Back when it first launched in 2010, Epic Mickey caught the eye of many off the again of a variety of actors, be that its director being Deus Ex mastermind Warren Spector, or the metacommentary laden narrative that it was promising to inform, or the surprisingly darker tone that it adopted despite being a Disney joint, and even the selection and consequence mechanics it was touting. The sport itself, nevertheless, did not ship on its many guarantees, and after a notoriously troublesome improvement cycle, ended up dividing opinion upon its precise launch.
Now, THQ Nordic and Purple Lamp – a studio finest identified for its work on current SpongeBob SquarePants platformers – are bringing Disney’s distinctive platformer again with an enhanced and expanded remaster dubbed Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, bringing the sport ahead into the fashionable period with a variety of enhancements and coats of polish utilized. In some ways, these enhancements work out nice, permitting the sport’s core strengths to shine brighter than they might within the flawed authentic launch. On the identical time, nevertheless, different deficiencies stay, a few of that are a giant a part of the bigger expertise, making for a sport that may be a decidedly higher model of this distinctive platformer, however maybe nonetheless not one which is ready to do full justice to its fascinating imaginative and prescient.
“This remaster is is a decidedly higher model of this distinctive platformer, however maybe nonetheless not one which is ready to do full justice to its fascinating imaginative and prescient.”
Epic Mickey’s story kicks off with the titular mouse discovering himself in Yen Sid’s workshop in the future, the place he unwittingly causes a world created by the wizard to descend into utter chaos. A not-insignificant time leap later, Mickey is pulled into that world – now often known as the Wasteland – himself, the place it now falls to him to cope with the fallout of his actions. Narratively, what makes Epic Mickey stand out (at the very least on paper), is the way it ropes in lesser identified components of Disney historical past which were all however forgotten by everybody, with the Wasteland appearing as a world the place such characters can live on peacefully. The first villain, as an example, is Oswald, a rabbit that was as soon as Disney’s mascot earlier than Mickey was created to exchange him, who now harbours a bitter and deep-seated resentment for his successor.
That self-referential metacommentary is definitely one of many extra attention-grabbing features of Epic Mickey from a story and conceptual standpoint, however the sport does let itself down in that space in different methods. One in all its extra apparent flaws is the shortage of voice appearing. The sport’s animated cutscenes look charming for essentially the most half, however once you see characters partaking in awkwardly silent exchanges whereas subtitles on the underside of the display screen do the heavy lifting, it’s exhausting to not really feel upset on this remaster specifically, given how good of a chance it chooses to cross up by way of including in voice overs.
One other disappointing side of Epic Mickey’s narrative imaginative and prescient is the way it executes its selection and consequence mechanics. The prospect of a platformer the place your actions all through the expertise affect the story is definitely an intriguing one, particularly given the truth that this can be a Disney story with Disney characters (together with the Disney character), however in Epic Mickey, issues find yourself being too binary. Mickey is armed with a magical paintbrush, which he can both use with thinner to erase issues out of existence, or with paint to color them into existence. Which of the 2 strategies you select to make use of in fight is basically what finally ends up affecting the sport’s selection and consequence mechanics, and never solely does that really feel just a bit too simplistic, you additionally hardly ever really feel lie your decisions are having any precise, significant penalties, aside from on some uncommon, smaller-scale events.
“That self-referential metacommentary is definitely one of many extra attention-grabbing features of Epic Mickey from a story and conceptual standpoint, however the sport does let itself down in that space in different methods.”
Fortunately, it’s with the precise moment-to-moment gameplay that Epic Mickey: Rebrushed has seen the most important enhancements, chief amongst them being its new controls and digicam. The unique sport was, after all, a Wii unique, which meant weird and clunky controls necessitated by the Wiimote and nunchuk mixture. With Rebrushed, nevertheless, the sport simply adopts an ordinary dual-stick management scheme and digicam technique, which improves the expertise considerably. Motion and even the best actions had been typically extremely irritating within the authentic sport, however that’s not the case on this remaster.
Which means Epic Mickey’s design and mechanical strengths are capable of shine a lot brighter. The sport’s core hook of with the ability to paint issues out and in of existence is one which very hardly ever seems like its shedding its appeal. From manipulating environments to seek out hidden alcoves and secret paths to utilizing your magical paintbrush to resolve creative puzzles, Epic Mickey retains discovering enjoyable methods to leverage its central gameplay hooks. It helps, after all, that the sport boasts constantly sturdy design, whereas non-obligatory content material within the type of aspect quests, collectibles, and what have you ever additionally encourage gamers to discover each nook and cranny. I’ll say that the motion felt a bit too floaty for my tastes at instances, however- should you’re searching for a platformer the place exact and quick motion is emphasised above all else, Epic Mickey might depart you pissed off.
Then once more, a handful of different, smaller enhancements mix to uplift the expertise in different methods. As an example, you now have the flexibility to dash by clicking within the left analog stick, which makes exploration really feel like a lot much less of a slog than it so typically may within the authentic sport. There’s additionally a brand new sprint transfer, in addition to a brand new floor pound assault, whereas the 2D sidescrolling projector ranges of the unique have additionally been considerably fleshed out, feeling way more like standalone ranges themselves, full with extra issues to work together with, extra collectibles to seek out, and what have you ever.
“It’s with the precise moment-to-moment gameplay that Epic Mickey: Rebrushed has seen the most important enhancements, chief amongst them being its new controls and digicam.”
Visually, too, Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is a strong improve. Rebuilt totally, the sport touts new artwork and property, however by some means nonetheless manages to retain the unique sport’s sturdy aesthetic. The result’s a model of Epic Mickey that appears like your reminiscence of the unique sport, however is definitely a big improve in additional methods than one. From the extent of element that has been added in to the rise in constancy, to the improved animations and efficiency, Epic Mickey: Rebrushed doesn’t skimp on technical and visible upgrades.
In the end, it’s honest to say that that is the closest this sport has come to fulfilling Warren Spector’s weird but fascinating promise of a darkish and twisted 3D Mickey Mouse platformer, although it nonetheless doesn’t fairly totally do what it ought to with that premise. Sure, the improved controls and digicam permit the sport’s core mechanics and design to flourish higher than ever, however on the identical time, points with the whole lot from the lax implementation of the selection and consequence mechanics to the floaty motion, amongst different issues, do really feel like they maintain the sport again in vital methods. Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed certainly makes the platformer simpler to suggest than ever, and undoubtedly, there are issues to love and admire here- simply don’t count on a sport that’s going to knock your socks off with no caveats by any means.
This sport was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.
