Hollywood Pictures 2 Review (PC)

Frankly my dear….

From regular socialites to coach potatoes, the movie industry is a part of all our lives. And, chances are, every one of us has dreamed of starring on or working behind that silver screen. But now, with Hollywood Pictures 2?.well, you can keep dreaming! The game boasts a great concept, putting you in charge of your own film studio with the freedom to make movies with as many thrills and blood-spills as Kill Bill. Though in reality, the game’s numerous limitations prove that film production can be an awkward business and, unless you have exceptional patience, you’re likely to find this romp through Hollywood as tedious and draining as Kill Bill: Volume 2!

Other than giving you a plot of land to construct sound studios and stage sets, this game has little to do with studio management. Instead the focus is on creating your own movies. With only a shoestring budget, it’s up to you to make the decisions at each and every stage of film production. As soon as you’ve bought your script, or perhaps written your own, its either a trip to the bank to plead for a loan, straight to the studio to design the sets, or down to the agency to hire everyone from actors and directors to the very best stunt and special effect coordinators. Once everything is in place, you’re ready to shoot, before adding that final sparkle in the editing studio.

If only it was as smooth as it sounds!

There are some nice touches, such as allowing you to import your own scans and Paint masterpieces as a backdrop, and even adding your own voice recordings to the soundtrack. However, for the most part, the film production process is extremely limited, provoking grating frustration as you’re forced to repeatedly sand down your ideas, watching them become smaller and shoddier all the while.

For example, despite a list of over twenty actors, there are actually only seven types of character they can play; perfect for gangster or Indiana Jones-style adventure movies, but little else. The developers have tried to compensate for this by giving the characters a wide range of actions they can perform. However, as each is a set animation, you have no control over how far or fast the character will move, and no ability to cut out the excessive pre-action prancing before they finally do that somersault or throw that sodding punch!

However, when you are essentially buying your review when you hire the cast, it’s hardly worth the struggle of making the movie at all.

If there is one advantage to these animations, it’s that when you eventually manage to sync them together, the smooth graphics and powerful special effects sequences make even the simplest of ideas a visual masterpiece. And together with the orchestral score (or cheap background jingles depending on what you could afford) it’s always a proud moment when you can finally sit back and see that those hard hours of cursing and keyboard bashing paid off.

Unfortunately, the euphoria is likely to end as soon as you read what the critic’s review!

Let’s say you wanted to make the next Lord of the Rings. Admittedly, it would only work if the cast somehow wind up in 1920s Chicago, but if you went all out you could still create an epic. Nonetheless, the critics are still likely to tear it to shreds, all because of one reason; you couldn’t afford the best people. Though you do receive a little extra credit for directing the scenes yourself, any film will only be as successful as the names attached to it.

To put it another way, say you made a completely dull movie, such as sending Indiana Jones on a hunt for his Auntie’s toothpick. As long as your cast and crew all have the maximum number of stars next to their names, it is guaranteed to be a blockbuster. Suddenly, the do-it-yourself film production, in fact the whole premise of the game itself, becomes a pointless effort!

From time to time, a few managerial questions will pop up, as if to remind the game that it is also supposed to be a studio management sim. Whether you are being as to do a TV interview or donate money to charity, your decision will affect the media’s perception of you, and the success of your films. However, given that clicking ‘Yes’ is always very good, and ‘No’ is always very bad, this extra twist in the gameplay is about as challenging as spanking a blind monkey!

Overall, the best feature of Hollywood Pictures 2 is that it gives more control over film production than any other Hollywood sim. However, when you are essentially buying your review when you hire the cast, it’s hardly worth the struggle of making the movie at all. Perhaps if this game were the first of its kind, it would have been a revelation in the simulation world. Unfortunately, Lionhead’s 2005 release, The Movies, has already proven that if you combine basic film production with more studio management elements, you’ll create a box office smash.