Hail to the Chimp

Campaign promises are a dime a dozen, yet rarely are they fulfilled. As such, it comes with little surprises that Hail to the Chimp fails to hail its own pre-release promise of spectacular multiplayer action.

From a spastic camera to mediocre gameplay, Hail to the Chimp just doesn't have what it takes to get our vote. It may pack a political punch, but this chimp isn't anything more than a chump.

Up to four players compete locally or online via Xbox Live in battles to become the animal kingdom commander-in-chief, competing for the most clams to capture the majority vote. A single player campaign tracks a dozen candidates vying for the office after the Lion resigns his position of power following a vegetarian scandal; however, it's all about the free-for-all multiplayer mudslinging. 16 events playable on 10 different stages ensure plenty of variety on the campaign trail. Basic events, such as "Stuff the Ballot" in which the first to gather 75 clams wins and "Mudslingers" where the goal is to cover your opponents' stand with mud, are fast-paced fun. Unfortunately, most hardly provide the same drama. "Stench of Corruption," for instance, has everyone avoiding a cloud of scandal that wafts across the stage. Steering clear of the cloud is easy thanks to large stages, which of course cuts down the challenge and therefore fun.

Another event, "Tally Rally," requires picking up 10 sets of clams to win with each set comprised of the same number of clams (1 clam for the first set, 2 for the second, and so on). With four players running about the screen and numbers popping up all over the screen, it's difficult to track your progress. Even worse, an unpredictable camera causes things to become utterly confusing. At the start of each match, the camera pulls out to provide a birds-eye view; although, it zooms in and out randomly throughout play to highlight key plays. Not only is this unnecessary, it's frustrating because it makes keeping tabs on your candidate a chore. The colorful cel-shaded characters and stages blend together, which also contributes to the difficulty of tracking your candidate during a match.

Nevertheless, this vivid presentation also brings immense charm to Hail to the Chimp. Clever political ad parodies and LOL-worthy faux TV spots are more entertaining than actually playing the game itself. Dropping $40 for a bunch of cartoons doesn't sound like a good deal though, so save your clams on this one.

PROS: Hilarious cartoon sketches; colorful graphics; lots of game modes and maps.
CONS: Unassuming, mediocre gameplay; erratic camera; more fun to watch than play.