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Viz - Rerelease |
Copyright/Publisher: Tronix/Virgin Games, Design & Production by: Probe Software Ltd,
Programming: Daryl Bowers, Mike Lorenzen, Graphics: Lee Ames,
Music: Jeroen Tel, Release Year: 1990, Genre: Multi Events, Number Of Players: 1 or 2
It's not fnarr-thing that Fatty Phil ended up being landed with VIZ - The Game to review.
The chubby chap's delivered enough botty-burps in the office the past few days... and Steve
reckons he'd bust a gonad if it weren't done pronto!
Comical caper ahoy! Less than a year after its diabolical debut, Viz has come again.
And now the price is as low as the humour. You get to control either Biffa Bacon, Johnny
Fartpants or Buster Gonad in the annual Fulchester 'fun run'.
This is split into five horizontally scrolling faces: fail to finish first in any and
it's game over. From the moment Roger Mellie steps up to do his filthy (but hilarious)
commentary you know what you're in for: this game isn't recommended for young children, or
strict parents!
It is very funny, though, watching all your favourite comic characters in action - even
if bumping into them removes one of your three lives. In the first Countryside race there's
Bertie Blunt and his parrot, plus the fascist Parkie who beats you up if you dare to step
on his grass. Other hazards include fences, trees, crevasses and referee Rodney Rix, who throws a brick
if you move out of your lane!
Subsequent levels take you through the Town with Mrs Brady Old Lady and Aldridge Prior
making appearances, the Building Site with Shakin' Stevens playing a tune (so bad it reverses
your controls!), the Beach with the Pathetic Sharks and, finally, the Disco with the Fat
Slags and Sid The Sexist.
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Pumpin' Power |
To help them over smaller obstacles each competitor has a special power, units of which are
earned in a pre-race sub-game. There's two different ones for each character, including
Biffa drinking pints, Buster squashing pizza bases (guess what with!), and Johnyy using
a unique method to blow up balloons!
Each character alsop has a Superpower for extra speed: Biffa goes into a fighting frenzy,
Johnny does a 'mega pump' while Buster carts his 'assets' along in a wheelbarrow!
It's all good (if not clean) fun, but you won't wet your knickers playing Viz, that's
for sure. There's plenty of time to go to the lavvy (after all that lavatorial humour) due
to the chronic multiload. There's even two separate tapes: one for the sub-games, the other
for the levels.
In fact, more time is spent loading than playing - it's a shame you can't restart the
current race/sub-game. If you can put up with all the waitinh, the game itself is great
fun to play. No, it doesn't really use the licence to the full, with most of the characters
only making cameo appearances - I still think Rob H's idea of a World Games-style game with
all the characters in separate events would have been better.
But if you're a fan of the comic, the game will have you in stitches. With its simple
action, colourful graphics (and language!) and rude humour, Viz is a cheap thrill.
Phil! 70%
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IAN |
What a waster! The Viz licence could've been used for a really fabby game, but instead we
get this tosh - an ordinart, everyday, seen-it-all-before race offering with a few
waggler sub-levels.
Gameplay is extremely frustrating. Whne you hit the deck, chances are it'll be because
you ran into something obscured by scenery, and after your third fall you have to reload
almost from scratch - there aren't any continues either!
Viz the game reminds me of Viz magazine's competitors - lots of swearing and violence,
but none of the humour that made its namesake so fabby. Even on budget this is one to avoid.
38%
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