Spanning more than 14 years, numerous products and countless media formats, The Simpsons has become much more than a mere television cartoon; it has established itself as a societal juggernaut, an astute commentary of everyday life in the familiar setting of Springfield. What seems to make The Simpsons so relatable is its examination and creative spins on just about every topic imaginable. However, with the exception of the half-hour during the airing of an episode or DVD, fans haven’t really received a full glimpse into the inner workings of the Simpson’s lives. Fortunately, dear fans, Vivendi Universal and Fox Interactive are about to give you that sneak peek in one of the most unlikely ways with their latest title, Simpsons: Hit and Run. What does America’s most beloved cartoon family and the most controversial video game in history have in common? Nothing until now, that is. Simpsons: Hit and Run is an interesting fusion between the television show and Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar’s infamous title. Initially, it wouldn’t seem like the two subjects would have anything in common. Yet Fox Interactive has managed to “borrow” and augment many of the mechanics from GTA to place a Springfield spin on the title. For example, gone are the shooting sprees, rampages and other waves of bloody destruction. In its place is some of the highly stylized cartoon “aggression” that we’ve all come to know and love from the show. However, you can’t be a total menace to society, because the police will quickly chase you down and fine you for your actions…D’oh! The plot of Hit and Run seems like it’s pulled directly from a season of the show. As the intro movie shows, it’s another beautiful morning in Springfield, with Homer sprawled out across the couch in their living room. As he sleeps, a massive bee flies into the home and hovers above Homer’s head. Waking up in a daze, he swats the large insect, which is revealed to players to be an elaborate flying surveillance camera. Along with the few alerts from Krusty the Clown about some strange activity in the town, Homer takes it upon himself to get down to the bottom of what’s going on. While the plot is a mot more detailed that that sparse teaser I just provided, fans of the show should be excited to know that they’ll be able to take control of just about every member of the Simpson family (sorry, but Maggie doesn’t get behind the wheel of any cars) as they try to discover just what’s happening in their town. More than fifty characters in the large Simpson’s universe can be interacted with, and, similar to Vice City, there are certain buildings that can be entered for items or missions, such as the Kwik-E-Mart, the nuclear power plant and Springfield Elementary. As you scour the town, you’ll take on missions and acquire coins for successfully completing tasks, which can be used to purchase cars or various outfits from the show, such as Homer’s Muumuu or Bart’s ninja outfit. Even cooler are the collectible cards scattered around the town, symbolizing different episodes from the show’s 14 year run. The amount of depth within the preview code we received was simply staggering, and that wasn’t the fully finished version. The merging of the Simpsons and GTA worlds has resulted in an impressive 3D Springfield, with plenty of details. If you pay attention as you drive through town on your frantic drives, you might pick up locations such as Jebediah Springfield’s statue or the Springfield Cemetary (which seems to host some kind of mayhem every Halloween). Large and truly fleshed out with a ton of animations, characters walk and run just like they were ripped from the TV screen. Speaking of ripped from TV, there won’t be any imitators providing the voices of the characters in the game; instead, the actors themselves lent their considerable talents to this title, making this Simpsons title one to be reckoned with as it hits shelves today. Check back here for a full review soon! Questions or comments about the upcoming release of The Simpsons Hit & Run for the next-generation consoles? Talk to us! [ E-Mail Jeff 'Linkphreak' Haynes ] [ Comment in our Forums ]

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