At the end of Disney’s Chicken Little, the events of the film become the basis for a (fictional) sci-fi movie, with Chicken Little becoming starship captain Ace Little, with Chicken’s friends being the inspiration for the starship crew.  Now, Chicken Little has got the new video game version of his own fictionalized exploits, and it’s up to him to save the universe…in video game form. 

Ace In Action alternately puts you in control of Ace, tank driver Runt, and fighter pilot Abby, as they work their way from planet to planet trying to stop the evil plans of Foxy Loxy and her cohorts Loosey Goosey and Sleazel Weasel.  The plot also follows the real Chicken Little and his friends (Abby and Runt’s “real-life” counterparts), as they struggle to work their way through the game.  This meta-fiction keeps the game’s story fun and entertaining, as do the numerous Star Wars references littered throughout (Ace’s adventure is a Star Wars-style space opera), which were chuckle-worthy on occasion.

Each of the three playable characters features a different style of gameplay.  None of the three are terribly original; each of them pretty much rips off some game or game series.  You begin the game as Ace, who fights on foot.  Ace’s stages are very much in the style of the Ratchet and Clank games, using a similar combination of shooting and platforming.  Unlike those games, however, Ace’s levels become repetitive fairly quickly, due to a limited weapon selection.  Still, there is some mindless fun to be had, just running around blowing stuff up (a fact which Chicken Little himself points out, when he skips a cutscene to get back to the action--a jab at impatient gamers that drew the game’s biggest laugh).

Abby’s levels remind me of two different PS1-era games: Warhawk and the Colony Wars series.  There is some decent fun to be had in these stages, especially during some hectic dogfights during the game’s middle section, with enemy fighters everywhere and innocents to protect.  Unfortunately, these stages inherited something else from the two aforementioned series: complex controls.  The ship uses both analog sticks, two shoulder buttons, and two face buttons for maneuvering alone.  Normally complicated controls are not a problem, but in a game designed and marketed primarily for kids, they could lead to frustration.  Still, these levels contained some of the most fun I had in the entire game.

Runt’s stages are the most unique; the closest comparison I could draw would be Tiny Tank on the PS1 (Anybody remember that game? No?) or the vehicle sequences from Halo.  Like Ace’s stages, the tank areas become boring at times; this is due to bland level design more than anything else.  There are times, though, where controlling the tank is a blast.  When the enemies that have been pestering Ace through an entire world show up and you can crush them beneath your tank’s treads while simultaneously lasering them to death, it’s a good moment.

Technically, the game is solid, if nothing spectacular.  There have been a lot better looking PS2 games, but it’s not an ugly game.  The graphics are serviceable, and at times the animation is inspired; Ace’s melee attack animation was brutal and satisfying enough to make me want to use melee way more than was tactically smart.  Environments are spotty- the opening levels on Pluto were gorgeous snow-covered landscapes, but later planets Saturn and Mars are forgettable. 

The music was serviceable, if not particularly memorable; the game sounds like a cheesy sci-fi flick, which was of course the intent.  The one standout aspect of the game’s sound was the voices.  Stars from the film, including Zach Braff and Joan Cusack, reprise their roles here.  The genius award, however, goes to whoever cast Adam West as Ace.  Although most kids playing this game will have no idea who Adam West is, he delivers every line with inspired over-the-top perfection, and makes Ace’s dialog funny-even just the grunts and groans he makes when you take damage can make you laugh.

The difficulty of the game was all over the place.  Early levels led me to believe that the game would be a cakewalk, but there are instant death moments in the middle and later levels that can frustrate even experienced gamers.  For instance, during Abby’s stages, there are floating mines that chase you and are invulnerable to your weaponry; if even one hits you, you must restart the level.  Moments like this could be another factor that leads to frustration with the younger crowd.

There are multiplayer modes in the game, but they feel very tacked on.  Two players can go head to head in either tanks or planes, but both modes start with just one stage, with only two more each to be unlocked in the main game.  There aren’t really any different modes, just standard deathmatch.  Overall, it’s nothing I could see devoting much time to.

I suppose if someone were a big enough Chicken Little fan, or a big enough platformer/shooter fan, they could get a good amount of fun from Ace In Action.  For the most part, the concepts presented here have been done better elsewhere.  But while it may not be the best game of this style ever made, it’s certainly far from the worst.
 

Gameplay: 6.9

Do the same sorts of things you’ve likely done before many times in many games. Run around, blow stuff up, etc.

Graphics: 7.3

A couple of impressive elements surrounded on all sides by second-generation PS2 graphics.  Not much you haven’t seen again and again.

Sound: 8.1

All the voice actors are giving it their all, especially Adam West.  He really elevates all of Ace’s dialog and the game in general.  Music is decent.
 

Difficulty: Medium

Some sections are frustratingly difficult, while others are mind-numbingly simple.  All in all, a respectable challenge.

Concept: 8.7

You’re playing the same game that Chicken Little is playing!  That’s either idiotic or genius, leaning toward the latter.

Multiplayer: 5.4

If you’ve got a friend willing to deathmatch on the PS2, there are better choices.  What’s here is serviceable, but there’s not much here.

Overall: 7.2

Chicken Little: Ace In Action does everything passably and nothing exceptionally.