Full Review

4 November 2006 - You've seen the cartoon series, now you can play the game, but is this just another pointless cash-in from the marketing department or actually something worth playing? We take a closer look.

Based on the adult cartoon of a dysfunctional family in Quahog, Rhode Island, the game sees you play through three stories that intersect in typical Family Guy fashion.

Switch on the PS2 and you'd be mistaken for thinking that you'd loaded up the DVD as the intro and in-game graphics are identical to the cartoon. It’s a great feel and makes the crossover better for it, as you really do feel that you are playing an episode rather than yet another computer game.

Gameplay is very much platform-based, only in a 3D world and gamers switch between Stewie, Peter and Brian.

Stewie's levels are all about beating arch-nemesis half-brother Bertram as they vie to take over the world. While Peter's is to stop Mr. Belvedere who he thinks is trying to take over the world. Brian's levels involve you having to escape prison and prove your innocence in a puppy parental case gone awry.

Fans of the series will enjoy the adult humour and the random quotes or references from the show. We found the bouncing on pregnant women to fire rockets especially random.

However the core gameplay of Family Guy - The Video Game is that underneath all the graphic niceties and humour is just another platform game with simple, yet frustrating tasks that normally require you having to master a particular jump rather than actually solve hard puzzles.

Because of this we did find ourselves getting very frustrated as time after time we were expected to make a jump at a difficult angle in order to progress further.

VERDICT
Working closely with Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, developers 2K Games have done a good job bringing the atmosphere of Family Guy to the games console near you.

However, so much focus has been put on making this a great visual and audio treat that the gameplay has suffered as a result.

One to rent for an evening rather than invest in over the latest series on DVD.