PlayStation Hardware & Games

Grab your net and take a seat: You'll be here for a while.

Video: 3
Sound: 3
Gameplay: 5

Essentially yet another snaring simian sojourn, Ape Escape 3 is alive with literally hundreds of wild monkeys in the service of bad guy Specter. This time, their plan to take over the world involves the creation of television programs so utterly insipid that they can turn unsuspecting viewers into drooling morons. (Yes, these shows are even worse than anything broadcast on the erstwhile WB.) This is where much of the game's humor comes from: a grand string of assorted, often subtle pop-culture parodies. You warp in and out of the various shows, repeatedly running, jumping, and otherwise battling your way past the usual obstacles as you round up all of the wayward primates, playing as either brother Kei or sister Yumi. And, for the first time, you can also morph into super warriors, each with unique abilities that allow you to complete your quest. The game features quite a few unlockable secrets, gadgets, and mini-games, including "Mesal Gear Solid," a surprising and pretty elaborate variation on the great Metal Gear Solid—the result of a rewarding collaboration with Konami.

Escape 3 looks and often feels like Japanese animation, right down to the dubious logic of it all. Despite some none-too-complex graphics, images are razor-sharp, and the bright palette of colors seems to pop off the screen. The video resolution is 480i, and the game support for 16:9 screens. The audio is presented in Dolby Pro Logic II, with some discrete use of the front channels, but the rears are mostly used for musical fill. Even so, the balance of dialogue, music, and effects is excellent, and the variety of musical styles throughout always displays ample bass.

In conjunction with the release of this latest chapter, SCEA has also unleashed Ape Escape Academy, a completely new collection of miniature games, ideal for the pick-up/put-down nature of the PSP…or is it just my attention span that's so challenged these days? While in these games you are ostensibly there to train more competent and reliable monkeys for future missions, these diversions are designed to develop your character's mind, technique, and body. Multi mode allows multiple PSPs to work together via Wi-Fi, while Share mode lets you compete head-to-head on a single PSP. And, in at least one case ("1.00 Meter Dash"), four players can play on the same handheld unit at once, utilizing the X, circle, triangle, and square buttons. This represents an absolutely fabulous exploitation of the PSP technology in a way I didn't even think possible.

Even with the new wrinkles, we know by now what to expect in an Ape Escape romp, and catching all those off-the-wall critters in this deep and expansive PS2 world remains more fun than a barrel full of…well, you know.