Hey Beavis . . . this game sucks. Hehehe.
Almost all of us should at least have some memory, good or bad, of Beavis
and Butthead, one of the most famous and controversial duos to ever hit
the television. Whether it was laughing oneself stupid over episodes like Frog
Baseball and Couch Fishing or wanting to beat the hell out of every single person
who imitated their laugh, it's safe to assume the world is a little different
thanks to Mike Judge. One could assume that it would only be a matter of time
before someone else would try to cash in again on Beavis and Butthead's success
(some of us might 
remember Virtual
Stupidity).
Unfortunately, gamers have seen this type of game before and we're sure to
see it again: a rushed, sorry attempt of a game that will depend only on the
recognizable license to sell copies. Sure, you might enjoy the comical courses
and funny voice clips, but after about 10 minutes, anyone who dropped a dime
for a copy of Beavis and Butthead: Bunghole in One will be kicking themselves
. . . guaranteed.
The premise of Beavis and Butthead: Bunghole in One is extremely basic:
a simplistic 18-hole miniature golf course with familiar characters, settings,
and sound clips from the show. Now, when I say simplistic, I mean dumbed down
to the point of nausea. I can honestly say that I've seen shareware games programmed
by teenagers in Europe that are far more impressive, both in looks and gameplay,
than Illusions' (developer) sorry attempt at a miniature golf game. It's almost
insulting when publishers put out such an underdeveloped and outdated product
and expect the public to buy it based on the name alone.
With that out of the way, Beavis
and Butthead: Bunghole in One provides one 18-hole course with the option
of playing as six different characters: Beavis, Butthead, Tom Anderson, Mr. Van
Driessen, Todd, and Principal McVicker. What influence does character choice have
on gameplay? Well, depending on the character chosen, you can hear the same couple
of repetitive sound clips over and over again at random points throughout the
game. Is it funny at first? Yes. Does it get annoying as hell in no time flat?
Damn right.
Once everyone (everyone meaning up to four people) has chosen his or her character,
it's time to hit the course. Each hole is preceded by a pre-rendered, cartoon
fly-by of that particular hole. Graphically, each level consists of one oversized
bitmap.
There are a few basic sprite animations, which usually consist of obstacles
common in a miniature golf course. Last, and definitely least, is the ball movement.
The bottom line is that anyone with any sort of 2D graphical knowledge could
have easily programmed Bunghole in One's graphical routines.
In the end, you have to take Beavis and Butthead: Bunghole in One for
what it is: a simple, joke of a game whose little success will come from its
recognizable license. Yes, the recognizable theme song and cherished "uh-huh's
and "heh-heh's are all there, but is it really worth the price? While GT Interactive
did put a low $20 price tag on the game, there are a couple of alternatives
to wasting an Andrew Jackson: watching the show (free), getting sound clips
off the Internet (also free), or grabbing Beavis and Butthead graphics
(by George...also free). So, what need is there to dish out the bucks for a
simple, joke of a mini-golf game with the Beavis and Butthead name on it? None.
Now go out there and spend your money on a useless product that is actually
fun.
E3 2013 has been very silent for me. There's tons of media, but most of it buzzes past my ears without them catching the important keyword that my ears are fine tuned to receive: "PC" or "Personal Computer". Microsoft, Sony, EA and Ubisoft have all shown their cards...
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