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Disney platform games have come and gone ever since the Genesis days. Most will enjoy the gorgeous animations and reliving the experiences found in the movies they are based on, but in the end you are left with nothing more than an average platformer. The same can be said about Return to Neverland for the PlayStation. Ten years ago, I may have really enjoyed this title, but now that I’m a bit older and more experienced in gaming, you might say I may be too old for a title like this. Not that I’m not “young at heart”, but this was just too simple for my taste. My little nephew may enjoy it a little more though, and this game is obviously where this title’s genre fits. Graphically, Return to Neverland is pretty good for a PS one title. You have very colorful game with smooth and fluid animation, and very appealing to the eye. The cut scenes don’t do the video potential of the PlayStation justice, as the system has proven better quality in the last 6 years. One major downside of the game is that the it loads way too often. You have loading at the end of each stage to see a movie, loading after the movie, and even loading when you check out the area map to monitor your progress. The latter of the loading problems is the worst, as it really kills the pace of the game. Overall, the game looks great; it just loads too darn much.
Sounds are fairly decent as well. You have a fine score that is taken straight from the movie that keeps with the pace of the game through its various stages. Sound effects are also straight from the movie, which includes some satisfactory voice acting. All your favorite characters including Pan, Hook and Smee are done adequately to capture the essence of the story. Overall not much to brag about or write home about, Neverland does a good job in the audio department. Controls are your basic platform flavor. Start from the beginning; collect items that allow you to achieve power ups, extra men, etc., all while defeating a seemingly endless amount of enemies that are in your path. Finally you fight the end boss to move on to the next level. Sound familiar? It should. Return to Neverland has a fair amount of extras to unlock, which includes actual clips from the feature film. If you are a “fan of Pan” these extras will appeal to you. Otherwise it’s just filler for a short and shallow title. If the game wasn’t so blatantly geared towards young ones, Pan may have been more enjoyable. Unfortunately the simplicity and length will turn away most of your “core” gamers looking for more of a challenging platformer. If you need a good babysitter, Return to Neverland will fit the bill nicely. If you are a developer and you plan on making a platformer, even with Disney as your focus, please remember that older audiences still have a place in their heart for these characters. You may generate not only more of a following, but a broader audience that generates sales.
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