The summer season is
upon us, which means gamers once again have a choice of titles based on big
screen flicks showing at the local multiplex.
As most seasoned
gamers know, movie-based video games have a tendency to fall well short of
expectations, typically because they’re under tight time restrictions in order
to come out at or around the same time as the film’s release date.
One notable exception
this year is an Avengers game. The film has done astounding business at the box
office, but developer Ubisoft is planning to release a game – Marvel Avengers:
Battle for Earth – either later this year or in 2013. Ubisoft has said it is
not based on the movie, but rather the comic series ‘Secret Invasion’ and will
feature more than a dozen Marvel characters.
That said, there are
titles currently available based on flicks you can see either at the first- or
second-run theatres in your city. Here are a few that I’ve taken for a spin:
* The Amazing
Spider-Man (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, 3DS, DS; Activision): I played the
360 version and two things immediately jumped out at me. First, this game is
surprisingly fun. Second, it’s clearly been influenced by the Batman Arkham
games.
The game is set after
the events of the film, allowing you to battle more of Spidey’s rogue’s gallery
of villains. You also are free to swing through Manhattan and tackle main
missions and side quests at your pleasure. The elements of stealth attacks,
bullet time action and increased, specialized attacks are familiar and executed
well. Cynics may decry the influence of other popular titles, but the fact is
they work and they make this game entertaining.
And in the end, that’s
what you’re looking for when you plunk down your money.
Rating: 4 stars out of
5. Rated T.
* Brave (360, PS3,
Wii, DS; Disney): I played the 360 version of this game, which is based on but
also expands on the Pixar movie. You play as Merida, the red-headed heroine of
the film, as well as other characters, doing battle with swords and bow and
arrows (Kinect support for Xbox lets you shoot and slash with arm movements).
The game offers a
decent mix of solving puzzles and battling various creatures. It lacks the
heart of the movie and as a game, it suffers from the usual tie-in issues of
being rather thin. This is a game that won’t take long to finish and has
limited replayability.
But youngsters who
adore the movie will enjoy it before tiring of it.
Rating: 3 stars. Rated
E10+
* Madagascar 3 (360,
PS3, Wii, 3DS, DS; D3 Publisher): I went all Nintendo for this review, playing
the Wii, 3DS and DS versions and basically my reaction to them was all the same
… indifference.
I have enjoyed the
films, but as most film franchises peter out by the third movie, this game
suffers from a real lack of inspiration. Basically, you undertake a series of
missions and play a bunch of repetitive mini-games as you try to help the
characters get back home.
Kids may enjoy the
mini-games, but I think the repetition and the occasional control issues will
turn them off rather quickly.
Rating: 2 stars. Rated
E.
*Men In Black: Alien
Crisis (360, PS3, Wii; Activision): Back to the 360 on this one, which is not
based on the rather lackluster Men In Black III film. You play as a trainee,
assigned to help protect the Earth from all manner of alien threats.
The game offers some
occasionally interesting gunplay thanks to some unique weapons, as well as
multiplayer split-screen action. But overall, it lacks inspiration. Given the
fact you play as a guy named Delacoeur, it’s disappointing to find the only
heart in this game is in the character’s name.
Rating: 2 stars. Rated
T.
*Coming soon in future
columns, watch for reviews of Dragon’s Dogma, Xenoblade Chronicles, Dirt
Showdown, London 2012, NCAA Football 13, Lego Batman 2 and more.
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