Whiplash – XB – Preview

E3 2003 –
First Look

“Here’s another example of
human barbarism – the hamster cannon. Now that’s just plain mean!”

Bam! A hamster is fired
across the room and sticks on the velcro-looking
target on the wall. Mean? Oh yes. Funny – in a guilty sort
of way.

Whiplash is a pending
release from Eidos Interaction and Crystal
Dynamics and is slated for release on the PlayStation2 and Xbox.  The game was
demonstrated at E3 in Los Angeles and follows the adventures of
Spanx and Redmond who have escaped from forced
labor in a animal product-testing lab and are bent
on escape. Not only are they trying to get free, but they are trying to get as
many of their fellow animals freed as well.

There is just one hitch –
they are chained together, and hence the program gets its title. Players
perform as Spanx, a demented weasel-looking
character. The foil and disgruntled tool is Redmond, a rabbit that is abused
likely more than the product testers ever dreamed. Spanx
using the chain that bind them to whip Redmond
through obstacles and into enemies.

Game features include a
variety of puzzles and enemies, including lab technicians, crooked
rent-a-cops, and the corrupt CEO of the corporation. If successful, you can
drive the company into bankruptcy.

Graphically this game is
very good, with solid effects and smooth animation. The sound is also well
done.

The charm of this game is in
the frenetic action of the principal characters. Reactions
from lab techs being clubbed by the whipped Redmond (who is also used to clog
a toilet on occasion to flood a level) is wonderful. This game is a humane
society’s nightmare, but it plants tongue firmly in cheek, disregards
conventions and has a good time.

What more can you ask from a
game?