Two years after Activision’s success with “Skylanders,” Disney Interactive Studios and Avalanche Software bring us “Disney Infinity.” The idea is simple; using the same physical toy-style figurines, bring original stories based on already established movie franchises to life.
Overall Score: 7.75/10
“Disney Infinity” comes standard with three character figures and their respective story modes; Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, Mr. Incredible from The Incredibles and Sully from Monsters University. Players have the option of playing any one of the three stories from the very beginning or jumping into the creative Toy Box mode.
The stories are original, if a bit shallow, and stand apart from the movie they’re based on.
Mission variety is lacking; most missions involve destroying/collecting a certain number of objects or escort missions that require players to defeat waves of enemies at set intervals.
Infinity manages to stay entertaining, however, especially if players buy additional characters to play the story cooperatively. To access certain chests in the game, players need to purchase characters that are not included in the original set, such as chests in the Incredibles’ world that require four additional characters in order to be opened.
Playing through the stories unlocks additional content for the Toy Box. Texture packs, vehicles, and environmental items are found in capsules around the worlds.
For those who are new to open world creation modes like the Toy Box, it can be a bit overwhelming. With pages of seemingly endless options, players can create an infinite number of combinations, and build their own personal Disneyworlds, so to speak.
The Starter Pack for every system is $74.99. Additional characters are priced at $13.99 individually. Multi-character villain or sidekick packs are bundled for $29.99, while extra play sets like the Cars and Lone Ranger expansions cost $39.99. Parents will find they have several characters available for purchase as gifts for the coming holiday season, and $13.99 is a low enough price that many kids can be encouraged to save up for the character they really want.
All in all Disney Infinity manages to be entertaining, if a bit repetitive.
Both kids and adults alike should enjoy playing through what are undeniably fun universes to be in, and most parents playing with their children will find they’re actually enjoying themselves. The family that plays together stays together, and Disney Infinity is an excellent game for families.
Prices for the starter kit, additional characters, and play sets are subject to change.
