Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed Review – Revitalizing a Classic Game Experience

2024/09/30

Initially launched on the Nintendo Wii, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is now making its comeback on modern platforms, sporting a fresh visual upgrade. Created by Purple Lamp, the Austrian developers known for their work on recent SpongeBob SquarePants games, this remake aims to breathe new life into the underrated classic, which struggled with sales and popularity upon its original release in 2010.

Read on to discover how Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed enhances the original experience and if it addresses the previous game’s ink-blotched issues. Here’s our comprehensive review.

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed Offers an Engaging Way to Experience the Classic

The story cutscenes are presented in attractive 2D animation (Image via THQ Nordic)

For those unfamiliar, the original release for Nintendo Wii was helmed by Warren Spector, famed for Ultima and Deus Ex. In the remake, Purple Lamp retains the core game while utilizing Unreal Engine 4 to modernize its mechanics. Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is a 3D platformer where the iconic Mickey Mouse finds himself in a challenging situation.

After a visit to Yen Sid‘s abode, Mickey discovers that the sorcerer has crafted a diorama-like magical world where forgotten Disney characters can thrive. However, during Yen Sid’s absence, Mickey accidentally unleashes a dark force called the Blot by misusing the wizard’s magical paint and thinner powers.

Years later, Mickey is captured by the ink monster and transported back to the wreaked world he previously unleashed chaos upon, now recognized as the Wasteland. Tasked with restoring order, he must use the magical paintbrush obtained prior to his abduction into this realm.

Throughout his adventure, Mickey encounters numerous obscure Disney characters, particularly Oswald the Rabbit, Mickey’s predecessor. A significant portion of the gameplay involves Mickey locating Oswald while simultaneously rescuing the Gremlins from perilous situations.

The narrative is notably darker than typical Disney stories, enhanced by the game’s atmospheric setting featuring decayed statues and deteriorating rides, all wrapped in a moody aesthetic. This unique combination makes Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed a title worth exploring beyond its innovative mechanics.

To Create, or to Erase?

Each world features unique designs (Image via THQ Nordic)

Mickey wields his paintbrush as he navigates various captivating worlds in third-person, many of which harken back to iconic Disney locales and themes. During these escapades, the paintbrush transforms into a crucial tool to either assist or hinder the inhabitants of the Wasteland. Mickey can utilize paint or thinner, each represented by dedicated gauges on opposing sides of the screen.

Paint aids in filling spaces cleansed by thinner, while thinner can restore the integrity of objects in the environment. For instance, using paint helps Mickey repair shattered bridges, and thinner reveals hidden locales. This interplay of creation and destruction is fundamental to the gameplay mechanics of Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed.

The choices players make—whether to rejuvenate the Wasteland through paint or cause destruction with thinner—impact how Mickey is perceived by NPCs. This morality system also influences the outcomes, leading to various endings within the game.

A Thrilling Mix of Platforming and Puzzles

The black and white sidescroller segments are a nostalgic addition (Image via THQ Nordic)

Mickey retains his fundamental moves from the Wii version, but Purple Lamp has enhanced his skills with new abilities. Now, Mickey can not only run but also dash and perform a ground-pound. He also has a spin attack, which allows him to destroy objects and collect canisters that refill paint/thinner and e-tickets, the in-game currency.

The Blot has unleashed a multitude of enemies throughout the Wasteland along with other adversaries and bosses, requiring Mickey to face off against them during his journey. He can use paint to turn blot creatures friendly, while thinner can eliminate them. While this dynamic might not affect all enemies, the combination of paint usage in platforming keeps gameplay from becoming repetitive.

Encounter diverse enemies and challenges throughout the Wasteland (Image via THQ Nordic)

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed also features a range of quests documented in a quest log, which primarily involves assisting NPCs by locating specific items, ultimately rewarding Mickey with Power Sparks and Pins. The Pins come in Bronze, Silver, and Gold variants, serving to power up various out-of-commission projector screens scattered throughout the Wasteland.

These projector screens act as primary means for Mickey to traverse the realm, although Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is designed with a linear structure. Many screens lead to 2D sidescrolling stages, which further diversify the gameplay experience. Alongside collectible artwork scattered between both modes, the 2D adventures also contain collectible Film Reels.

Shortcomings in a Beautiful Design

Complete quests to earn rewards (Image via THQ Nordic)

Nevertheless, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is not without its challenges. A notable issue is the illusion of choice created by the morality system. Despite being a central selling point, the outcomes often lack meaningful or lasting impact on the game world. Aside from minor interactions, such as how a side quest concludes, the system feels underwhelming.

Additionally, the quest structure can be convoluted despite having a log and a map accessible through the pause menu. Some quests, especially the fetch ones, require tedious backtracking between locations. Lacking a fast travel option, Mickey must navigate via projectors to transition between levels, which can be unnecessarily time-consuming.

Visuals, Performance, and Audio

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed showcases stunning visuals (Image via THQ Nordic)

This is a meticulous remake built from scratch for contemporary platforms. Consequently, all 3D environments and even the 2D segments exhibit significantly enhanced fidelity compared to the original Wii game. Transitioning to a modern engine like Unreal Engine 4 from the outdated Gamebryo engine ensures players experience high resolutions on PC.

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is visually stunning, featuring a cel-shaded art style, and performance is excellent. Players can easily expect over 100 FPS at high settings if utilizing a modern setup. The controls have been adapted for dual stick and keyboard/mouse configurations, providing better responsiveness than the original Wiimote controls, infamous for their clumsiness. The audio features adventurous orchestral compositions expected from any Disney title.

Conclusion

Revitalize or further ruin this world (Image via THQ Nordic)

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed stands as a worthwhile remake of the cult classic that addresses many of the original’s issues, positioning itself as the definitive way to experience Mickey’s darker journey through the Wasteland. However, persistent issues like a half-developed morality system lacking significant player choices and uninspiring quest design remain prevalent.

While the platforming mechanics lay a solid foundation, the overall experience does not reach the same heights as other modern 3D platformer successes. Nonetheless, dedicated fans will relish the opportunity to revisit the Wasteland’s remnants and experience Mickey’s narrative through a refreshed lens.