Hail to the Chimp (Xbox 360) Preview
Posted by Ramon Aranda on 12.28.2007
Hands-On: Choose the best candidate and plow your way to the presidency.
I recently visited the offices of Sandbox Strategies to get a first hands-on glimpse at "Hail to the Chimp". The game basically starts off as a satire to the presidential election process. The "King of the Jungle" is ousted from his post and the animal kingdom decides to hold an election to crown a new king. You will be able to play with four people with each one choosing a character. The election process commences as four participants battle it out in a free-for-all in one of the various battlegrounds. Collecting clams is what you'll want to do in each of the different game modes. At times you'll find it necessary to team up with an opponent to knock one of the other particpants out thus forcing him to fumble his clams. Each map has its own unique atmosphere and at times you'll find the action hot and heavy as you try to avoid various obstacles on your way to winning the battle.
At the end of each round, everyone will get a score and they will be tallied up until a winner emerges. With each map, you'll be able to select from every game mode so the battles should last you for quite a while before you have to play the same one twice. Aside from the party style games, the game will toss you into the newsroom where all things will be discussed pertaining to the race. The tongue and cheek humor from the newscaster along with newsbits that scroll on the bottom portion of the screen ala CNN are hilarious. Also the developers have thrown in various commercials to break up the action that can only be described as comic relief in the form of pop culture spoofs.
It's an interesting take on the party game genre but one that seems to offer a fresh look. Think Mario Party but with a cel-shaded, high resolution look that encourages you to win by any means necessary; and that includes PAIN.
The game is slated for a Spring 2008 for the Xbox 360.
