Ape Escape (PS1) - Let's Play 1001 Games - Episode 365
13Let's catch some monkeys!
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I'm Gaming Jay: Youtube gamer, let's player, fan of retro games, and determined optimist... Join me in this series while I try out EACH of the video games in the book 1001 VIDEO GAMES YOU MUST PLAY BEFORE YOU DIE, before I die. The game review for each game will focus on the question of whether you MUST play this game before you die. But to be honest, the game review parts are just for fun, and are not meant to be definitive, in depth reviews; this series is more about the YouTube gamer journey itself. From Mario games to the Halo series, from arcade games to Commodore 64, PC games to the NES and Sega Genesis, Playstation to the Xbox, let's play those classic retro games that we grew up with, have fond memories of, or heard of but never got a chance to try! And with that said, the game review for today is...
Ape Escape
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ape_Escape_(video_game)
Ape Escape[a] is a platform video game, developed by SCE Japan Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released for the PlayStation in May 1999 in North America, and June 1999 in Japan. The first in the Ape Escape series, the game tells the story of an ape named Specter who gains enhanced intelligence and a malevolent streak through the use of an experimental helmet. Specter produces an army of apes, which he sends through time in an attempt to rewrite history. Spike, the player character, sets out to capture the apes with the aid of special gadgets.
Ape Escape is played from a third-person perspective. Players use a variety of gadgets to pursue and capture the apes, traversing across several environments. The game's controls are heavily centred around the analog sticks, being the first game to require the use of the PlayStation's DualShock. Development of Ape Escape lasted over two years, and was generally focused on adapting to the use of the controller, which was a significant challenge for the development team.
Ape Escape was met with critical acclaim from critics, with praise particularly directed at the innovative use of the dual analog controls, as well as the graphics and music; the voice acting received minor criticism. The game is widely considered to be one of the greatest on the PlayStation console, and received several re-releases. The game also spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs, beginning with Ape Escape 2 in 2001. A remake, Ape Escape: On the Loose,[b] was released for the PlayStation Portable in 2005 to mixed reviews.
The development of Ape Escape lasted approximately two-and-a-half years. Shortly after the development team began conceiving the design and concept for Ape Escape, they attended a meeting regarding the development of the DualShock. Intrigued by the potential of the controller,[11] the team implemented its use in Ape Escape, making it the first video game to require the use of the DualShock for gameplay.[9][10] Conceptualizing the controls for the controller's analog sticks was the greatest challenge for the team, and the controls underwent great testing prior to finalization.[11]
The game's music was composed by Soichi Terada. After a game director listened to Terada's track "Sumo Jungle", he was given the opportunity to compose the music for Ape Escape.[12] The music changes in-game depending on the situation and level; for example, should players act stealthily, the music alters slightly to give a mellow atmosphere.[13] Music from the game was included in Ape Escape Originape Soundtracks,[c] published on November 18, 2011 by Terada's label Far East Recording.[14][15] The gameplay sound effects were designed by Masaaki Kaneko, while the sound effects in the cutscenes were provided by Masatoshi Mizumachi. The English voice acting was recorded at Dubey Tunes Studios in San Francisco, California, with Sara Holihan and Hunter A. Pipes III serving as voice-over director and producer, respectively.[16]
Ape Escape was officially announced in the April 1999 issue of Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine.[17] A playable demonstration was integrated into the Jampack Summer '99 compilation CD released by PlayStation Underground.[18] A second playable demonstration was included on a promotional compilation disc released by Pizza Hut on November 14, 1999.[19] Promotions for the game were held on Cartoon Network during Sony's winter holiday marketing campaign of 1999.[20]