Microids' Garfield: Escape From Monday is a low-effort 3D platformer that feels like it was pulled from a filing cabinet and dressed up with Garfield characters. The game's design is slapdash, offering little that is noteworthy beyond its familiar protagonist. However, the game might appeal to a specific, younger audience for whom uncritical cartoon fanaticism is the primary driving force for engagement.
To gauge this appeal, the review enlisted the perspective of "Young Giovanni," a fourth-grader whose childhood personality was heavily influenced by Garfield. This younger self found the game "AWESOME," enjoying the premise of Garfield entering a dream world to fight an evil chef. The core gameplay loop of jumping through levels, collecting items like coffee cups, and encountering familiar characters such as Nermal and Arlene were highlighted as enjoyable aspects. Young Giovanni appreciated the ability to roll into a ball for speed, fly through the air, and the inclusion of power-ups like a turkey or mermaid suit, which offered temporary enhancements such as longer jumps or unique movement mechanics.
Conversely, the adult reviewer expressed significant qualms with the game's narrative and presentation. The dream-logic premise struggles with internal consistency, oscillating between a nightmarish scenario and a paradise filled with food. The humor is described as forced meta-commentary that doesn't align with the dream setting, and Garfield's voice acting is criticized for lacking the lazy drawl of his classic iterations. The reviewer also found the platforming mechanics to be rudimentary, describing them as the bare minimum for the genre with bland level design that fails to leverage the movement abilities. Power-ups were deemed one-dimensional, and features like challenge stages, boss fights, and the house decoration aspect were dismissed as underdeveloped.
Despite these criticisms, the review acknowledges the nostalgic appeal of the Garfield brand. The adult reviewer recalled childhood excitement over any Garfield appearance, drawing parallels to how a child's fierce loyalty to a beloved character can overlook a game's shortcomings. This sentiment is echoed in the final moments of the review, where the adult Giovanni finds a measure of happiness not in the game itself, but in the memories and objects associated with his childhood love for Garfield, like old dolls and a novelty alarm clock. He admits that while the game does not evoke the same joy as it once did, seeing familiar characters like Arlene and Liz provided a sense of reconnecting with old friends.
Ultimately, Garfield: Escape From Monday is presented as a game whose primary appeal lies in its licensed characters, potentially resonating with young children who have a similar uncritical affection for the franchise. For older players or those seeking a more developed gameplay experience, the game offers little beyond a functional, albeit uninspired, 3D platforming adventure.
Garfield: Escape From Monday is set to be released on September 24th for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.