Toy Story 3 Complete Edition is the “remastered” of the 2010 3D platformer, released back then on (almost) all consoles. Bringing it back to PC and the new consoles, in celebration of the franchise’s 30th anniversary, was the job of Digital Eclipse, developers specialising in reviving classic big titles, such as the Mortal Kombat Legacy Collection, with Atari as publisher.
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Story - You have a film in me
In Toy Story 3 we’ll relive the story of the film through eight main levels, from Andy’s house, through Sunnyside Daycare, to finishing at Bonnie’s. The levels move quickly and focus on what the toys have experienced and their attempts to avoid ending up in some forgotten box. The film clips are charming interludes that act as glue between one level and the next.
Being a game designed for a young audience and based on a film, the story slips away and serves more as a pretext to link levels rather than as a narrative to follow. This leads to huge jumps between levels, leaving those unfamiliar with the film with too many questions and few answers. The part most appreciated is undoubtedly being able to dress up as Woody, Buzz and Jessie, reliving the film’s most iconic moments from their perspective and interacting with the other characters.
Gameplay - Save whoever you can!
There’s a reason this game remains in the memories of many and why it was chosen, sixteen years after its release, to make a return on PC and modern consoles. At its core is a classic and effective 3D platformer, which entertains for about three hours in story mode and more than double in “Toy Box” mode. The mechanics are essential and the controls are immediate, so you’ll feel at ease after just a few minutes. The challenge level is low, a choice that fits well with a title designed for a younger audience, but one that also entertains even the genre’s nostalgic fans.
To make the whole thing more interesting is the level design, in which you can feel the attention of the original developers for their work. The platform sections are not copy-paste: in each level, the areas to jump, the grips to hold onto, and the objectives to achieve are linked to the environment we’re in. On one hand, the levels are short and vary enough to avoid boredom; on the other, the absence of a save point within them prevents you from quitting halfway: if we must end the session, we risk losing our progress and having to restart from scratch. Even more serious in the "Toy Box" world, where a game crash personally cost me an hour of progress.
To complete the experience, there’s the option of playing cooperatively locally and not, with a friend, an option increasingly rare and for this particularly welcome, which makes the levels even more fun.
Toy Box - Towards the Infinite and Beyond!
Standing alone among the eight main levels, we find the Toy Box, which is almost a separate game. Here, we’re called to become the sheriffs (and in fact, any other job available in the Far West...) in a toy town in a western style, obviously inspired by Woody and Jessie’s set. The world is an open world, though the map isn’t particularly large, but it’s still full of places to explore, missions we can freely pursue without a set order, and random events in which we’ll be asked to intervene (or ignore beautifully).
Completing the missions will reward you with a lot of shiny gold, which will allow you to unlock new toys, vehicles, and characters: the variety is extensive and enjoyable. Furthermore, the ability to customise buildings and citizens gives the feeling of building a unique, original town.
The Toy Box represents the real heart of the game, capable of keeping us engaged for hours and giving us a feeling of freedom and real impact on what happens in our Far West corner.
Graphics - Remaster or just a box refresh?
On the technical front, Toy Story 3 Complete Edition leaves a bitter aftertaste. The overview compared to the original Xbox 360 and PS3 versions is practically identical: the differences are so subtle they’re imperceptible, and for a title presented as a remaster, it’s not a good first impression.
The decision to cap frame rates at 60fps maximum remains anachronistic, especially with only three graphical options: Resolution, Window, or Internal Screen; 30fps or 60fps. On PC, this limitation is hard to justify, and even less acceptable if you wish to call this title a “remaster” of a game released sixteen years ago.
“Buzz, you’re flying!” “This isn’t flying, this is stylishly falling.”
Toy Story 3 Complete Edition is the game that had already been appreciated in 2010. Its gameplay and level design, solid and fun allowed it to not age over the years and to present itself, despite being sixteen years old, as an excellent title for both younger players and nostalgic fans of quality 3D platformers.
But it remains a near-identical re-release of the original, with no significant changes and technical options pared down to the bone. The work done gives the impression of being basic, as if one had simply taken advantage of a great title as it was, without wanting to take any further risks. Yet, truth be told, the game is still recommended to those, like me, who had never been able to appreciate it in its first edition.
