Finding Nemo (PS2, Xbox, GBA)

By JON MINIFIE

(Herald rating: * * *)

Dragging fun-loving platform gamers off terra firma and into the deep, Finding Nemo is a stylish 3D platform title based on the computer-animated film of the same name.

The game follows the plot of the film closely and you will be able to play as its principal stars, Nemo's overprotective father Marlin, the scatterbrained Dory and naturally, young Nemo himself.

During the training levels you play as Nemo, performing simple tasks. There are endless rings of bubbles to swim through and about a million underwater trinkets to collect, but eventually you will work your way up to greater challenges, solving puzzles, negotiating lengthy underwater obstacle courses and fleeing scary sharks.

Frequent movie cut scenes have been interwoven into the game and the transition from gameplay to movie is almost seamless. The result is a picture-perfect switch from game to movie then back to game again with minimal fuss and no tedious load times.

In Finding Nemo, the rewards come thick and fast. For completing tasks set in each level, players are given a yellow starfish that can be used to unlock hidden bonuses.

Don't expect to find huge innovation. The puzzles and general gameplay are fairly standard. The biggest difference between this and other platform titles is that unlike Mario and pals, Nemo's big adventure takes place in a glorious underwater playground.

If you have played any of Sony's Disney games or Spyro the Dragon, then Finding Nemo's down-to-earth control system will hold few surprises.

Nemo's world is gorgeous. Huge sharks (including an amusing Great White with a thick Aussie accent), snapping turtles, crabs and countless more undersea creatures have been painstakingly recreated in what must be the most convincing underwater environment since Ecco the Dolphin.

In keeping with the spirit of the film, Finding Nemo was primarily designed with younger gamers in mind, however like all Pixar projects, there is a little something in there for a more mature audience, too. These types of games often walk a fine line, but Finding Nemo manages to keep it simple without being too easy.

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* Released August 29