Disney's Epic Mickey Preview
As a proud, mouse ear-wearing Disney geek, I'm more than a little excited for the arrival of Epic Mickey. It's been 20 years since Castle of Illusion, the last decent title starring the iconic corporate mascot, so this one's been a long time coming. But what makes Mickey's return even sweeter is he's being brought back by the king of Disney nerds, Warren Spector (the famed designer's rumored to own more than a dozen Mickey wristwatches). Yes, the mind behind the cyber-punk, dystopian Deus Ex has put his passion behind a cartoon rodent. While this might be a bit unsettling to Spector's longtime fans, it's the best news ever for Disney freaks like me.
The story of Epic Mickey goes a little something like this: The mouse is messing in a world he's not welcome in; an alternate reality populated by forgotten Disney characters who are jealous of his fame. They don't have millions of adoring fans, their images aren't on any t-shirts, and they certainly don't have any theme park attractions named after them. They're not happy, and the last thing they want is the over-privileged Mickey rooting around in their land of misfits.
This leaves the trapped mouse to fend for himself, solving puzzles, battling foes, and exploring this bizarro Disney world of sorts. He does this mostly by wielding a magic paint brush, the title's defining gameplay mechanic and the reason Spector wanted Epic Mickey on the Wii. The paintbrush, mapped to Wii-mote gestures, shoots paint and thinner, allowing players to essentially create and destroy things in the world. Items can be conjured from thin air by painting over specific areas, where others will evaporate before your eyes under the thinner's erasing power.
During my hands-on time, I was sent on a quest to collect tiki masks. It was a simple challenge made more interesting because I had to find areas that would be a good fit for new platforms, then paint them into place. With a fresh path constructed, I was then able to find my way to the previously out-of-reach collectibles. This tutorial-like task, while fun, only hinted at the gameplay potential, but a later boss battle proved playing with paint isn't just for kids.
Dropped on a desert island surrounded by a sea of paint thinner, Mickey was forced to avoid the dangerous tide while also battling a boss. He was a metallic spidery menace with a shielded top, chasing me around the beach while I experimented with my lethal art supplies. After hosing the persistent pest with gallons of paint to no avail, I switched to thinner and finally saw some results. Turns out I needed to deplete his shield with thinner, then finish him off with paint. Problem was, he'd occasionally take off and replenish his protective shell by visiting a nearby paint puddle. After a few more attempts, I managed to best the menace, mostly by strafing around him and squirting rather than running and gunning, er, painting. Mickey's controlled by the nunchuck's analog stick, and a very Zelda-like lock-on allowed for my more refined strategy.
This encounter was indeed epic, effectively displaying the type of dynamic gameplay Spector and his team are shooting for. Utilizing both firing modes to take down the beast was a blast, but additional wrinkles, like the Mickey-swallowing ocean surrounding the island and the enemy's shield-powering paint source, added some welcome depth. I also later learned the island's lesser foes, which I quickly dispatched with a spray of thinner, would have fought by the brave mouse’s side had I splashed them with paint.
This showdown sold me on the game's combat, but I wish I'd experienced more puzzling and exploration, as I'm guessing this mechanic will lend itself extremely well to more complex quests. Imaginative, mind-bending scenarios requiring both paint and thinner are limitless, and I'm guessing Spector's creativity-oozing brain has thought of many of them. But as much as this innovative, Wii-made mechanic will define Epic Mickey, it'll be the inspired design that impresses Disneyphiles most. Again, Spector is quite the nut for the source material, and this title's like a love letter to those who share his passion.
Levels are absolutely brimming with Disney canon call-outs, both subtle and obvious. My tiki mask-collecting quest, for example, was set in a jungle outpost fashioned after the theme parks' Adventureland, complete with a climbable Swiss Family Tree House. Furthermore, it was populated by Peter Pan pirates, including Mr. Smee. Anyone who feels a trip to Disneyland isn't complete without a Jungle Cruise trek or a Tiki Birds visit will flip their mouse ears over this level's fan-pleasing design. Additionally, smaller touches, like that spider-like boss' shield actually being an Alice in Wonderland tea cup, will keep those hidden Mickey obsessives searching every last crevice of this Easter egg-filled world.
And if that doesn't do it, the game's side-scrolling levels based on old Disney cartoons will. I played through one modeled after Steamboat Willie, and was floored by the attention to detail. The gameplay was simple platforming stuff, but I was actually controlling Mickey in the classic cartoon—pinch me! They could release an entire game dedicated to just these type of levels, and the mouse-loving masses would be singing zip-a-dee-do-da.
Despite my bias towards all things Disney coloring my enthusiasm, I did find some flaws in my short time with the game. For one, the otherwise well-implemented controls frustrated when locking onto enemies; you need to be near them for it to take hold, but the actual proximity needs to be better defined. The biggest let down, though, were the visuals. Don't get me wrong, they're mighty pretty for a Wii game, but they're not as polished as the Super Mario Galaxy games, the benchmark for the console’s visual potential; some blockiness and pixelation had me wishing for an eventual 360 or PS3 port. Spector and his team still have several months to polish and play-test, so hopefully the kinks will be worked out. Even with a few warts, though, Disney fans—or even those looking for an endlessly inspired action platformer—will likely be treated to the year's best Wii game when Epic Mickey arrives this fall.
