After stepping into my apartment, it's blatantly obvious that I'm a big fan of Disney's Haunted Mansion. I can't explain it, but the draw of the mansion is just that damn good. Maybe it's the old, yet still amazing effects scattered throughout the ride or the catchy 'Grim Grinning Ghosts' that serenades you throughout the ride. Regardless, I was pretty happy when I heard TDK was doing a game based on the Mansion. However, having recently been burned by the Pirates of the Caribbean game, I decided to not get my hopes up. Although the game is obviously aimed towards kids, it manages to thrown in enough challenge and nostalgia to entertain foolish mortals of all ages.

While walking through the game's digital Gracey Manor (yes, it's Gracey Manor regardless of what the game says), it is obvious that the developers did their homework. The wallpaper, pictures, busts -- everything is very reminiscent of the ride. Even the load screens (of which there are numerous long ones) have that certain Mansion touch. However, this may not be enough for more ardent fans since the mansion's architecture isn't entirely accurate -- but this is one of those things you'll just have to live with. Character models are also right out of the ride, which is pretty neat to see. Outside of the nostalgia, the graphics are pretty well done and fit the look of the attraction. The special effects are neat, especially the lighting effects (which play a big part in the game).

I was pretty mixed when it came to the game's audio. First of all, fans should rest in the knowledge that 'Grim Grinning Ghosts' does make it into the game, although I'll leave its exact location as a surprise. The new tracks in the game are good and do a nice job of setting up the game's mood. What I wasn't happy with was the voice of Madame Leota. In the ride, Madame Leota has a creepy, mysterious voice. For whatever reason (although I think it's to help sell the game's New Orleans locale) the developers have decided to make her a saucy vixen with a bad Cajun accent. Though not as bad as some other fake accents I've heard in other games and movies, I couldn't stand her voice and wanted to drop the damn crystal ball just so she would shut up.

Welcome foolish mortals, to the haunted mansion...

Okay, now that I got that out of my system -- on with the review. Players take on the role of Zeke, a laborer who applies for a housekeeping job at the mansion. Once he gets to the mansion, Zeke discovers that his new employers are a group of ghosts who are trying to rid the mansion of evil spirits. I'm going to be honest with you -- right off the bat, I hated the game's story. Coming from a fan (or some would say fanboy), I had no love for the concept of an evil sorcerer who is corrupting the 999 happy haunts of the mansion. Disney's backstory for the mansion is good enough -- so why not use it? But, I'll have to take my own advice and deal with it.

Zeke's journey through the mansion is very reminiscent of Luigi's Mansion on the GameCube. You travel from room to room capturing spirits, only instead of a vacuum, you have a magic lantern. After entering each room, Zeke must first find a way to reach the light switch. Sometimes this is as easy as zapping a few evil spirits and walking to the switch. Other times, you'll have to solve one of the mansion's many puzzles. I was very impressed with the originality of many of the puzzles. Although some are simple variations on existing puzzles -- the developers managed to breathe enough new life into them to keep them fresh and inventive. After turning on the lights, Zeke must explore the room and capture the happy haunts hiding in the room. After capturing them all, he must then find the door that leads to the next room. This aspect is a tad formulaic and easy to accomplish, but this is a welcome sight after completing some of the trickier puzzles.

It should come as no real surprise that Haunted Mansion is made with kids in mind. At the same time, it still manages to include enough challenge to keep anyone interested. Finding happy haunts in the game is rather easy, the tricky part is getting to the light switch. Most of the game's puzzles are easy to catch on to, but it does have a few that are a little too hard -- such as the flying plates and wine bottles in the kitchen. This puzzle required you to place Zeke in just the right position so a flying plate would hit a wine bottle and mark out a trail. On the plus side, none of the puzzles are too hard and most can be figured out with a little critical thinking.

Finding your way through the mansion is easy. The first few rooms do an excellent job of getting players acquainted with the controls. In addition, Madame Leota is always around to help you out when things get sticky. As you find your way to the light switch in the room, evil spirits will attack you from all angles -- this is where the lantern's firing modes become handy. Zeke begins the game with a basic firing mode, but as he collects soul gems (which Madame Leota has hidden around the mansion), he will gain more powerful attacks. As a whole, the game does a nice job of balancing platform, puzzle and combat elements. There are few areas that require you to manage more than one aspect at a time -- keeping the game from becoming too frustrating.

One of the major problems with Haunted Mansion is that it is not the most replayable of games. Other than the Story mode, there's really nothing else to keep player interested after completing the game. There are no hidden rooms to discover, nor are there any unlockable. What you see is what you get. The game is long enough, but don't expect an epic game. In the end, Haunted Mansion is a good title, but not a great one. Disney fans are sure to enjoy the game just for the fact that you're walking through the Haunted Mansion. Otherwise, you may want to make this one a rental due to the limited replay value.