H&R is a very funny game, especially if you're a fan of the show. Growing up I kinda always thought of this game as the definitive Simpsons game. What could be better than an open-world GTA clone that allows you to roam around Springfield, see iconic locations and characters from the show, and wreak havoc?

Upon replaying it this time and actually trying to beat it, I started to slowly realize that it's actually not really a GTA clone. Because GTA is a game that tries to balance out different gameplay mechanics, being a sort of hybrid between an action game and a driving game with some RPG elements thrown in. But H&R, as I'm realizing now, is mainly a driving game, with some occasional platforming thrown in.

Every mission is either a timed collectathon, a car chase, a timed car-chase, or a timed drive to a specified location. Seriously, if you love timers, this game is for you. I fucking hate timers, so after a while this game began to feel really exhausting.

The graphics are also kinda disappointing, especially when compared to the OTHER Simpsons game, which is cel-shaded. Here everything looks kinda dead and bland.

The quests feel very disjointed and fail to tie into a cohesive story, again making it look worse in comparison with the OTHER Simpsons game.

In fact, this is kinda making me wanna re-evaluate The Simpsons game. Maybe it's actually not as bad as I thought. I should try out the PS3/Xbox360 version some day, as it also has an open-world and could potentially better physics. H&R's world is very rich and detailed, and it's delightful to come across references to the show, but it's not even a singular connected world, and you can't access all of it at once. And beyond the trademark Simpsons humor and references, the actual game here is kinda meh at best, and a frustrating mess at worst.