Review: Hollywood Party

The Hollywood Party is in full swing and, as the awards are being handed out now, it's time to see my take on it.


Design/Sound:
This is one category that Club Penguin almost always blows me away in.  The little details that the team throws into every room are incredible.  For example, did you notice that in the CP High Set if you throw a snowball it transforms into a basketball?  Moreover, did you know that if you throw it at the hoop, it will go in and the score board will change?  I think Club Penguin did a great job with the rooms that were decorated but I wish they would have went a little farther with designs across the island.  Most rooms aren't decorated at all, save for the fact that the sky is changed in them.  If this party returns in years to come I just hope that it evolves as far as decorations are concerned.

As for music, there's not a lot to say.  Some of the outside rooms are nice in that you can hear natural sounds - the Limo driving distantly,  honking, and shutting its doors along with a vague Dubstep melody and wind.  However without a beat, it's nothing that you'd sit and listen to till' the cows come home.  Then there's the High School set which reuses a good but old melody.  After that there's the Getaway set, which contains natural working sounds.  There is also the fact that the Stage has natural sounds and snippets of the nostalgia filled Penguin Play Awards score.  And finally, the Return of the Space Squid set has the only brand new music of the party - a sc-fi esque' beat that is pretty neat.  (I'm poet and I didn't know it) ;)

Features:
This party relies heavily on quests which is a good thing and a bad thing.  On the one hand, there are the movie set objectives which, while differed slightly each time, are pretty simple.  While I like that they weren't the exact same each time,  I can only wish they were a bit more complex.

There's also a flip side to this which comes in the form of a paparazzi mission.  This respective task is for everyone and is time consuming.  I only wish that it had been shorter or a bit more complex.  I do get why the CP Team made it lengthy, however.  It is good marketing tactic to get consumers to continue to come to the site.

One thing I do have to commend the CP Team on is how they spread the features out.  Instead of giving everything to us at once (which would have taken an hour, save the camera task, to consume), they spread it out into six pieces.  This kept the party fresh and, as stated above, it kept customers coming back.

However, when you're done with these features or waiting for more is when things may get annoying for some players.  The only two things to do when these tasks are over is to search for mascots and role-play.  Unlike some parties there is no limited time game to play.  There is no furniture gathering quest to accomplish.  While I'm not trying to put down this party, there is not a lot of replay value for some players after the core components are completed.

Will it return? :
This is a hard verdict to decide on.  While nothing is definitive yet, I do think this has the possibility of returning next year.  It is an open party, meaning that new features - such as new sets - could be added.  One thing I could see added is more of an emphasis on becoming rich and famous.  Maybe there could be a giant golf course or a mansion with a party for the high class to attend - you know, all the stereotypical tycoon features. ;)  Also, while someone said this as a joke on Twitter the other day - could there be a Club Penguin Grammy like party on the way?  Maybe this idea, which I do like, could be inserted into the annual Music or Ultimate Jam?

Final Thoughts:
Overall, I think this party is pretty good.  It's fresh and inventive.  My only wish is it would be a bit more complex and all - island encompassing.

As Billybob would say, waddle on!
-Chillin43