I'll be honest: before poppin' this UMD into my system, I wasn't much of a fan of the show. In fact, I can't recall a single time where I've sat and watched even an entire episode of it on Adult Swim/Cartoon Network. However, after guiding Harvey through the case-scenarios presented in the game, I think that's something I'm going to have to change as soon as possible.
With the show's signature wacky humor and dialogue intact, Harvey Birdman unequivocally shines as the best use of a cartoon license yet; fans will recognize their favorite characters from the show, while newcomers may be caught off-guard by its random sense of jokes and foul play as they share the experience with everyone's favorite third-rate lawyer of Sebben & Sebben. There are five different scenarios to tackle in the game, each playing like an interactive episode from the series: Harvey will question possible witnesses, collect and present evidence from familiar locations, and of course, cross-examine in court to his heart's content. Bridging the gaps between these elements are animated cut scenes that are simply superb - crisp and clean, it truly feels like you are part of a bona fide episode from the much-lauded TV show.
While you'll find yourself spending some time collecting new pieces of evidence to convict or defend your client, the real meat of the game is spent in the court room where you must flex Harvey's legal skills to win the case. The whole process works in a formulaic matter: defendants and plaintiffs give their account of the case, with the player having the option of pressing them for more information. Choosing which statement to press will yield the right chances for presenting a particular piece of evidence. Representing your reputation and dignity in court are a starting set of five Birdman Crests, or gravitas, that'll literally be blasted, taken, or stolen from you if you pick the wrong pieces of evidence to present. Lose all five, and its game over; however, with ways of gaining extra Crests through certain dialogue branches, losing your "life" shouldn't be too much of a concern. The process repeats until you are able to solve the case. While there is nothing entirely innovative in all of this, it perfectly fits the game's subject matter, and is much better than, say, exploring the world in a 3D manner that would ruin the authenticity of the show - a la the Family Guy or South Park video games.
However, since game reviews are supposed to turn a critical eye on the game mechanics itself, this is where the review turns ugly: Harvey Birdman, let me just say, is not a bad game. Not by any definition of the word. But it is quite limited. Using a graphical interface to navigate the world with such options as "Talk", "Examine", "Move", etc., the game is basically a very pretty point-and-click adventure on the PSP. Since the game play is rather straightforward, Harvey Birdman lacks that particular depth, comparatively, to a Phoneix Wright/Ace Attorney title, and thus can be finished all told in just a few hours. There isn't much motivation to revisit certain cases after you're done with them - unless you want to see new scenes that unlock the few extras within the game, you're practically done.
To be fair, Harvey Birdman is hardly a title that was meant to innovate the genre or stand out as a piece of triple-A software on Sony's handheld - you'd be too busy smiling and laughing your ass off to even begin to notice these minor shortcomings anyway. The game is meant to be enjoyed as an extension of the television series, and to that end, it completely satisfies its goal.
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