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| josh TX | Jun 30 2008, 06:29 AM |
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Review: The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction (XBOX, 2005) As a general rule, videogames based upon movies are usually bad, and videogames based upon comics haven't historically fared too well either. You could blame it on tight deadlines, cheap cash-in attempts, or just the inability of programmers to master the look and feel of a playable hero with extraordinary talents. The Hulk's track record over the years hasn't been pretty, with a forgettable SNES title and later, a bad videogame based on a bad movie from Ang Lee that marvel wants you to forget, apparently, with the release of the new Hulk film starring Ed Norton. What occured after The Lee movie based Hulk game, however, was one of the most pleasant surprises in superhero video-gaming history: A game that didn't suck. After the crummy Universal film tie-in, Sierra snatched the rights to do the next Hulk game and put it in the capable hands of Radical games, who built a Hulk title from the ground up based solely on the comic book itself. They take it back to the roots for the story, detailing Dr. Bruce Banner's initial struggles with controlling his rage after being exposed to gamma radiation. While searching for a cure with the help of Doc Samson, Banner is ruthlessly hunted by Emil Blonsky who wants Hulk's power for himself and eventually becomes the Abomination. Hulk also has to deal with General Ross and his army of planes, copters, tanks, and towering "Hulk Buster" mechs. The meat of this game and the most enjoyable aspect by far is the control. Never before in a superhero game have players been so empowered with a hero that controls so admirably and true to his actual superhuman ability. Players will love the sense of power and freedom that comes with performing all of Hulk's signature moves- smashing combos, ground slams, sonic claps, and the ability to traverse the free-roaming landscape through the use of huge leaps and bounds. Unlike past Hulk games, Ultimate Destruction allows players to do whatever they please GTA style- you can perform missions, side missions or just practice your moves terrorizing the city and military forces. The Hulk has so many abilities at his disposal that you'll want to take the time to practice and perfect the art of destruction, whether it be running up and down skyscrapers or using streetlamp poles as baseball bats. There are two basic mission types to tackle in Ultimate Destruction: Story missions, which progress the story through in-game events and cinematics, and side missions, which are more routine drills such as running races, rescuing citizens from a burning building, or smashing particular targets within a time limit. These side missions are an important way to earn smash points- credits which can be used to buy new moves and techniques Hulk will need for future enemies which will become tougher as the story mode progresses. Some of the side missions feel boring and repetitive, but it's a small complaint in contrast to the fun you'll have wreaking havoc. Ultimate Destruction looks and sounds great on an XBOX running progressive scan 480p on an HDTV. The explosions are huge, the hits are hard, and the music feels epic and fitting. I didn't notice any slowdown in this game, even when destroying a gas station causing multiple explosions at once. The city environment could probably use a bit more variety but still manages to feel wide open and fun to explore. The boss fights are one of the best parts of this game, with the Hulk taking on the likes of Huge super mechs and wicked supervillians in arenas that allow for plenty of smashed real estate. Balance plays a big part in Ultimate Destruction, and using smash points wisely is key to succeeding in missions and avoiding becoming frustrated because the game feels hard. The large variety of moves available for purchase for Hulk can change the tide of battle completely if the right moves are purchased for the mission at hand. Unlike some other titles where one or two techniques can carry you through the game, Ultimate Destruction makes you really rely on you whole arsenal of abilities for the varying tasks the game throws at you. In this sense, the game is far more well rounded and enjoyable once one learns to take full advantage of all the punishing opportunities. The variety is astounding- you'll have the ability to use cars as shields, perform grabs and throws while on the run without stopping, and take down enemy choppers by jumping and pulling the nose down to the pavement. For once, it really feels like you are a superhero, and you can do everything Hulk does in the comics, and do it well. The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction is a great game because it focuses the player on what really matters most- the gameplay itself. Once you pick this up, you won't be able to deny enjoying smashing the environments as you please or trying out one of Hulk's many supermoves on towering boss enemies. Plus there's plenty to see and do, with extra goodies to collect like bonus costumes, videos, and comic book covers to view in the gallery. Ultimate Destruction feels like the the kind of comic game we have all wanted to play- the time was taken to make this game right and the effort shows through it's superb gameplay values. My Score: 8.5/10     Edited by josh TX, Jun 30 2008, 06:41 AM.
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8:27 AM Nov 25
