Prison Break

There are many games that want to be movies. With the surge in technology that is commonplace in both mobile phones and more traditional gaming media, the ability for developers to replicate the kind of action we see on the big screen is becoming more and more possible. Every game developer can elevate themselves to the heights of Spielberg, Lucas or the guy who directed Police Academy.

Of course, there are also some films and TV shows that want to be games. Vivendi's Prison Break is, naturally, based upon Fox's TV series of the same name, with play focusing on Michael Scofield's attempt to escape his incarceration using the crude tools at his disposal.

At a very basic level, Prison Break certainly delivers; play is fairly simple and many of the characters fans have become accustomed to play some part in Scofield's day-to-day life. For the most part, that involves little more than directing Scofield to and from his cell. Michael hatches most of his plans in the prison's yard while the inmates are enjoying 'exercise', but anyone expecting to have a hand in the manner of his escape will be very disappointed.

To all intents and purposes – much like prisoners following orders from their superiors – any decision making is completely out of your hands. Rather than hatching any plots or coming up with your own escape routes, you're simply told what to do and when to do it. Whether that's talking to a certain inmate, stealing an item or sneaking into a store cupboard, Prison Break directs every facet on every action that takes place.

While this does simplify the whole process (indeed, every activity listed above can be carried out by simply hitting the '5' key), it also makes it entirely pointless. Prison Break goes beyond capturing the mere spirit of the TV series and instead tries to replicate its entire plot, which leaves no space for deviation from the main thread. You do as you're told, or progression is out of the question.

This results in a game where almost all you're expected to do is hit one key on command. In essence, that's not really much of a game at all. It's almost as if the guys and gals at Vivendi overlooked the fact that the player is meant to have some bearing on what happens. Everything else is certainly here: smart visuals, simple controls, licensed characters – even the music is half decent.

But, as accessible a package as this might be, there's no excusing the fact that there is no game to be had in Prison Break. Aside from the odd sideline – which includes using Scofield's gift for architecture to piece together pictures of the Taj Mahal – Prison Break is simply a case of replicating the steps taken by the series itself, with no room for expression or digression from the set path.

In light of this, it's questionable whether anyone not familiar with the series would find anything to cling onto here. As an homage to Scofield's adventures behind bars, Vivendi's Prison Break is entirely fitting, but as a game, it's a total non-event. If you're intent on following orders, here's one for you: avoid.