An artful modder has connected all of the maps of The Simpsons: Hit & Run to create one continuous open world, and it makes an excellent case for a remake of the classic action-adventure game of our childhoods.
Released in 2003 for PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, The Simpsons: Hit & Run was a huge success, selling over three million copies as well as scoring very positive reviews from critics. It's no surprise then to note that the developer, Radical Entertainment, took inspiration for the game from Grand Theft Auto, acting as a parody of the popular series and a highly entertaining entry to The Simpsons world. Moreover, the story and dialogue were written by the writers of The Simpsons, and all character voices were performed by the show's cast.
The plot follows a conspiracy surrounding a set of strange events in Springfield, including crop circles, a new flavour of Buzz Cola that causes insanity, a proliferation of security cameras all over the city, and mysterious black vans that disappear when spotted. All of these phenomena tie into the fact that the evil aliens Kang and Kodos want to revive their own show, and in order to do that, they need to eradicate the human race (starting in Springfield, of all places). I had to look that up to remember what the game was actually about, but what I do remember with crystal clarity is that experience of running and screeching around Springfield, playing as Homer dressed in a colourful muumuu.
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Modder Colou has brought those memories back to the fore with their "Fully Connected Map" mod, which is WYSIWYG, essentially. All three maps of Springfield, otherwise blocked from each other with lengthy loading screens, are now combined and it allows all animations, gags, and interactive triggers to function. Those gags were very important to 100% the level, of course, and where the transition between areas were, there are now new objects like bridges which work to join the maps together. Colou is proud to deliver "one of the most requested Hit & Run mods for nearly a decade," and as evidenced in the video of the mod above, their hard work has truly paid off.
Their next goals are to develop sunset and night time versions of the cohesive map, and dig into the game to allow the new map to be compatible with its original campaign. It may have been seventeen years since The Simpsons: Hit & Run's debut, but it's still as beloved as it ever was. A petition for a sequel to the classic game is only 800 signatures from its goal, and who knows? Perhaps, it could even be derived from those interesting ideas from Radical Entertainment.
Featured Image Credit: Radical EntertainmentTopics: News