Whiplash (PlayStation 2)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 6.4 (3.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Ryan Davis
• Reviewed on: 11/26/2003
• Released on: 11/18/2003
• Originally published on GameSpot: Whiplash (PlayStation 2) Review

With the preponderance of grim, militaristic realism and exceedingly cutesy preciousness indigenous to many of today's video games, it's always refreshing to find one with some actual wit and humor. Whiplash, the latest platformer from Crystal Dynamics, finds its humor somewhere in between Looney Tunes-style slapstick and light absurdist social commentary. Unfortunately, humor is the only thing Whiplash seems to really nail, and chuckles alone aren't enough to carry an entire game.

Whiplash tells the tale of Redmond, a California white rabbit, and Spanx, a long-tailed weasel, who have been strapped together by a two-foot length of chain. Both animals were test subjects for Genron, a large, predictably evil corporation that makes products with either a horrible and disgusting purpose (like do-it-yourself surgery machines) or no discernable purpose at all. Having outlived their usefulness, the two rodents were to become a new, single rodent in the Genron Recombinator, which is a genetic blender of sorts. After launching a daring escape and enlisting the assistance of Genron's supercomputer, Spanx and Redmond aim to turn the tables on Genron by freeing all its animals and bringing the company to its knees.

The relationship between Spanx and Redmond is a sadomasochistic one. Spanx, the larger of the two, throws his weight around--literally--and uses the invincible Redmond to beat down scientists and security guards. Additionally, Spanx uses Redmond to jam pieces of machinery and to generally trash Genron's stuff. In the game you'll be controlling Spanx, and, despite the fact that there are two characters in play, Whiplash moves like your average platformer by drawing some obvious inspiration from titles like Rayman and Ratchet & Clank. Spanx can double jump; he can swing Redmond around in a slow-descent gliding move; he can scurry along pipes; he can slide along zip lines; and he can toss Redmond toward special floating orbs upon which Redmond can grapple and swing through the air. In your quest to stick it to "The Man," you'll inevitably square off against nasty human critters, like security guards, scientists, and teams of hazmat cleaners. You'll use Whiplash's combat system to dispatch of them all. Though you'll eventually earn some simple three- and four-button combos as you progress, the combat in Whiplash basically comes down to repeatedly mashing on the attack button. The controls are relatively responsive, though there's a little bit of slop to them. However, Whiplash is not a game of precision.

The game breaks down into easy puzzle-solving, some simple combat, and a little straightforward platform-jumping. As a result, the game doesn't prove to be terribly challenging. Spanx and Redmond can fall from incredible heights without taking damage; the game provides an abundance of health packs; and you have the ability to save at any point. The only time Whiplash becomes legitimately difficult is when you're stuck in a puzzle because the game is unclear as to what your objective is. This doesn't happen often, but it happens more often than it should. There's a fair amount of filler throughout the game, with the frequent corridors that are strung with lasers being the most shameless. Such filler is especially regrettable considering the game's relative brevity. The game's length, from beginning to end, clocks in at less than eight hours. The action in Whiplash is fine in concept, but, in execution, the game just feels as though it was rushed through development.

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