Disney's dark side

My awesome fiance bought Epic Mickey for me yesterday, and being the Disney fan I am, I stayed up way too late Friday night playing it.

What struck me is that the game was the exact opposite of what you'd expect out of a Disney game. Bright colors. A cheerful atmosphere. Yeah, none of that to be found.

Instead, it was a dark and gloomy world that Mickey was charged with saving. Sure, there is a little optimism, but it feels more like The Black Cauldron than Song of the South. I realize that I probably sound ignorant, as Disney movies have had their share of dark, dreary moments (Bambi's mother dying, the emotional abuse of Tangled, Beast's castle, etc.) Still, when was the last time you thought of Mickey Mouse and dark in the same second?

That's not to call it a bad game. Sure, the camera angles could use a little work, and being able to "z-target" enemies would have been helpful, but the game is still an absolute joy to play, my favorite Disney game since Mickey Mania for the Sega CD. The paint/thinner mechanic the game has you use for attacking is unique, and the art direction really does feel like you're watching a Disney film.

The game also has a few Christian overtones to it as well. The Wasteland that Mickey enters was taken over by the Shadow Blot that was created when Mickey fools around with paint brushes that he had no business playing with in the first place (which reminded me slightly of the Creation story in Genesis when Eve eats the fruit, proving that women really do have to eat EVERYTHING). Mickey tries to clean up the mess, but the damage is done, and is reminded of it months later.

How many times does that happen to all of us? We do something horrible, don't think anything of it, until we suffer consequences for it months later? Seems that we can all identify with Mickey Mouse on that one.

And without revealing any spoilers, there is a Christ-like sacrifice that Mickey makes later in the game for the greater good of the Wasteland inhabitants. And the idea that the world is dark and dreary, but filled with good people, is a basic Christian concept: the world is a sinful place, but there are many followers of Christ that strive to make it a better place.

I definitely recommend it. It has a few problems, but it's definitely worth a playthrough. It's an original tale that will have you pondering basic Christian concepts, and scratching your head in amazement that the Mickey Mouse character is still fun decades after his creation.