The Game of Life

UPC: 608610991666

Platform: PlayStation

Publisher: Hasbro Interactive

Developer: The Collective, Inc.

Category: Traditional

Style(s): Board Game

Synopsis: The Game of Life on PlayStation is a translation of Parker Brothers' popular board game that has players deciding on such issues as marriage, home ownership, college, insurance, careers, and even starting a family. Each player (up to six can play at once) is given $10,000 to start, with the goal being to earn as much money for "retirement" as possible. You'll first have to choose between college or starting a career, and subsequent turns involve spinning a wheel, moving your car token along the board, following directions on the space, and making decisions to maximize your earnings. The PlayStation version offers a 3D game board and your choice of car tokens and characters to play as or against. The game also features a unique "car cam" perspective, allowing you to see through your token's windshield, and an announcer to keep things moving along. Other enhancements include a soundtrack reflecting the game's different time periods, hundreds of board animations, and both analog controller and memory card support. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Package Contents: 28-page Instruction Manual

Controls: Joystick/Gamepad

The instructions explain everything you need to know, although the game is easy to grasp without them. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

The board comes to "life" with animated pieces and vibrant color. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Considering all of the board games available to translate for the PlayStation, the Game of LIFE comes as somewhat of a surprise. It's a game that doesn't require much strategy or skill to play, so it will turn off most older users, and young children or families would probably have more fun sitting around the real game. The PlayStation doesn't add anything substantially different to the gameplay, so those familiar with the basics can start playing as soon as they slip the disc into the console. If you're unfamiliar with LIFE, the aim is to make your way through the long, twisting path of the board as you prepare for retirement. Each space will either be a windfall of cash or a bill of services, so money changes hands quite frequently in the game. Unfortunately, you have little control over it. Land on a "marriage" space and others will have to pay you cash, land on "twins" and you'll be blessed with even more money. [In LIFE, marriage and babies are profitable -- so listen up kids and have lots of babies]. Of course, you can land on the new house space, which lets you (gasp!) make a decision: you can choose the style of your dwelling, from a Victorian mansion to a trailer. The spaces are broken down into four principle areas: orange involves following directions; blue is an option (for example, you can change careers for $20,000); green is "pay day," which lets you receive your career's salary; red is a special event, such as getting married or buying a house; and LIFE involves family activities like community services. Once you land on these spaces, you'll usually have to spin the wheel to determine the amount of money you'll receive or be forced to spend. You can also buy home or auto insurance to protect you from certain harmful spaces, switch careers to have a shot at earning more money (each career has a random salary), and select different paths to take on the board. So what exactly does the PlayStation bring to the game? Well, the board is completely in 3D and looks great with colorful, animated pieces. Landing on each space will trigger a cartoon, and you have the option to turn on the "car cam" to show your car moving around the board from a first-person viewpoint. You'll likely want to turn this feature off after your first game, however, since it takes too much time. Of course, the real game board is probably the most intricate of all the mainstream board games, so the PlayStation version isn't THAT impressive. One gripe is the perspective -- you're too close to the board, so you can't see all of the spaces around your car. While you can look at a map, it's positioned too far away! The default view should be somewhere in between with a camera zooming in as your car starts moving. Otherwise, LIFE plays just like the board game from which it was based. Although it's not very exciting for those looking for a healthy amount of strategy, the game's a harmless diversion meant to satisfy undemanding children. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

While there is a second "enhanced" version of the game included on this disc, it doesn't seem radically different. Now you'll be able to earn extra cash by playing "life's little games" at various points. First spin the wheel to determine the type of bonus game to play, and then try to complete it as fast as possible. For example, one game involves clicking on various pictures to reveal the word "LIFE." If you do this within six clicks, you'll receive money. Most of the games feel like scratching off lottery tickets! ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Not only is there a narrator, but all of the cartoons have different voice actors announcing the text. Music also changes during the decades, but don't expect to hear Blondie or the Bangles! It sounds more like elevator music... ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

It gets rather boring if you're over the age of thirteen, but fans of the board game will love it. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

the game requires Joystick/Gamepad.