To bee or not to bee

When a friend recently asked me to recommend a game for his 7-year-old daughter, I was at a loss. Video games these days are targetted at an older audience and, hence, lay emphasis on violence and complex strategies. Naturally, he wanted something more children-friendly.

While browsing titles, we chanced upon the Bee Movie Game. It seemed safe for the little one, but I decided to be a protective uncle and give it a test run first: A feeble excuse to get my grubby hands on it, but my friend had to relent after my tantrums proved I was the right man (boy?) for the job.

The first thing that struck me was the menu: Playful, colourful and easy, it's simply perfect. The game starts off the same way as the movie, with a clip of Barry Benson – the character you control. The story is the same as the movie, where Benson decides to sue the human race for stealing honey. Needless to say, hilarity ensues.

Kids' games don't have to pump up the graphics and be realistic; they just need to look good by retaining the cartoonish simplicity. And Bee Movie Game does that darn well. The simple backgrounds, exaggerated character art and bright colours make this one a treat for the eyes, no matter which side of 20 you are on.

The third-person view helps make controlling your character a simple task, as you roam through the hive in different cars or scooters, or simply take a gander flying around.

Now, the hive is divided into two parts: One is the city where you live, and the other is the Honex corporation, which makes all the honey for your hive.

Since Barry is old enough now, you will get 'jobs' such as a taxi driver, a delivery boy, a racecar driver and a mechanic in the city. Similarly, in Honex, you have jobs such as filling up containers and collecting tanks of nectar. Completing these lets you progress in the storyline. And yes, the jobs are quite entertaining themselves, and any kid would love them. (I would have admitted to the same had there been no risk of being ridiculed by  an entire office the next day.)

You also get to fly around outside the hive, pollinating flowers and zapping dragonflies and hornets, using a pollen-collecting-gun. There's also a neat feature called 'Bee Vision',  which lets you slow down time in a Matrix-esque way. But here, instead of bullets, you'll be dodging raindrops: Bees simply cannot fly in the rain. Going from cover to cover in a downpour has to be played to see how much fun it is.

Along the way, you can take snapshots from certain vantage points to unlock special art in your game gallery. Also, if you're tired of Barry's old bee suit, simply change your attire at one of the wardrobe outlets. And oh, there's also a video game arcade, which lets you play a ton of old arcade games right within the larger bee universe. A great idea, that one!

All in all, Bee Movie Game doesn't have many faults. In fact, to find some, I would have to nitpick and compare it to high-budget games, and that would not be fair. This game is pure fun, and it would be better left with the feel and enjoyment it provides, rather than giving it technical benchmarks.

If you are looking for a game that your kid can enjoy, pick this up.

Actually, even if you want a game for yourself, this is a good choice. (Just remember, if anyone asks, you're "testing it for a friend".)