Scooby-Doo! Mystery Mayhem Review (Xbox)

Making children’s games on a fairly complex console ain’t easy since the games are usually produced by the same studios that create games for the big kids as well. Gameplay must be reduced in difficulty to keep developing minds from getting too frustrated and it usually helps if the graphics are skewed on the comical side. A quick and easy way to generate success with a kid’s title is to license popular cartoon characters from Saturday morning television. This is exactly what THQ did by using Scoob and the Mystery Inc. crew in their Night of 100 Frights release of last summer. Scooby-Doo!, Shaggy, and the rest of the closet cartoon stoners are back battling ghouls, collecting clues, and making sandwiches in Mystery Mayhem, the latest E rated title for the Xbox.


Gameplay

Anybody that has ever seen a Scooby-Doo! Cartoon knows that each episode is thoroughly formulaic; a bunch of sleuthing kids and a dog solve a supernatural mystery by uncovering the fraudulent human behind the hoax, with the help of the Globetrotters, Phyllis Diller, or other obscure TV personalities. Things are pretty much the same for Scooby and the gang in Mystery Mayhem but we aren’t graced by the likes of Tim Conway or Don Knotts this time around. The baddie in question is using an ancient text known as the Tome of Doom to summon the ghosts of centuries past. Shag and Scoob must find the Tome of Doom to recapture the ghastly ghouls and reveal the villainous mastermind behind Mystery Incorporated’s latest caper.

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Mayhem plays in the familiar third-person adventure style with a mix of fetching (appropriate for a dog I guess), stealth, platforming, and combat elements. Shag and Scoob are much more of a duo than they were in the last game and are constantly helping each other to navigate through the levels and search for hidden objects. Gamers can switch between playing as Scooby or Shaggy which only comes in handy in a few instances such as when Shaggy loses Scoob or when obstacles require Scoob to crawl underneath them. Walking and running are the main form of movement but there are opportunities where sneaking can be used to creep past an unsuspecting ghost. There are other platforming situations where Shag and Scoob will have to team up to climb crates or other high obstacles. Just like most every other task in the game the screen will alert youthful gamers with what button to push in order to accomplish the basic platforming goals; this game is for children so don’t expect any Prince of Persia-like gravity-defying platforming tasks. Various switches, buttons, and levers may have to be turned on or off from time to time but, like the platforming, there is nothing overly challenging about finding or activating these contraptions.

Like zoinks, Scooby, wait for me!

The fetching portion of Mystery Mayhem serves several purposes such as to recharge the Tome of Doom, unlock mini-games or bonus art, replenish “cool”, or to find keys that automatically open locked doors. Scattered about the levels are five sandwich ingredients which can be collected to unlock a total of five mini-games (one per episode). Magnifying Glass icons indicate the five clues which are used to help solve the main mystery of each level. The clues do not have to be collected to clear the level but acquiring them will unlock some nifty game art that can be accessed at the Extras Menu. Instead of having a traditional health meter Shag and Scoob have a meter which depletes when they lose their “cool” by coming in contact with ghosts. If the meter empties Shag and Scoob will run away screaming (of course they don’t die) the next time they come in contact with a ghost which means that the gamer will have to start over at the last save point.

If Shag and Scoob aren’t busy gathering items or platforming they are involved in evading or battling ghosts. Pulling and holding the right trigger will allow the duo to creep past ghosts and monsters but if a ghost touches Shag or Scoob they will get spooked even if they are in sneak mode. There are also various costumes around the levels such as white sheets at the library and lab coats at ShermanTech which will allow the team to be invisible to ghosts for a short time. If stealth and trickery fail, Shag and Scoob can use the Tome of Doom to directly battle the ghosts and ghouls. The Tome is a book which emits a powerful light when it is opened; the ray acts as the aiming device for the book’s ability to capture supernatural creatures. The first creature that the ray comes in contact with will automatically be locked onto and can be captured by repeatedly pressing the action button(s) which are illustrated on the screen. The Tome of Doom will need to be recharged which is done through the balls of radiant energy located throughout the levels. These “wisps” can be captured with the Tome just as ghosts can, or they can be simply walked over by Shag and Scoob. There are also several “wisp generators” which spit out more wisps than the half-human, half-canine crew can handle.

Platform:
Xbox
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Publisher:
THQ
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Developer:
Artificial Mind & Movement (A2M)
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Genre:
Action
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Release Date:
3/2/2004
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Game Features:
Offline Players: 1

Ratings :: 1
Average :: 5.5
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