Parents' Guide to

Open Season (Console Version)

By Anise Hollingshead, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Movie tie-in lacks pizzazz; DS version's better.

Game Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2 2006
Open Season (Console Version) Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

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What’s It About?

Boog, a domesticated bear who used to live with Ranger Beth in the town of Timberline, has recently been booted from the only home he's ever known. He became persona non grata around town after Morris the deer talked him into stealing chocolate from the convenience store. The two have been released in the wild and are trying to find their way home -- now, if they can just get past those hunters!

OPEN SEASON is an action/adventure game for kids that features lots of missions, collectibles including animal factoids (from the ranger badge collectibles), and several Mini games. There is no platforming because the missions mostly involve Boog and Morris trying to sneak past hunters and hostile animals to fetch things. There are also some very funny weapons to use against these hazards, like rabbits and skunks, which can be thrown at enemies. Boog can also use his loud roar to scare off enemies.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1):

While some levels are a hoot, others are disappointing. Players enjoyed racing down icy slopes while stuck to a snowball in a downhill pinball run. They loved throwing rabbits and skunks at the hunters because the rabbits clung to the hunters' faces and slapped them silly, while the skunks gave off quite a smell when tossed. Players disliked jumping Morris onto some rocks to get him across the water because every time he fell off before crossing, he had to swim back and try again.

Likewise, the Mini games were a mixed bag; while fun at first, they are so simple that they soon become boring. Despite some zany moments, the game suffers from a schizoid sense of design. Too much of the gameplay is repetitive, the levels are extremely short, and gameplay stops at the end of every level for load time, which interrupts the flow of the game. As a result, the entire game feels like a long tutorial.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the ethics of hunting solely for sport versus hunting for food. They also may want to ask older kids about what really happens when guns are fired, versus what they see here. Boog and Morris share a friendship through the difficult time of living in an unfamiliar place. Do you think their friendship is stronger because they faced new challenges together? What has made your friendships stronger?

Game Details

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