Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse

I’m a huge fan of the Family Guy franchise but this is just a poor excuse for Activision to make a quick buck off a popular series. It’s a shame as Family Guy has the potential to have a cracking game made but this certainly wasn’t it.

50%Game Brain Score

story, humor

gameplay, graphics

67% User Score Based on 123 reviews

Critic Score 33%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $69.90

About

Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse is a comedy shooter game, released in 2012 for consoles and PC, based on the TV show and the episode "Road to the Multiverse." The game features single-player, co-op, and multi-player options, with a mature rating for blood, violence, drug use, mature humor, and sexual content/themes. The story centers around Stewie's evil half-brother Bertram, who returns in this game after being killed in the show.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse screenshot

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 126 reviews

story5 positive mentions

gameplay5 negative mentions

The game captures the humor and art style of the Family Guy series, providing enjoyable references for fans.
Voice acting is solid and adds to the overall experience, with many familiar characters and lines from the show.
When on sale, the game offers decent entertainment value for fans, with a fun co-op mode for local multiplayer.

The graphics are subpar and feel outdated, lacking the polish expected from a modern game.
Gameplay is repetitive and the campaign is short, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
Many jokes and audio clips are recycled from the show, which can diminish the novelty and enjoyment for players.

story
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
76%
11%
The story of the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding it repetitive and lacking coherence, often feeling like a collection of recycled jokes from the "Family Guy" series. While some enjoyed the humor and references, others criticized the short campaign and simplistic gameplay, suggesting that the narrative fails to offer anything new or engaging. Overall, the story may appeal to die-hard fans of the show, but it is generally viewed as underwhelming and not worth the price for those seeking a robust gaming experience.
- “The graphics, the storyline... it's like a second travel back in time and yet... 'visiting neighboring universes.'”
- “Great storyline that’s packed full of quotes from all types of episodes.”
- “The only thing that kept me going was to see the new wacky levels and the story.”
- “The story is barely coherent and most of it doesn't make any sense.”
- “The story missions mostly have jokes from the TV show, with maybe 15 minutes of jokes added that is new material.”
- “The story is fine but recycled voice acting and jokes combined with repetitive and boring gameplay drag this game down.”
humor
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely derived from the Family Guy TV show, featuring familiar characters and references that fans will appreciate, though some find it repetitive and occasionally offensive. While many players enjoy the comedic elements and find it funny, especially in co-op mode, others note that the humor can be hit or miss, with some jokes lacking memorability without context. Overall, it appeals primarily to fans of the show, providing a mix of cheesy jokes and familiar comedic styles.
- “I enjoyed this game a lot, a lot of funny stuff and full of Family Guy references in every mission.”
- “The game makes funny references throughout the campaign.”
- “It's a fun game, especially for Family Guy fans or if you like that kind of humor.”
gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
69%
19%
The gameplay has been widely criticized for being repetitive, bland, and reminiscent of outdated mechanics, with many reviewers noting a lack of variety and depth in missions and puzzles. While some appreciate the game's humor and art style, the overall experience is marred by technical issues, short campaign length, and unbalanced weaponry, leading to a generally underwhelming impression. Players are advised to watch gameplay videos before purchasing, as the mechanics may not meet modern gaming standards.
- “Gameplay is generally solid.”
- “It's easy enough in general gameplay for a child, but some of the mechanics would suggest a mildly experienced player.”
- “7 hours of gameplay.”
- “The game mechanics are dreary, bland, and just generally awful.”
- “The gameplay mechanics were nowhere near close to interesting.”
- “The story is fine but recycled voice acting and jokes combined with repetitive and boring gameplay drag this game down.”
graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
62%
25%
The graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users describing them as outdated, blurry, and lacking professionalism, reminiscent of early 3D titles. While some appreciate the attempt to capture the show's unique art style, the overall execution is criticized for being poorly done and lacking detail, with limited graphical settings available. Overall, the visuals are seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the gameplay experience.
- “The graphics and art style is very strange at first.”
- “It is a 3D game but incorporates some of the 2D art style that Family Guy is famous for.”
- “The good: captures the show's art style and humor, fun levels, fun boss fights, a lot of extras.”
- “Sure, the graphics are barely even professional, let alone good.”
- “A game released in 2012 should not look like the N64 could easily outdo it graphically, especially not a company as big as Fox behind it.”
- “The graphics are awful, and it's honestly a burden to play, and just feels like it has no soul or care imparted into it.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
80%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while it generally runs smoothly at 60+ fps and controls are responsive, players have reported occasional freezing, crashes, and sound glitches. Despite being playable, many users find it too buggy for full price, suggesting it may be better suited for a significant discount.
- “The game runs great, maintaining a smooth 60+ fps, and the controls work flawlessly.”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs; the stability is impressive.”
- “The performance is rock solid, allowing for an uninterrupted gaming experience.”
- “I haven't been playing for very long, but it has already frozen twice, crashed to desktop once, and I experience occasional sound glitches.”
- “Watch a let's play or something if you want to see what happens; it's just too buggy for anything more than 10 quid.”
- “Worth 75% off, but very buggy.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
While the game offers some replayability and is enjoyable, many users feel that after completing it twice, it may not justify its $50 price tag.
- “After finishing it twice, I found it to be a fun game with some replayability, even if I don't think it's worth $50.”
- “The game offers a variety of choices that make each playthrough feel unique, enhancing its replayability.”
- “I love how the different character paths and endings encourage me to replay the game multiple times.”