back to the multiverse |

Publisher: Activision

Developer: Heavy Iron Studios

Release Date: 11/20/2012

Available On

Family Guy is one of my favorite TV shows because of the original and loveable cast of characters. It may offend some people, but I think it is one of the best shows of the past decade. Family Guy tried diving into the game market back in 2006, and it was a complete disaster. I was very skeptical about this game, but it is quite a bit of fun for a Family Guy fan. As a game in general, there isn’t much to it, and it feels about 10 years old.

You play as Stewie and Brian, who are trying to stop Bertram from massing an army and destroying Quahog. They travel to eight different universes that are full of charm and wit, but that all stops with the visuals and voice acting. The game feels like something from the early 2000s, with weak platforming and repetitive shooting. It is good and solid, but there isn’t anything in between. Running around and shooting the same enemies over and over is dull after the first level. The only thing that kept me going was to see the new wacky levels and the story. There are weapons you can buy over time and acquire, but most feel useless. I honestly stuck with Brian and his shotgun and pistol through most of the game. The enemies just come charging at you, and you just blast them away. It looks goofy and captures all the charm of the show, but I know there can be a better Family Guy game.

For people who are into it, there are collectibles in each level that unlock new costumes, but to be honest, why would you go back through this game again? It gets really boring as it gets towards the end, with the only thing breaking up the monotony being boss fights. I wish there were mini-games or something thrown in here, but each level feels the same. Pull this lever, turn this valve, and hit this button; it never changes. For someone who isn’t a Family Guy fan, this game would be god awful, but FG fans will dig it as a weekend rental.

family-guy-amish-videogame-back-to-the-multiverse-gameplay-screenshot-of-brian

The game has co-op play, which is the most fun to experience the story and hilarious lines with another FG fan. One thing to note is that the PC version doesn’t have any graphics settings, and the highest resolution is 1280×720. What is up with that? It actually looks worse than the console games if you have a large monitor. The lack of PC support is a real shame and shows the studio doesn’t really care about PC gamers. The graphics are alright and capture the show’s art style, but there isn’t much to write home about. This game isn’t worth the $50 price tag at all, but a weekend rental will suffice.

If you are itching for some Family Guy gaming, this game has finally nailed it, but just barely. As a Family Guy game, this is pretty fun, but as a general game, it feels over 10 years old with dated mechanics and repetition that will make you fall asleep.