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Based on the Disney/Pixar movie of the same name, Ratatouille
is a Platform title where you play as a rat called Remy. With the
guidance and help of your friends, Father and
Brother you are on a journey to fulfil your dream of becoming a chef
making recopies found in a book on the first Level.
In the first Level you are showed how to jump, climb and smell your
way around Levels by your brother. The Smell Vision shows you where
you are supposed to go in the Level. When you use it a blue mist
(the smell) appears and follows a long line showing you where you
need to go, a handy game device to help younger players stay
on-track. You have a Health Bar that decreases every time that you
are injured, but as the game progresses this Health Bar increases
meaning that you can take more damage than before. Once you have
completed the basics you are placed in your home in the sewers in
Paris, acting as the game’s HUB, where you can find your way to
other Levels.
There are many enemies that you come up against, some can be
defeated and others must be avoided. Humans must be avoided and to
help you a green bar appears at the bottom of the screen with a
picture of the human that can see you. The bar gradually changes to
red when the human is more suspicious of your activity. By hiding
behind walls and objects the bar will eventually change back to
green and then disappear as the human moves on. You are then able to
continue
 on
your journey. Another interesting concept based upon a common modern
gameplay element.
Levels are giant puzzles as you are so small it is difficult to
reach high places. By moving items such as tins and swinging off
objects you are able to climb on them and reach those hard to reach
places. There are also Ratapults which are catapults that you can
jump on and launch you into the air. Drink Umbrellas are also used
so that you can descend slowly onto other platforms that are too far
to jump to. There are reels of cotton that you can knock off edges.
These are there so that if you fall you are able to climb-up them
saving you doing a lot of the Level again.
When visiting areas and not on a Mission there are plates of food
that, when smelt, send you into a Dream Level. These are amazing and
strange Levels with floating food with Stars on. Once again you have
to collect all of the stars to complete the Level with a full Score.
To obtain 100% completion there are 100 Stars in each Level that you
need to collect. Some are visible and some in boxes that you need to
open. You do not have to collect them all to complete the story but
everyone wants that 100% completion, right?
You also have to collect objects such as Light Bulbs and Batteries.
When you collect all items they help the rat colony by giving you
ideas to help them such as lighting up the sewers.
There
 is
a Shop that you can buy extras from when you have collected
different items and earned Points. These extras include things such
as Cheats, Film Clips and Pictures. However, they do not count
towards completing the game.
There are also three different modes to the game; Single-Player
Mini-Games, Multiplayer Mini-Games and Championship Mode. They are
using parts of Levels that you have seen already in the game but
they do make a nice addition to keep you interested in the title.
Some of the Levels in Championship Mode are Unlockables in the Shop.
Ratatouille is truly an enjoyable title with a good story,
great music (from the film) and very acceptable animation and
graphics. It is one of the best and most playable children’s games
that adults will play with the same consideration as their children
would. The developer’s have been inventive with utilising the movies
themes within traditional gameplay and features some genuine,
tangibly entertaining set-pieces.
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