by norm stovall normstovall@gmail.com
For PS3 and Xbox 360
This game has a couple of good things going for it. It has great selection of cut scenes, which are all done well, and the cast of characters is absolutely massive.
However, the gameplay is rarely exciting, with every character controlled in pretty much the same way. Sure there are special moves and there is limited flying around, but the action becomes tedious, and the storyline and dialogue is way too corny, even for comic books--it’s downright terrible. Additionally, the frame rate of this game seems choppy, and that surprises me, compared to what other games on these systems are capable of.
I’d certainly recommend getting this game if you are a die-hard comic fan, as Activision has stayed true to all your favorite characters, and even allowed for some bonuses when you pick familiar team members to play with. So, if you are a fan of hack-and-slash games where you get to navigate through mazes and beat up bad guys using your superpowers while collecting coins to power up, this game provides exactly that. To everyone else…that is pretty much all you get. However, you can purchase additional downloadable characters online, if you feel like doing so. That really isn’t a selling point for me, though.
Xbox live is very much a busy place this month, with 2 games coming out every Wednesday for 3 weeks so far. This month’s notable hits include Eets: Chowdown, Zen Studios’ Pinball FX, and 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures, and the arcade hit known as Gyruss. The standout title this month would have to be Eets: Chowdown. Containing puzzle-like elements and bizarre and beautiful graphics, it is your goal to guide the lovable character known as ‘Eets’ though each level, coaxing him with various food and nutritional products. Sort of. You really have to play this one to understand it, but it certainly is entertaining to play. All of these titles are worthy downloads, however, so check out the listings on Xbox live and try a demo if you aren’t sure.
On the PS3 download front, the arcade classic Mortal Kombat II has recently been released, complete with online play and a leaderboard of sorts. While the controls aren’t quite as responsive as they should be (there is a 3 frame lag designed to optimize connections in online matches), the moves are all the same as they were in the arcades of yesteryear, fatalities and all. For 5 bucks, it’s a great deal. My only wish is that the game allowed configurable controls, because I’d love to use my arcade stick with this game.
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