When Disney Interactive releases its highly anticipated Infinity game next month, it’ll let both kids and adults play however they wish, with a number of figures and worlds available to purchase. This collection will expand even further as the year plays out, with new faces like Wreck-It Ralph, Cars and others introduced for a small price.
One of the more inspired play sets we’ve seen is based on the recently released live-action film The Lone Ranger. In it, players put the desired figurine onto the portal, then use either The Lone Ranger or his Indian buddy Tonto to play around in it. We recently had a chance to go hands-on to see how well this worked in the Infinity universe.
You begin the adventure in the small part of Colby, Texas, where the nasty Butch Cavendish and his army of hoodlums have taken control. Using either the Ranger or Tonto, it’s your job to finish them off while expanding the size of the small city. You do this by collecting funds to help build a bridge that allows a train circling Colby to travel into a new area.
Of course, there’s a catch. In order to earn money, you have to complete missions. Luckily, this world provides more than enough opportunity to make cash, whether it’s squaring off against Cavendish’s men or completing side quests, such as retrieving a woman’s missing husband or blowing up a certain structure within the town.
Finding a mission is rather easy. Simply look for townsfolk that have question marks floating over their heads, approach and ask away. Some objectives are more dangerous than others, as you may face off against one of Cavendish’s roving patrols. Once you complete enough quests within Colby, the world opens up with more missions and side jobs, along with more rewards. The exploration angle in Disney Infinity pays off greatly, as you can locate vending machine capsules and unlock items in Toy Box mode.
What’s great about the Lone Ranger play set is the freedom you have running through the city. If you want to jump on the train with your trusty steed Silver, go right ahead. If you see a Gatling gun, you can let loose and destroy a number of buildings as the train moves about. Don’t worry about the wanton destruction, though – with the push of a button, you can easily bring these objects back.
The gun battles are enjoyable. When you’re shooting Cavendish’s men with the Ranger, you can hold down the left trigger for better aiming while firing with the right. Tonto can hold his own in a fight as well, as he uses his Tomahawk to nail enemies and TNT barrels from a distance.
It also doesn’t hurt to do a little exploring around Colby. While you won’t get too far at first, you can check around corners and the outer reaches of the city for bonus capsules, or perhaps even find a special mission tucked away. It all ties into Avalanche Software’s innovative design, adding significant value from spending a few extra bucks on a figure and play-world set.
As far as the visuals go, The Lone Ranger doesn’t look nearly as gritty as the movie it’s based upon. Both Lone Ranger and Tonto have cartoon-like faces that easily blend in with the likes of Jack Sparrow and Mr. Incredible from other play sets. That doesn’t mean you won’t have a good time with it, though. The level design is beautiful, and you could easily board a train and get a good view for a few minutes before hopping off and riding into town.
The Lone Ranger is just one small part of what Disney Infinity has to offer, and if you enjoyed the movie or crave some Wild West flavor, give the game a look next month.
Disney Infinity arrives in stores August 18th for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and Wii.
Published: Jul 23, 2013 01:42 am