The gameplay largely focuses on exploration and missions players often race enemies and interact with supporting characters on timed quests. Taking matters into their own hands, they discover numerous shocking secrets, and soon realize these incidents are part of a larger alien conspiracy, caused by Kang and Kodos. The game follows the Simpson family and their friend Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, who witness many strange incidents that occur in Springfield security cameras, mysterious vans, crop circles, and a 'new and improved' flavor of the popular soft drink Buzz Cola that causes insanity. It is based on the American animated sitcom The Simpsons, and is the twenty-second installment in the Simpsons series of video games. The Simpsons: Hit & Run is a 2003 action-adventure game developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Vivendi Universal Games.