Xbox 360 PS3

Bolt

PlatformAdventure

Time to beat: about 6 hours
Plays offline: Yes

Overview

Bolt is a 2008 action game published by Disney Interactive Studios. It was developed by Avalanche Software for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 2, and Microsoft Windows, and Altron for Nintendo DS. It is based on the 2008 CGI-animated film of the same name. An original Xbox version, that was not released, was reviewed by the German rating system USK, which means it was playable from start to finish.

Disney has released multiple versions for different game systems, including Nintendo Wii, PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 and 2. The main console versions play similarly to each other, where for the majority of the game the player will control Bolt, using various attacks and superpowers to beat up Calico's henchmen, while Penny solves simple puzzles and goes through levels with simplistic stealth gameplay. These versions also have hacking mini-games that are constant throughout the game, where the player shoots at various shapes in a twin-stick Shoot 'em up gameplay. The Nintendo DS version is separate, with reduced graphics quality and slightly different gameplay mechanics. Additionally, the DS version is not voiced, but instead uses captions on the screen to tell the user what the characters are saying.

In the game, the player follows and controls the super dog Bolt and Penny on various missions taking place in the fictional TV show universe from the movie. The levels are shared between Bolt and Penny. By using Bolt's superpowers, the player can fight hordes of enemies. New powers, such as Superbark and Laser Eyes, will be unlocked during the game. While Bolt has superpowers, Penny has only her maneuverability by using her Wheelbar and is incentivized to take down enemies in a stealthy way.

Bolt received "mixed" reviews on all platforms except the DS version, which received "generally unfavorable reviews", as reported by the review aggregation website Metacritic. Ryan Clements of IGN criticized the bland story of the console versions, which he described as "paper thin". He also criticized said versions' optimization, boring voice acting and repetitive music, as well as their short lasting appeal. In Japan, where the DS version was ported for release on August 13, 2009, Famitsu gave it a score of three sixes and one five for a total of 23 out of 40.