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Stuart Little 2 (PSOne) – Game Overview/Features & Screens

by Rainier on May 8, 2002 @ 12:18 p.m. PDT

Coinciding with the release of this summer’s hit movie of the same name, Stuart Little 2 is a colourful, fun and absorbing 3D adventure set in the oversized world of the miniature hero. Casting you as the hugely popular mouse star, and tied closely to the plot of the movie, it’s a non-linear adventure with multiple sub-games and huge areas to explore, that promises to charm and thrill Stuart Little fans.

Storyline overview

Stuart and his new friend, Margalo, are trying to find numerous stolen rings and return them to their rightful owners. To do so, they must travel around a number of beautifully rendered locations from the movie, including the Little family house, solving puzzles and finding the missing valuables. Their adventure will see them journeying far and wide, utilising a number of different methods of doing so. A 3D 3rd person platform adventure that captures Stuart Little and the world around him, containing large elements of exploration, discoveries and puzzle solving. An adventure in an oversized world where everyday objects seem overwhelmingly different

Key features

  • Gentle learning curve
    The learning curve is a gentle one, with simple controls and a pick-up-and-play ease of use that will appeal to young fans of the movie, but still reward skilled use.
  • You are Stuart Little
    You control Stuart himself, who is beautifully drawn and gorgeously animated, with a fluidity rarely seen on the PSOne. As you move about the bright, welcoming levels, you’ll recognise them all from the film.
  • FMV rewards
    The plot, too, is closely linked with that of the film. When you complete a level, you’re rewarded with FMV sequences taken straight from the relevant section of the movie. The game almost becomes an interactive, explorable version of the movie.
  • A real adventure
    Stuart Little 2 is non-linear, and the free-roaming levels both encourage and reward exploration, allowing you to leap and wander around the vast and beautiful environments to your heart’s content.
  • The theme of the movie is friendship, so the characters you meet in the game will not only be straight out of the movie, but will also interact with you and help you to progress through the adventure. You’ll meet all Stuart’s friends, as well as all the baddie insects and toys, from the movie.
  • The oversized levels are dotted with thought-provoking puzzles that will have you utilising everyday items in new and interesting ways and the adventure element is supplemented by a number of varied and imaginative mini-games.
  • Wide and varied range of actions
    Stuart has a huge range of actions, including running, jumping, bouncing, climbing, and death-sliding. You’ll also find yourself driving vehicles, skateboarding, racing a speedboat, and even flying around the different locations, as well as testing your marksmanship with some fancy shooting.
  • Good longevity
    If you knew exactly where to go and what to do, and completed your tasks strictly in order without becoming side-tracked, the game would still take around 12 hours to complete. Allowing for the fact that the game has so many fun elements to absorb and distract you from the main tasks, an average game should provide more than 40 hours of gameplay.

Soundtrack?

  • Bespoke upbeat background music in a Danny Elfman style
  • Fully localised audio with voice-alikes for all target territories

Control Method
Stuart has a vast range of actions, which can be used during the game to help him explore the widely different locations freely – he will always adapt to his environment. To progress on his adventure, a variety of everyday items will be required and used in different ways. (Examples include shooting at a switch to propel Stuart up to a higher shelf in the bathroom or climbing up houseplants to explore hard to reach places.)

The interface will take fully utilise the features of the Dualshock controller. Actions include:

  • Creeping/Walking/Running
  • Jumping
  • Tail Spin
  • Throwing
  • First Person targeting and viewing
  • Climbing Surfaces
  • Climbing Poles
  • Swimming/Diving
  • Monkey Bar Swing
  • Zip-line Slides
  • Pushing
  • Crawling
  • Toy Spring Jump
  • Balloon ride

Locations

  • House (downstairs)
    Stuart starts in the downstairs kitchen.
  • Rooms: kitchen, dining room, library and living room
  • Intro to level 2 FMV: Stuart flying his toy plane out of the window and finally ending up in the park.
  • Central Park
    Stuart has crash-landed in the park!
  • Features climbing trees, sliding down zip-lines, wading through puddles, exploring the climbing frame etc.
  • Intro to level 3 FMV: Stuart and Margalo making it back to the house in the car after their confrontation with Falcon.
  • House (upstairs)
    Explore the upper rooms of the home
  • Overcome the pitfalls and obstacles within the upstairs rooms including Stuart and George’s room, hallway, bathroom and nursery
  • Intro to level 4 FMV: Mr Little gives Stuart the flashlight and Stuart climbing down the drainpipe.
  • Sewers
    It’s horrible down here.
  • Assailed by insects while using platforms to avoid the hazardous goo.
  • Intro to level 5 FMV: Stuart and Snowbell walking around New York in search of Margalo in the back alleys.
  • Back Alleys of Manhattan
    At night, it’s eerie with only the stars lighting the sky
  • Traverse crates, pipes, rubbish and the odd derelict vehicle.
  • Intro to level 6 FMV: Stuart going up the Pishkin building, meeting Falcon and subsequently being thrown off, landing in the garbage barge.
  • The Garbage Barge
    The final level before “Dogfight” level with Falcon
  • It’s a typical tip! Rubbish, wooden decking, the cabin and engine room below
  • Intro to level 7 FMV: Stuart fixing his plane and flying off the barge towards Manhattan to confront the villainous Falcon.
  • The Final Fight
    Stuart in his plane, his back to the camera
  • Control the plane in all four directions (up, down, left and right)
  • Aim of the game: defeat Falcon who is chasing Margalo
    buzz Falcon with the rotor of the plane
  • Completion of Boss Level FMV: The whole family together and happy. Ending finally with a clip of Stuart wishing Margalo farewell as she flies south to migrate for the winter.

Mini-games
As Stuart explores the levels he will encounter Margalo, who will explain the simple rules of the mini-games in that area. There will be two mini games within each level.

If Stuart successfully completes one of these tasks then he will be rewarded with a jewelled ring.

Mini-game types:
1. Cart Collect (train and Scalectrix-style)
2. Fairground-style Shooting Range
3. Time-trial Driving (sport car and speed boat)
4. Bug Racing (on ground and flying)
5. Skateboarding
6. Toy Plane Flying

Enemy System
Enemies will not be a main focus of the game, due to the target age range. They will be placed sparingly throughout the levels where the camera can move freely to give the player the best viewing angle.

Interaction: Margalo
Margalo is the help mechanism of this game: she gives hints relating to Stuart’s skills just prior to where a particular skill is demanded.

To assist the player to find the hard to reach pickups, Margalo will be on hand to help out. This is done by a fly-by over the path that the player has to traverse. This will increase the interaction between Margalo and Stuart, showing more of their friendship. It’ll also ensure the player is not bewildered by the huge size of the levels and any tasks that await them. The dialogues will be provided in both audio and displayed text.

Collectable items

  • Jewelled rings
    The jewellery is the main goal for the completion of each level. There is a total of 6 per level.
  • Suitcases
    Throughout the game Stuart will come across a variety of suitcases which are similar to his own:
  • Red suitcases contain an extra life.
  • Green suitcases contain sub-lives.
  • Blue suitcases contain sub-life slots.
  • Golden suitcases contain a jewelled ring. They can only be opened with the golden key that is hidden elsewhere in the level. There is one golden suitcase and key per level.
  • Cat biscuits
    In each level there will be 80 cat biscuits of which 60 need to be collected. Snowbell then exchanges them with Monte for a jewelled ring.
  • Face blocks
    Stuart has to collect 6 face blocks, which will be scattered throughout each level. Once all have been collected they will give Stuart access to new areas of the level.

Film clips
One extra “secret” film clips can be discovered within each level. They are not an important part of the game-play but are a reward for the determined player, who wants to complete the game with 100%.

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