I'm proud to say that I am of the video game generation. In itself, that's a rather loose term. Of course, all ages play video games. But what the video game generation is is a group of people that lived alongside gaming pretty much from birth. We see games as something more than just a simple hobby, they're experiences. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is for this generation, in any of its iterations. The original comics are written by Bryan Lee O'Malley and are all called Scott Pilgrim, followed by a subtext. I've only seen the film and finished the game, the comic will have to wait a better time. However, the other two versions show that its source material is obviously for the gaming generation first and foremost. Some just won't get it, but the endless references and stellar presentation will appeal to any person who knows the difference between Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. I will in this blog talk of both the film and the game, and also compare many of the similarities there between. After all, it's not often that you get the chance to review both a good film and a good game all based on one comic.
I'll start with the film, which is directed by Edgar Wright of Hot Fuzz fame. You follow Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), a dork who's the bass guitarist for the band S*x Bob-omb (one of hundreds of gaming references, give or take) and lives with his bizarre gay roommate, portrayed by the forgotten Culkin brother Kieran Culkin. His life deviates from its monotony, however, when he meets Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and becomes obsessed with her in every way. One thing leads to another, they go on a date. Misfortune strikes when he's attacked by one of Ramona's evil ex-boyfriends, and learns that he must fight a whopping seven evil ex-boyfriends to be able to date Ramona in peace. I'll be honest here, I love it when films and other media have a set number of foes which must all be defeated. Thus, this is a concept I instantly fell in love with. And luckily, the film pulls it off extraordinarily well.
-That's what I'd call a rag-tag team.
Each time an ex-boyfriend confronts Scott, a competition of epic proportions is bound to be around the corner. There's no word in the English language that can quite explain what they're like, but the closest thing would be video gamey (?) Street Fighter, Tekken, River City Ransom (remember RCR for later) and basically any other fighter out there are influences to the styIe of SP's fight scenes. It's all accentuated with "POWs", "CLANGs" and other comic book "sound effects". It all looks like a combination of a video game and a comic, and it's just splendid from start to finish. The choreography is fast, seamless and flashy, exploding with colors and special effects of all sorts, while the cutting is done brilliantly. It's all so picture-perfect that I was in awe half the film. Some of the twists are especially effective, and though I don't want to spoil anything, expect sword-fighting and huge music duels.
-The evil ex-boyfriends of Ramona Flowers (note the outsider here) in cool panoramic vision!
As previously mentioned, video game references are everywhere, and not only in the fight scenes. Sound effects pop up at special moments, romantic scenes are accompanied by floating pixellated hearts, deus ex machina solutions make an appearance here and there and you'll even hear familiar tunes from beloved series such as Zelda. The film's status as an ode to the video game generation is nowhere as apparent as in this detail of the film. I'm regrettably one of those old complainers that despises improper use of video games in a movie, but SP is obviously made with love and care. Wright was careful to research what he was going into, and treats everything with respect. I honestly couldn't ask for more.
The real star of the show, however, is the humor. SP could easily be cIassified as a comedy as much as an action flick. The film is one of the more bizarre you'll see this year thanks to the plethora of pop culture references, insane situations and surreal dialogue that has made Wright the legend that he is. However, I find it important to note that the experience can greatly vary depending on how well-versed you are in said pop culture. Some people might just not get it, and that's OK, of course. Just be ready for possibly polarizing opinions on the film if you go with someone considerably older to the theater.
One thing that stands out in SP that I usually don't notice all that much is the music. Many artists contributed to the music of the film, most notably Beck which wrote the music for S*x Bob-omb. It's got an underground feeling, creating an entertaining ambiance to the film. I've always had a hard time explaining music, so I'll just leave it at that.
What's the final verdict? Well, there's one flaw I need to point out before we finish this segment of the review. The comic book series Scott Pilgrim consists of seven books total, which makes for a lot of content. This is sometimes apparent in the film in how rushed the pace can be. On top of that, the content of the sixth book isn't even present in the film, which makes everything a bit more jumbled. However, I find it hard to complain about such a small detail when the end product is so wildly entertaining. SP is a love letter to everything nerdy, and I feel right at home when watching the film. Finally, I understand the inside jokes and references, finally, video gaming gets the treatment it deserves. As a huge fan of Hot Fuzz, I already had high hopes for the film. Little did I know that it would exceed them.
-Yeah, play that bass!
What's more surprising to me, though, is that the video game turned out amazing as well. I must point out, though, before I begin the review of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, is that it's not based on the movie. In fact, the game makes it very clear that it's based on the comic. This does, in fact, make for a number of differences. But on to the main course of this segment of the review, yes? The game is developed by Ubisoft Montreal along with Ubisoft Chengdu, and is a brawler in the vein of River City Ransom (did you remember?) You'll get to choose from four characters and of course, it supports multiplayer for up to four people. The great gameplay, tied with amazing presentation, make SPvTW:TG one of the best games you can download on the PSN (or Live if you have a 360).
-The full roster in all their screaming glory.
The story starts off like in the film, except this time, you have the choice of playing as four characters. These are Scott Pilgrim, Ramona Flowers, Kim Pine and Stephen Stills (the latter two are members of S*x Bob-omb). Your mission is to get rid of the seven evil ex-boyfriends with your fists! Your fists!!! It's in this detail that you'll notice some differences between the game and the movie outside of the obvious differentiation between the different mediums; the most glaring one is the story. The game incorporates more of the comic's storyline, and the end stretch is especially different from the movie. However, just as in the film, the setting is a lot of fun. The game also crams even more references to popular culture, specifically video games and anime. River City Ransom is the obvious choice, but you'll see references to Metroid, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Final Fantasy, Guitar Hero, Akira and more.
-Another panoramic view of the villains, now with pixels!
As I've mentioned very often, SP is similar to River City Ransom, and I think it's time to explain just how. Once you've chosen a character, you trek from level to level, beating up bad guys in a third-dimensional space. This type of game is commonly referred to as a brawler, and the term fits here. SP has a very simple, accessible styIe to it, like in RCR. You have the traditional hit points along with ability points which you can use for a special attack. The AP can also be used to get a second chance if you die with some AP in reserve. You start off with only a few simple combos, but as you fight more enemies, you level up and get new abilities. For instance, you'll learn to attack in mid-air or dodge roll out of danger. It's an entertaining mash-up of concepts, blending brawler and role-playing game elements together. One thing I found to be a bit awkward is general movement, but moving up and down the area is considerably slower than left to right. Pair this with the fact that you have to be quite precise on where you stand to hit an enemy and you'll occasionally have situations where you mash buttons and no enemy is hit. It's not a huge problem, but big enough to be noticeable. Once enemies are defeated, they inexplicably drop a load of cash (RCR again) which you can then use in shops to heal yourself, boost attributes or carry with you to use later.
You'll need a lot of items if you choose to go solo, however, since the game can be very unforgiving. Unless you're a master at the genre, you'll most likely have to grind at some point for cash and experience. Though the brawls you partake in are entertaining, grinding can be tiresome and some of the balancing issues could have been ironed out. But this is as much a game to play with others as it is to play alone. I didn't get a chance to play much multiplayer, but what I did play of it is very different from the solo adventure. With another player, you can work out a multitude of cooperative tactics and you even have the power to revive your friends if they are in danger of passing out. Once the lives of one character has run out, he or she will go into an angel form, where they can choose to either die gracefully or steal a life from their partner, with or without consent! Evil! One thing that's been hotly debated is the lack of online multiplayer. My response to that is: good. The complete lack of online multiplayer only encourages you to get your friends together for a session of Scott Pilgrim, and nothing beats physical presence, in my opinion.
The gameplay is all sorts of fun, but what makes SP a real gem is its visual styIe. It's heavily influenced by the 8-bit games of old, bearing colorful, vibrant pixels that paint a picture far prettier than any simple 3D graphics ever would. The resemblance to the comic itself is also a big part of the charm, but the design is built upon the graphic novels in most parts. The world just generally is gorgeous, I've always been partial to this type of graphics and I'm so glad more games are using it today. This isn't a throwback to the past, it's a utilization of a beautiful art styIe that is woefully underused today. Utterly brilliant, I say.
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-Those are evil dogs, right? Right?
My favorite aspect of the game, however, is without a doubt the music. It's amazing in every single way, and is performed and composed by the band Anamanaguchi. Just give the tunes a listen, you will not regret it. Ranging from ominous to cheery to sad, I'm basically speechless. I'll try and avoid overhyping here, but I can't stress enough how awesome the music is. And it's not because it's all old-school, the music genuinely is something else.
The game will last you up to six hours for one playthrough with one character, and that can go up to over 20 hours if you play as all characters. That's a lot for only $10, or roughly $1 for every two hours. Now that's a bargain. Though the game bears some unfortunate problems regarding balance and movement, neither of those things hinder the overall enjoyment one gets from the game. It's a gamer's game in the more literal sense, since the entertainment value only ramps up with greater knowledge of the medium itself. With awesome gameplay, awesome graphics and awesome music, this is a joy to play, and should be a must-buy for any brawler fan.
Though the game and movie have many things that set them apart, what I find to be similar between the two is the overall presentation. It's different, while still feeling somehow familiar. The visuals pop out, the music rocks, the attention to detail is staggering and the overall vibe is something any gamer will appreciate. I couldn't be happier with how the Scott Pilgrim products ended up, and once I've read the comics, I believe the film and game will be the perfect companion pieces to enjoy alongside the source material. The thing that impresses me the most is that neither the film nor the game take themselves all that seriously, but still feel more compact and memorable than most other stuff out there. When this year comes to a close, Scott Pilgrim will still be on my mind (not the guy himself, by the way), and I've already planned to buy the inevitable Blu-ray release of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. At that point, my collection will be complete! Anyway, I recommend both the film and game to anyone who has a passing interest in gaming as a whole. They're funny, cool, styIish, nerdy and entertaining all in one go. Edgar Wright, Ubisoft, Bryan Lee O'Malley, I salute you.
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