Full Review: Ico meets Chicken Run.
Wallace & Gromit in Project Zoo is a platformer based on the animated clay adventures of Wallace and his pet dog Gromit. They are the brainchild of Nick Park's Aardman production house, the group also responsible for the Chicken Run movie. Project Zoo is almost exactly what game players would expect from a game based on already established cartoon characters.
Project Zoo starts with the heroic pair, Wallace and Gromit, taking a trip to the zoo and finding it closed. The duo eventually find out that their arch-nemesis, the evil penguin Feathers McGraw, has kidnapped their friend Archie, an extraordinarily acquiescent and bespectacled polar bear, from the zoo. Archie sends the pair an S.O.S. via a paper airplane, and Wallace and Gromit immediately set out to rescue their friend from the penguin’s evil…fins. If this storyline isn’t too ridiculous or cutesy for you, then Project Zoo may fit your tastes. If not, you may definitely need to look elsewhere. Project Zoo plays like a clay-animated cartoon, or an interactive Chicken Run.
Throughout the game players control Gromit, the dog and more dynamic of the pair. Gromit has the typical repertoire of platform moves, including a butt stomp, a high jump from a crouch, a punch-kick triple move, and the ability to access a variety of weapons. Don’t expect to see any weapons that you would see in an FPS like Goldeneye, or even a platformer like Ratchet and Clank. The first weapon Gromit acquires is a banana gun. From there, you gain access to unique firearms such as the turnip launcher. Much later, Gromit is able to use contraptions such as springy boots and the gyrocopter, which has a mounted porridge gun.
Wallace accompanies Gromit, although the human is much less dynamic than his canine counterpart. Gromit does the vast majority of the fighting, rescuing, and overall platforming. Gromit can whistle to summon Wallace, much like in the sleeper hit Ico. Also similar to Ico, Gromit often has to make easy paths for Wallace, building bridges, knocking over obstacles, disarming traps, and basically protecting Wallace from the dangers of the environment. Wallace isn’t entirely useless, however, as his ability to invent and repair is essential for the game’s progression. Gromit must collect tools and bolts, and Wallace can use these items to make weapons for Gromit and can also repair switches and other mechanical items that may stand in the pair’s way. It is still up to Gromit, however, to do the collecting and to lead Wallace to the item needing repair.
The graphics don’t have the aesthetic grandeur of Ico, but do offer a good re-creation of Aardman’s clay-animated worlds, despite a slight stutter in some of the animation. The sounds are functional, but get repetitive before too long. The only voicework in the game is by Wallace, as the rest of the cast is composed of voiceless animals. Controls are also good, though not as tight as they should be for the near-relentless jumping and climbing required to successfully finish the game.
