It was announced earlier this week that Rockstar Games' 2006 GTA school-em-up Canis Canem Edit is going to be ported to the Wii and X360. With my games collection full of half-finished and never started games, I returned to the game a few weeks ago with intentions of playing through fully, and that I did, finishing off the game last weekend.

With a plot early on as simple as "you are Jimmy, you go to School", from the outset it's quickly established that this title follows in the crime-ridden footsteps of it's bigger brother Grand Theft Auto, except the only felonies you'll be committing here are egging teachers, and the only worry being on time for class. The game is played entirely through an adolescent perspective, meaning that, obviously, the cars of this city are not for driving, and bed-time is no later than 2am, cutting back immediately on the freedom offered in many other sand-box titles, but by contrast, making the game a lot more tighter, both in gameplay and plot structure.

The game demands that you go to class twice a day, but as expected of every title nowadays, there's a story to play through as well should you have time between classes. Like the GTA titles it's the standard tale of going from the gutter to somewhere popular and influential, however one given with a high school twist. Girls are there to be made-out with while nerds picked on and bullies given the wedgie, and the plot centres around the factions of the school, and your relationship towards them, all the while training you up for your once friend now sworn enemy, in a plot straight out of any US teen drama. The story here isn't remarkable by any means, but it does it's job, and for the most part is enjoyable, falling apart only towards the closing stages of the game and the new locations.

The game opens up almost expectedly within the high school, and for the first hour or so of the game, this is the only setting you're allowed to play in. The game soon opens up considerably shortly afterwards however, with the full town of Bullworth there for a walking, skating, cycling or swimming through. In regards to other titles of this nature the play area is significantly smaller, but through the eyes of a young protagonist and with the first chapter spent entirely in class, the game seems immediately full of freedom and mischief-making possibilities. A funfair, beaches, a BMX park, and a lighthouse, all landmarks of the town, and perhaps the hidden appeal of the game, in that, yep, it's another virtual town, but this time one with it's own personality, architecture and character, and one that from the outset is an absolute joy to explore.

The other signature trait of the game is the distinct soundtrack that accompanies many of the missions and cutscenes. With a 80s guitar vibe throughout the proceedings often with retro electronica, they couldn't be a bigger contrast to videogame soundtracks if they tried, and one that despite feeling a little vintage, is entirely at ease with the game as a whole and well-suited throughout, especially during chase scenes. Voice acting additionally is also successful in it's execution, perhaps the only thing holding it back being the dialogue and story in general, but compared to the other GTA games (and certainly a relationship that can't be ignored) the general population and other NPCs in this game world aren't very chatty, and completely devoid of appeal or humanity. Supporting character in the story however are all with their own charm and eccentricities, as are for the most part the students that roam the halls of Bullworth and wander the town locales with you. Ultimately they are stereotypes yes, but along with the mission structure and gameplay in general, they do make those feelings of school life come back to the forefront of the mind.

Canis Canem Edit is an interesting game, and one that despite poor commercial success does need to be played. As a little brother to other free-roaming videogame franchises it is a remarkably easy playthrough and far from being head-scratchingly difficult, but the game as a whole is full of adolescent charm and mischief that makes up for any other shortcoming, and certainly, makes the game what it is.

Labels: Playstation 2, Videogames