Forums > Submission Feedback > honestgamer's The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian review

It's funny how a review of a new game based on an old book makes me curious about new systems. In a way, I'm very jealous of kids who get to experience this when I really wanted a game like this when I was a kid. The Apple version of Narnia was disastrous. And there's always the worry a game just cashes in on its reputation but this doesn't seem to do that, thankfully. I do think a retro-styled game would be permissible because I always enjoyed Pauline Baynes's drawings, and I think a simple approach could be good for the series. Stuff like "is Aslan too Norman Rockwell" is a serious concern but this game seems to have passed the test.

I'm wondering, though--do you get to play as Caspian, Peter and/or Edmund in this? How closely does it follow the book (no, I haven't seen the movie?) Do you know of any planned sequels or want to look into them? I think I'll always want to read reviews for this sort of game, about old books.

Until then I guess I can replay Black Cauldron.

My principal said, 'Emo, Emo, Emo.'
I said 'I'm the one in the middle, you lousy drunk!'
-- Emo Phillips

I'm wondering, though--do you get to play as Caspian, Peter and/or Edmund in this?

You get to play as each of them at given points.

How closely does it follow the book (no, I haven't seen the movie?)

I don't recall much about the book, other than that what I've seen of the game bears a vague resemblence to it. I was always more of a fan of The Silver Chair and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. My guess without re-reading is that the game loosely follows the book but takes some significant liberties in the interest of gameplay.

Do you know of any planned sequels or want to look into them?

Well, Voyage of the Dawn Treader is being made into a movie, this time in partnership with Fox instead of Disney (Walden Media is still the main company producing). There may be a game based on the movie. I'd say that there probably will be, even, but it would almost certainly be by a different developer since Traveler's Tales is now owned by Warner Bros. Interactive.

By the way, the game based on The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe also was quite good... and again not a home run or anything, but enjoyable overall.

"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy on reality

"What if everything you see is more than what you see--the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world? What if something appears that shouldn't? You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think. Perhaps it really is a doorway, and if you choose to go inside, you'll find many unexpected things." - Shigeru Miyamoto on secret doors to another world2

Cool! Voyage of the Dawn Treader has a ton of possibilities, I think. I'm already wondering if they'll let you play as Eustace.

Seeing as how I prefer Lewis to Tolkein it's nice to see Lewis's games come through ok. I imagine LotR games are a little more in demand because, well, the books are bigger and there's a bigger world. Narnian games would have to either 1) be shorter or 2) gamble on expanding the story. Though I think part of the fun of Narnia, for me, was filling in the parts of Narnia Lewis didn't want to bowl kids over with.

My principal said, 'Emo, Emo, Emo.'
I said 'I'm the one in the middle, you lousy drunk!'
-- Emo Phillips