THQ’s new DS game Mission Runway is a simulation of a reality TV show in the style of America’s Next Top Model and Make Me A Supermodel, so it seems only fair to submit the game to a panel of judges.

Judge #1: Miss K, Internationally Known Model Critic

Let’s talk about your basics, shall we Mission Runway. Just like on TV you put the player in a loft with eleven other ‘girls’. Each round of the game represent one week during which you ask the player to practice various modeling skills including make-up, fashion, catwalk, and photo shoots. You give the player a little bit of freedom to select what they’ll practice, but mostly you tell them what to do.

Mission Runway

Well, it’s actually the in-game coach that tells them what...

Judge #1: Miss K, Internationally Known Model Critic

Don’t interrupt. I’ve been in this business since before you were coded, so I know what I’m talking about. You really don’t give the players much choice and the activities aren’t that interesting.

Judge #2: Cameron Nikon Canon, Internationally Recognized Fashion Photographer

I noticed that as well. The ‘photo shoot’ training was just having the player trace strange shapes with the stylus while the on-screen model tried to strike a post. I wasn’t sure if this was a modeling game or a tracing game.

Judge #3: Itzak Misery, Internationally Renowned Designer

The fashion and make-up sections weren’t much better. The make-up seemed to be a paint-box where you asked the players to copy a picture by applying make-up to the models face. There was some color matching going on (which was a nice touch), but I think girls interested in fashion would have more fun with real make-up.

Mission Runway

But you didn’t get it. You have to match the make-up. Didn’t you see the bar at the bottom of the screen?

Judge #3: Itzak Misery, Internationally Renowned Designer

Of course. I’m a Fashion Designer! I couldn’t miss that red-to-green bar and I knew it was showing me how well I was doing. I saw it running up the side of the fashion challenge, too. I get that I had to put together an outfit by choosing the right clothes, but it didn’t really feel like fashion to me. It felt more like a guessing game. I’m sorry, but those mini-games just didn’t work for me.

Judge #1: Miss K, Internationally Known Model Critic

The catwalk didn’t improve things much. The tapping in rhythm did connect nicely to the on-screen model, but then it was back to the tracing game. Like Itzak, I just didn’t feel the fashion.

Judge #2: Cameron Nikon Canon, Internationally Recognized Fashion Photographer

Speaking of things that didn’t make me feel much, the in-game panel of judges were pretty flat. The fashion questions were obvious to anyone over the age of twelve and the comments from the judges were banal.

I’ll admit it was sort of fun seeing the other contestants eliminated, but there was no sense of drama like we’ve come to expect from reality TV. Where were the cat-fights? Where were the confessional videos that break up the action and add to the suspense?

Mission Runway

But...

Judge #3: : Itzak Misery, Internationally Renowned Designer

I’ll give you one thing. You did make sure that the player ate each and every day. It was only an apple, but still, in a world filled with models who have eating disorders, it was a nice touch to see you standing up for food.

In the end, though, this game isn’t likely to hold anyone’s interest for long. While it takes the shape of a realty TV show, it doesn’t have the excitement of an actual show. The mini-games grow repetitive and the fashion and make-up choices are limited.

Young girls who have a strong interest in fashion might enjoy it for a while, but it’s not likely to hold them for a long time.