There's a CGI Disney movie in town and that can mean only one thing: the imminent arrival of an official video game tie-in. The movie is based on the book A Day with Wilbur Robinson by William Joyce, which involves young orphan Lewis being whisked into the future to meet a rather odd family called… well you can probably guess. Unlike many other movie licenses both film and game have been worked on simultaneously, with the game expanding on the movie's story rather than just retelling it.The game is being developed by Avalanche Softwre, who did the Tak series and Disney's own Chicken Little, which was one of the better (or least worst) tie-ins of recent years. Since the movie is filled with time travel paradoxes the game aims to fill in the untold stories and shockingly isn't a platform game - at least not primarily anyway. There is plenty of action though as you fight robots and use gadgets like the disassembler, the chargeball glove, scanner, havoc gloves and levitator.
Wilbur can upgrade both his gadgets and himself as he makes progress in the game, allowing you to choose whether you rely more on straight action or your wits. Further variety is added by some Super Monkey Ball style levels where you have to roll Wilbur around in a giant force field ball and some retro looking side-scrolling levels. It's not a game likely to appeal to anyone that hasn't seen the movie but with a bit of luck it won't be a complete rip-off for those that have and just want relive the experience at home.
HARRISON DENT
