Beware! Wrench Wielding Turtles!
Another day, another kid's movie turned video game. In Over the Hedge you take the role of armed woodland animals who raid homes, steal food and electronic equipment and break everything in sight. Yeah, it's not you're average kid's game. Basically, you're all a bunch of thieving menaces, on the run from homeowners, exterminators and a really big bear. I'd hunt me down too if I were such a nuisance, and now I've really started to wonder who to blame for breaking into my car. It could have been a skunk. To sum up: These aren't your usual loveable characters.

Sure, But How Does it Play?
Eh. In the past, gameplay has been one of the most jeered aspects of movie games, but the developers obviously didn't want to fall in the same niche. The gameplay in Over the Hedge is simple to grasp. Each playable character (there are 4) has his/her own action animation and special move. In each level you control one character while an AI partner follows you around. You can switch between the characters with a simple button press on the fly, a la Lego Star Wars, and you can choose your main playable character in between levels. I loved that ability in Lego Star Wars because it had a purpose, as each character had a useful ability so you needed to switch to gain access to things. In Over the Hedge there is no need to switch. Ever.

The biggest downside of the gameplay is the camera, which is fixed in your normal 3d platformer position (behind you and up in the air). If you ever need to turn around, I wish you the best of luck. The camera stays where it is, so instead of giving you a view of what's in front of you, you're left watching your back. During levels with motion sensors and laser trip wires, you're going to wish death upon your silly little woodland friends.

Sensory Overload
The actors that preformed the roles of the animals in the film apparently wanted nothing to do with this game, and it suffers for it. Though the enthusiasm was obvious, the end result is…unsatisfying. Bad accents have a tendency to make my brain itch, though they weren't as bad as those found in, say, Charlie's Angels. Also, the default settings for the soundtrack and the ambient noise completely drown out the dialogue, and though I could see where that would be a good thing, I'd still like to hear what's going on.

For the most part, Over the Hedge is a good looking game. The character models are consistent with the film and their animations display nicely, unfortunately in some of the scenes (and ALL of the mini games), the environments didn't turn out so hot, as if they were an afterthought.

Now It's Time for a Breakdown
Over the Hedge, as a video game, is not a disaster. In fact, it surprised me with how many things it got right. The gameplay is fluid and easy to pick up and mini games keep the feeling of repetition from being overwhelming. Unfortunately, the voice acting is mediocre, the audio poorly executed and the visuals strike an awkward balance between pretty and pretty awful. Though Over the Hedge might keep the young kids occupied for a time, the entertainment value is next to nil for older, more critical players. Honestly though, what did we expect?

-Saria