The Down and Dirty

Based on C.S. Lewis' beloved story about four children who gain access to the mystical land of Narnia through a magical wardrobe, to be released in conjunction with the major motion picture of the same name.

The Goods

I love The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I don't like it, I'm not fond of it. I have a deep and pure love for it that has lasted for more than a quarter century. So believe me, I was ready to hate any game adaptation that dared sully its narrative perfection (I'm a bit overboard, I know). I told as much to Mike Viner, one of the game's developers, and he just chuckled and smiled at me.

"Don't worry," he said. "We didn't screw it up."

Lucky for him (and for fans of C.S. Lewis' timeless Narnia books), he's absolutely right. This December, the film version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe will be released, and a bevy of licensed games will be released about a month earlier. I got my hands on the DS version, and was pleasantly surprised to discover that not only did it stay faithful to the books, but it also had some solid gameplay elements, too. Bonus!

Chronicles essentially follows the major action of the movie as the four children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, recruit an army to oppose the White Witch. All the familiar elements of the book are present including talking animals, Narnia's eternal winter, the regal Aslan, and even the lamppost. Players eventually control each of the four children, and can swap out at any time. Each child has his or her own strengths and weaknesses, and, staying true to the plot of the book, not all of them are always available. Unlike in many other adventure-type games, the dialogue in Chronicles has many branching paths and possibilities, and how players answer questions will shape how NPCs react and potentially change events in the game. Options may also change based on which child is doing the talking, adding an element of basic strategy to the game. The core gameplay is quest and challenge-based; usually, in order to get a particular creature to join their ranks, the children must first prove themselves worthy in some fashion. It may be a simple fetch quest, or it may prove to be a test of strength and bravery.

With four children to choose from, it makes sense that Chronicles is also capable of multiplayer action. Up to four players can take control of the children, but happily aren't "rubber banded" together. Each child can move independently and go off on his or her own, without having to wait for the others to catch up or stay on the same screen. The DS' touch screen is used for inventory functions and for switching between characters. The graphics overall don't take full advantage of the power of the DS, but do a fine job of representing Narnia.

The Verdict

Narnia fans that can't wait for the December release of the movie can get a satisfying 12-15 hour fix when Chronicles is released for the DS on November 15th.