Bolt was almost made for gaming. At a different time and place, and with some slight modifications, he may have been the next Crash or Sonic. Forceful and furry (and also four-legged), Bolt is a man’s best friend. His actions are heroic, endearing and memorable. And when it comes to stopping crime, where else can you find a movie star dog that thinks he’s really a superhero?

But as you’re well aware, Bolt wasn’t born on the Genesis or PlayStation; he started on the big screen. Thus, when Avalanche Software was tasked with bringing this superstar canine to PlayStation 3, the studio had to consider the movie’s audience (8 to 12-year-olds, it seems), the movie’s maker (Disney), and how the general public views movie-based games (not good). Without going through it yourself as a developer, it must be impossible to imagine the challenge that presented, especially when, no matter what else happens, Avalanche was still expected to make the game fun to play.

For a kids' game, Bolt ventures into uncharted territory with environments and scenarios that feel like they were inspired by Sony’s Uncharted or Tomb Raider. The jungle environments are packed with eye-popping visuals: impressive trees and pyramids, surprisingly realistic water ripples, and lighting effects that give the game a solid next-gen shine. It’s nothing a big-name sequel (like Devil May Cry 4) hasn’t surpassed but is several times better than the average movie-based or kid-targeted game. The target audience will be pleased, no question.

As a small white, friendly-looking dog, the developers had to be careful when designing Bolt’s combat system. What they came up with was not at all unexpected: button-mashing. More specifically, you’ll mash the square button until … until the end of the game, but there are times when it feels like it will never end.

The animations look good – Bolt leaps into the air, dives toward his opponents and slams his body into them. Keep pressing the square button for additional slams. Using other buttons, Bolt can grapple and throw his opponents or slam himself down to the ground for a multi-enemy assault. His bark makes a great stun move (and may also be used to bust through damaged walls and other weak barriers), and his laser eyes let him take out enemies and solve various world dilemmas without more than a tap of the circle button.

For the first few hours, this gameplay – as simple as it may be – is quite compelling. Not to the extent of Uncharted, Tomb Raider or any other game it looks like, but as a very easy kids' game, Bolt does a pretty good job of entertaining the player. The fun factor is moved along by the inclusion of Penny, Bolt’s female (and human) sidekick. In fact, before Bolt enters the scene, the game begins with a scenario in which she must use her climbing skills – aided by her Wheel Bar (a long stick with wheels on both ends) – to slide along the side of a building. Penny has a Techno-Camo suit that makes her invisible (we all know where they got that idea), gas grenades, and a pair of goggles that highlight any climbable surface.

Bolt’s downfall occurs when the cool elements (such as the stage environments) stop being cool, and when the gameplay starts to get repetitive. When playing as Bolt, you almost always clear a room of all enemies before moving onto the next area. This is not a request – it is a requirement. In most cases, the exit or door switch is in plain view but you will not be able to use either if an enemy is still standing. That might sound like a typical action game, but only until you include the number of times enemies reappear once a room has been cleared. You’ll go through several groups of them, enter the next area, battle another group, and repeat the process all over again. Boss battles add some variety to the mix, but the average foe is fairly dull.

Penny can fight but not in the way you’ll expect. With action games, players have the expectation of being able to walk up to their enemies and attack instantaneously with the tap of a button. It’s not rocket science – it’s just the way games are designed. Weirdly (and unlike Bolt), Penny has no such luxury. To attack, you can either sneak up from behind or walk right up to the enemy. In either case, one button icon will appear on screen; tap it before it disappears and the enemy will be eliminated. This means that you can’t actually assault your enemy, but merely follow whatever the game tells you to do, and then watch one of the three or four attack animations given to Penny.

Gameplay: 7.0
Straightforward, easy-to-follow exploration and button-mash gameplay. Fun for kids but severely repetitive.

Graphics: 8.0
Excellent character animations, upper-tier backdrops and high-quality lighting effects make this one of the better-looking licensed games.

Sound: 6.0
Nothing memorable on the music, sound effect or voice over end.

Difficulty: Easy
I'll borrow a line from a car insurance company and say, "So easy a caveman could beat it."

Concept: 7.0
The Penny exploration phases are pretty interesting. Her potential for growth is very high, should Disney decide to continue the franchise. However, the rest of the game, no matter how fun at times, is rather generic in premise and execution.

Overall: 7.0
While nowhere near the game it could have been, Bolt is considerably better than the average licensed title, especially those based on kids' movies. It’s not so diverse that its young players won’t get bored. They almost certainly will. But if you or your child enjoyed the film, Bolt is worth a rental – if not a full purchase once the price drops.