Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier
Genre: Adventure
Release date: Available now

Rabbids Go Home marks the debut of the slightly deranged (but always comical) Rabbids in a console game without their usual anchor character, Rayman. The Rabbids have always been amusing creatures on their own, but are usually part of the backdrop or the antagonists. Now you can have some fun controlling the havoc that ensues whenever they’re around.

It’s a typical night in the junkyard. Rabbids are roaming about, having shopping-cart races, catching squid, playing in their brass band, etc., when one gets a look at the giant ball of light in the sky (the moon). Well, what must be done next is all but obvious: assemble and build a giant trash pile to reach the floating orb of cheese out in space. The Rabbids fall into line and then descend into the nearby city to collect materials for their pile. Should chaos be wrought in the process, so be it!

Rabbids Go Home is an extremely simple game that builds both in difficulty and complexity as it moves forward. You must navigate a shopping cart through various 3D environments such as hospitals or stores, collecting objects as you go and avoiding obstacles. You can also “freak out” to break down barriers or scare humans literally out of their pants. With the completion of each level, new worlds are opened up to explore, as well as customization options for the game itself, including a Rabbid creator.

It’s very clear that a lot of thought went into the game design as well the comedic writing. Even though there’s really no dialogue in the game, the Rabbids have an impressive amount of expression in their actions. It’s hard not to smile at the simplicity of the game. Also, as a person who falls into an age range for which the game was not intended, I played it a lot more than I expected, simply because of the fun and curiosity regarding what the next level would bring. It’s probably just the right difficulty for younger players.

Rabbids is a good rainy-day game, but it can get too repetitive too quickly. While the level designs are quite unique and offer new challenges and functionality, the basic core of the game is essentially the same in every stage. Also, Rabbids Go Home could probably have had a really fun multiplayer aspect, but instead MP is handled as in Super Mario Galaxy, in which Player 2 essentially points and shoots while Player 1 drives. It’s there, but it could be better.

Rabbids Go Home is not a bad rental, to be sure, especially for the younger players who’ll most likely giggle at the antics in the game. It’s clever and fun, and those are the most important elements to a good gaming experience. Expect a few hours of enjoyment and you’ll be satisfied.

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