reviewed The Simpsons: Hit & Run
For a decade now, I have been told that The Simpsons: Road Rage was a decent game, but Hit & Run was the superior of the two. This year I finally decided to see what all the hubub is about.
That statement was probably true in 2003, but playing Hit & Run in 2022 is too frustrating to be worth it. Every mission is the exact same, the checkpoints are nonexistent, the physics of driving the cars is too wonky to be enjoyed, and so on.
The back half of the game decides to require certain cars and outfits to be bought with coins, maybe to artificially lengthen the game? Perhaps it's an attempt to remind you that you can get out of the vehicle and roam around Springfield. But to do what? Double jump onto windowsills? Walk by famous Simpsons landmarks, instead of driving by them? For a game that often gets compared to GTA, there's absolutely nothing for you to do outside of your car.
I'm glad I played the game. I'm glad I got to hear Grandpa Simpson say the exact same eight lines over and over when you hit a pedestrian or jump over a ramp. I'm glad the game is chock full of references to classic Simpsons jokes and episodes. I'm glad the final level was Halloween themed for some inexplicable reason?
But I'm also extremely glad I am done with this game.