Ratatouille

I might be a bit biased due to my love for the movie, but Ratatouille is definitely on the side of better movie video games that I have ever played. I think it would be hard for most of us not to be lenient with a game about a widely beloved Pixar film, but I also remember playing The Wizard of Oz on the SNES back in the day. I don’t think I need nor want to go into detail about that one; all I’ll say is wow, who the heck let that one happen. Anyway, Ratatouille isn’t the greatest game of all time, isn’t sleek or breathtaking, and is basically a collect-athon above all else, but the execution and care from the developers is at least noticeable from the start. Making your way through the game, though, may tell a different story entirely, as it unfortunately becomes just another

Become the Rat Chef

The premise of Ratatouille is barely similar to the film, but the settings and places that you’ll go are identical to the ones seen in the movie. You play as Remy, everyone’s favorite silver screen rat chef, as he navigates the countryside of France and the streets of Paris attempting to follow his dream of becoming a respectable cook. Obviously, he’s not human so those hopes are a bit harder to achieve, but the knowhow and gumption are both there. The story is really nothing new; if you saw the movie, you know the plot already. Sort of, anyways. Beyond the cutscenes at the beginning, there’s really nothing in terms of story, which is a bit of a letdown and by far the worst part of the game. One of the best Pixar stories being entirely ignored isn’t a great choice, but its forgivable. Sadly, the same usually goes for every title like this – so I won’t focus on it too much here. In terms of graphics and sound design, there was a surprising amount of effort put in to make a respectable game even if it weren’t just a movie clone. For 2007, and for this type of game, the graphics were surprisingly complimentary of the film. Its not exactly flawless, but the animations are fluid, the environment is detailed, and the menus are like restaurant menus. It’s a fitting touch on an otherwise unoptimized UI.

Roaming Remy

As I said before, the gameplay is not exactly innovative, but there’s enough to do in the game to make it worth playing. Your primary goal is to collect ingredients to make the famed Ratatouille dish with Linguini, the helpless new chef (read: janitor) at Gusteau’s restaurant. The controls are competent enough, but a lot of the platforming mechanics can become maddening after a while. Trying to jump from one thing to the next could have you mysteriously dying because you were caught on an invisible wall. Despite playing a lot like SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom, the controls feel just a bit dated and there is a lack of charm that makes SpongeBob a much more enjoyable experience.

Beyond collecting ingredients and coins, there are a few mini games to be played to collect special ingredients. Though these are fun to play through, they are essentially no different in terms of gameplay and only offer a bit more a challenge with platforming in dreamlike settings.

Bottom Line

Ratatouille is an excellent movie and had the potential to be a fantastic movie video game, but still fell into the trap that most similar titles do.

Pros

• Fun, if repetitive, gameplay
• Detailed environments
• Basic collect-athon

Cons

• Controls can be buggy
• Nothing to do with the film outside of characters
• Lacks polish, refinement – just another movie game clone

Disney/Pixar Ratatouille is a 3D action-platformer with shooting elements, where Remy travels through dangerous locations, collects stars and cooks in the kitchen.

Plot and gameplay:

• Remy is not a sewer rat. Remy is gifted - he's a good cook, combining flavors and aromas. Remy dreams of being a chef.
• Help Remy move to Paris and make his way to Auguste Guste's restaurant to live out his vocation
• Collect the foods you need to cook

Disney/Pixar Ratatouille is a great game for kids. Right after it, you can go and watch a cartoon.