The Princess & The Frog - PC - Review

by jkdmedia, December 14, 2009

No Disney film is complete without a massive franchise following, and their latest animated feature is certainly no exception. “The Princess and the Frog” transplants the classic tale from an idyllic setting to the unmistakable atmosphere of Louisiana in the early 20th century. Perhaps more remarkable was the modernization of the tale itself, which deftly dodges the “damsel in distress” stereotype in favor of something unheard of: a young woman who actually wishes to take charge of her own destiny.

To their credit, Disney managed to weave this tale within a very friendly atmosphere of traditional hand-drawn animation (you remember those days, don’t you?) However, as the story travels down the inevitable path from feature film to video game, much of its original strength is lost. On the merit of its title alone, it is perhaps unsurprising that “The Princess and the Frog” caters heavily to the demographic of young girls. After all, no self-respected dude would be caught dead with such a game in his software library, right? Sadly, it is not the self-imposed limits of a target audience that bring down the game adaptation. It is the shift in emphasis from a tale of personal empowerment to a tale of frivolous superficiality.

Taking on the role of the aforementioned “princess,” the player guides Tiana toward her goal of owning a successful restaurant. Mind you, this is not a restaurant or business simulation that is being targeted to young girls. Rather, the gameplay consists of a series of mini-games, 25 in all. Despite the film’s original efforts to convey female empowerment, Tiana is still engaging in fairly mundane and feminized tasks, from working in the kitchen to trying on dresses. Of course, there is little denying that the game delivers on a very fundamental premise – it’s fun to play.

Most of the success within these games also brings an extrinsic reward. The somewhat awkward use of Mardi Gras beads as currency allows the player to access new content and items, such as furnishings for the all-important restaurant. As these treats follow the player’s success within the mini-games, it is possible that very young players will find themselves somewhat frustrated, particularly in the trickier challenges. Thankfully, the mechanics are simple enough to grasp and the presentation is consistently attractive, making excellent use of the film’s unique animation and color palette. It is disappointing to see that such a conventional route was taken in delivering the story to a game format. However, “The Princess and the Frog” does manage to achieve an enjoyable experience for the whole family.  

Review Scoring Details for The Princess and the Frog

Gameplay: 6.0
Simple and fairly familiar mechanics keep the mini-games accessible for younger audiences.

Graphics: 7.0 
A very conventional transition from film to game, and it’s easy to recognize the cinematic origins. The “bluesy” atmosphere is also a nice touch.

Sound: 8.0
The audio is generally strong, but the musical highlights really steal the show. This will likely be a huge attraction for young players.

Difficulty: Easy
It remains to be seen how the youngest players will handle some of the games, but it’s quite obvious this was intended as casual fare.

Concept: 7.0 
Not exactly a revelation, but a somewhat refreshing departure from the tired movie-to-game platformer.

Overall: 7.0
“The Princess and the Frog” successfully conveys the lighthearted spirit of the original film, and presents itself as something completely approachable for young girls. Given the film’s surprisingly nuanced composition, it is only regrettable that some deeper elements weren’t put into play for older audiences.