Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse

The Good
Ah, Family Guy. The most polarizing animated comedy this generation, and possible a poor man's Simpsons. I'm not gonna lie, I'm one of those people that used to like the show initially before dropping it like a hot stone. If you like the show, that's totally fine and dandy. But make no mistake that I'm gonna sound really biased here. Now, being the fan I was, I picked up the previous Family Guy game for PS2, and after replaying it years ago, I didn't like it. Then I got this, brand new - not long before it came out, and imagine that - Heavy Iron Studios, the same people that brought out some wonderful SpongeBob games to the market, developing this?! Hoo boy, I was excited, but I didn't expect the next chapter of this story. But enough of my rambling, let's get to the good stuff.

For starters, credit where credit is due, the cast reprises their role as their respective characters. The show's writers have also wrote a script that shows it's faithfulness to the source material to the show. Each character has a unique set of weapons and abilities that relate to their personality, which is fitting in some cases, and others not. Even their animations are fitting (especially Chris).

Controls aren't bad, they work for the most part, and the audio's fine...I guess...

The Bad
...Aw, who am I kidding?! This game freakin' stinks.

The gameplay is childish, easy and monotonous. It plays like a kid's game, but with an M rating. Or hell, a poor man's Ratchet and Clank. Each character is pathetically easy to use in context, and some of them are just the same thing, just with different weapons...and the weapons don't even fit them at times. Collectibles are also pathetically easy to find; and barely unlock anything other than new maps and challenges. The multiplayer is the worst offender here; and while I can get it's presence, it feels useless. Heck, every aspect of it is. The costumes, the challenges...all of it is useless and unwarranted.

As expected, the game brings out FG's typical offensive humor. Y'know, the type that lacks comedic timing? It's there, and predominately more aggressive. Gags are plastered everywhere in the levels; ranging from mildly amusing to not even trying...or in this case, typical. Then again, this is the same Family Guy we're talking about here, whose offensiveness level is off the record that has managed to get someone like L. Brent Bozell to write violent fantasies of him blowing Seth MacFarlane away with a revolver (not that this is true, but hey. Anything's possible).

About the audio? I lied. The writing, graphics and voice acting are dreadful. Each character is out of character (Quagmire yelling that bullet wounds more than taking a piss), and you can tell with the voice acting everyone wanted the money for it and call it good, especially Seth. Then again, given his attitude towards the show and fans nowadays, it's not surprising. The writing, as expected for Family Guy, is bad. The graphics are bad; they look like something out of a PS2 game...ironic, considering the same graphical style in Family Guy Video Game a few years back. The music is just as corny and happy-go-lucky; which is mildly fitting while you slaughter elves and cripples.

I could keep going on and on, but I'm gonna stop here before I waste my breath. Point is, this is Family Guy, I'm biased, and Seth is the Adam Sandler of animated comedy at this point in time.

The Bottom Line
If you're the biggest, most hardcore Family Guy fan out there, then the answer is obvious - this game is easy pickings. If not, run like hell, and buy a better cartoon video game like The Stick of Truth or Hit and Run. They are ages better than Back to the Multiverse, and the Family Guy Video Game. It's the second worst video game I've played, and unless if something tops that, then I dunno what will.