Bolt (video game)

Bolt
Developer(s)	Avalanche Software, Altron
Publisher(s)	Disney Interactive Studios
Distributor(s)	EA Distribution
Director(s)	Troy Leavitt
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS
Release date(s)	‹See Tfd› NA: November 18, 2008 ‹See Tfd› AUS: December 4, 2008 ‹See Tfd› EU: February 13, 2009
Genre(s)	Adventure
Mode(s)	Single-player

Bolt is a video game available for PC, Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, and Microsoft Windows. It is based on the Disney film of the same name.^[1] It was released in North America on November 18, 2008. It was released in Australia on December 4, 2008. It was released in Europe on February 13, 2009. The video game was developed by Avalanche Software and published by Disney Interactive.^[2]

Synopsis

Setting

In the game, the player follows and controls the superdog Bolt and Penny on various missions taking place in the fictional universe from the movie. By using Bolt's superpowers, the player can fight enemies. New powers, such as Superbark and Laser Eyes, can be unlocked during the game. The levels are shared between Bolt and Penny. Bolt has superpowers, whereas Penny has maneuverability by using her Wheelbar. However, the game focuses on Bolt's fake TV life, not the actual movie storyline. Penny's father has been kidnapped by the evil Dr. Calico, and Penny and Bolt must travel through 5 different countries to rescue him.

All of this is actually on TV, and Rhino is watching a DVD pack of all the 25 Bolt episodes; possibly at the rural home at the end of the movie with Bolt's family (Penny, Mittens, Bolt himself, and Penny's mother). However, the player doesn't see Rhino, only hearing him. But on the Nintendo DS, you can play a mini-game called Rhino's Mission, where you go through mazes and avoid obstacles, like cannons. And also, he had an introduction sequence in the game, where he was starting the DVD, saying it had 940 minutes worth of Bolt episodes, even though the game actually has 25. The player doesn't see the other 915 due to Rhino falling asleep at the end of the game.

Despite that the end of the Bolt film shows a new storyline, it can be implied that these episodes featured in the game are mostly the episodes in the first season, despite the movie starting with the chase sequence.

Plot

Penny's father has been captured by Calico and his organization in an attempt to construct a powerful weapon of untold power. Penny and Bolt travel to Italy in an effort to find out more, but they get nowhere other than learning of Calico's location in Belize.

Calico finally manages to capture Penny once she and Bolt find his temple base in the Ukatan jungle. To prove Penny is alive and in custody to her father, Calico gives Penny a cell phone with her father on the other line. Calico then attempts to flee the crumbling temple with his new captive, but decides to leave her there with Bolt to die, saying, "As long as the professor believes she's alive, he will do what is asked and finish the weapon. Too bad we can't all have nine lives."

However, Penny and Bolt survive and discover Calico's new arctic base with a large rocket in the center. But upon entering, Penny notices micro-focusing mirrors and realizes that it is her father's satellite instead of a warhead. All too late as Calico seals the entrance and, to Bolt's horror, launches it with Penny inside screaming for help. Bolt then jumps onto the rocket and dismantles it in mid-flight, crashing it into the snow.

The two then ventured to Calico's harbor in China, (they find it out through a computer system) where they discover a ship full of warheads. Just then, Calico arrives at the harbor, enraged to find Penny still alive, and even more so as he watches his prized freight ship sink to the bottom, thanks to Bolt, who then pursues Calico, escaping in his car to a nearby train station. He arrives at the station and boards his train, closely followed by Penny and her dog. Just as the duo finally corners the doctor, he slips into a hidden room and escaped on his private jet. Not before Penny secures a homing beacon onto the hull, leading them right back to Calico's base.

Penny and Bolt trace his jet back to his main base, where Penny's father is being held. However, upon arriving, Calico tests his new weapon on Bolt, draining him of his powers and strength and capturing Penny, due to her emotions getting in the way of the mission. Once Penny is inside, he explains his plan to use Penny's father's micro focusing mirror-equipped satellites to bounce a beam around the Earth and neutralize all atomic weaponry except for his own, meaning he can nuke anyone, when he wants, how he wants. And as he leaves, he violently kicks Bolt's cage proving Penny of her limited knowledge. However, during this, Penny maneuvers her way out of her hand bindings.

Once free, she attempts to find her father to save Bolt. Unfortunately, she is only captured by Calico once again, just as Bolt regains his powers and Penny sabotages the control panel, however, raising the bridge so Bolt could reach her. Once he does, Penny escapes from her guard captors yet again and launched a pre-prepared, rocket powered cart at the main power generator (which Bolt exposed). Then, using what power remains in the generator, Calico duels with Bolt, using powerful lightning bursts. But after the lengthy and hard-fought battle, Bolt finally defeats him. Beaten and weakened, he attempts to escape on his private helicopter, launching numerous missiles as a decoy, just as Penny finally finds her father (aboard the helicopter). But while Bolt tries to apprehend Calico by grabbing his foot, Penny's father pleads to her and Bolt to allow Calico to escape with himself to stop the missiles, reminding her that she had the power to find him again. Regretfully, Penny orders Bolt to stop the missiles as Calico escaped with her father.

The game closes with an epilogue informing the player of Penny's continuing battle. Then, depending on the version, you either get a "tune in next week" style message or cut to Rhino's dialogue.

Gameplay

Disney has released multiple versions for different game systems including Nintendo Wii, PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 2 and 3, but the Nintendo DS has a different feel and more of a 2D look to it. In addition, the DS version doesn't have character voices, but instead uses words across the screen to tell the user what the character's saying.

A mobile game was also released. The game was developed by Enorbus and Disney Mobile. The mobile version has a 2D look and 4 levels in three different locations, making for a total of 12 levels. The three different locations are (in order): L.A., Bolivia, and Dr. Calico's Secret Island. The player uses Bolt's Super Bark, Super Bite, and Super Speed to battle enemies and level bosses. One interesting difference between the various platforms are the "host" characters, or the lack thereof. For instance, in the Wii edition, Rhino is the "host", appearing at the beginning and end of the game, and making comments when the "pause" button is selected. In the mobile game, Rhino and Mittens are both seen before and after each level as watching the Bolt TV show. And in the DS version, there's no "host" character to be seen (even though Rhino does get his own mini-game), but letters are displayed onscreen, informing the user on the storyline.^[3]

Reception

Bolt received mixed reviews upon release. The Xbox 360 version received an aggregated score of 57/100 based on 18 reviews from Metacritic.^[4] Ryan Clements from IGN criticized the game's bland story, which he described as "paper thin". He also criticized the optimization of the game, boring voice acting, repetitive music, as well as its short lasting appeal. He gave the game a 5.1/10^[5]

References