK. It's kind of like eating a pub meal the day after you've been to Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons.