Open Season review

Throwing live animals at peoples' faces not enough of a draw for you? Well, for the more civilized gamer there's an educational aspect of the gameplay too. Collecting Ranger Badges scattered throughout each level will allow you to view trivia about the environment and nature. Were you aware that butterflies taste with their feet? Feel free to wow your next date with some of these little gems.

The main problem with the game is that each puzzle or task is explained too thoroughly at the start of the mission. Instead of letting you figure out the solution, the instructions specifically spell out what to do from the start, taking the fun out of discovering the answer for yourself. Because of this, completing each task feels unrewarding at best. After a few "adventures," following each specific set of instructions feels more tedious than fun. The layout of the game requires so little interaction that it's easy to become apathetic to your easily won victories.

Above: Watching grass grow is more fun than playing this game (image taken from PS2 version).

In addition to the single player adventure mode, there are seven short, easy to play minigames. (Two minigames are available at the start, the remaining five must be unlocked by passing levels in the adventure mode.) On the plus side, they're so simple and easy to pick up that anyone in the family can pick up a controller and compete. On the other hand, so little skill is required to play that the outcome often seems almost arbitrary, zapping the joy out of winning, no matter how crushingly you defeat your opponents.