Game reviewed on an
Alienware system
Check out Alienware at
www.alienware.com
They are back, the
always popular four brothers on the half shell. Not only in a new
CGI movie, but in another game! The game itself follows the story
line of the film, with a good sprinkling of tutorial levels in flash
back style of game story telling.
Each one of the
heroes has their own signature style of movements and awesome
abilities and some really off the wall, er over the wall, er well
acrobatics over the city roof tops. The PC versions controls using
the keyboard… to me any way… seemed a bit clunky on the demo version
of this fun little romp. I really cannot wait to get my hands on the
console version to see how the controls fair.
Controls aside, I
was soon leaping and running across the roof tops of what I can only
guess was New York City. Eye pleasing acrobatics are to be had here,
a jaw dropping menagerie of flips, leaps and oh my stars and garters
wall running in true Ninja style.
The environments that find their way into the game are of course
from the film as well, the Turtles pretty much have to depend on all
of their skills and each other, as strange other worldly beasties
and villains plague the Big Apple. Danger is not only in navigating
the canyons of New York City by way of the very nifty acrobatic
moves, but also from the many enemies. Of course combining skills
and fighting skills into new combos is a sure way to keep the
Turtles on top of things.
The games graphics
lend themselves very well to the Teenage Mutant Ninja turtle
Franchise, Showing off the city and even more importantly the
Turtles themselves. The gangs all here, Raphael, Donatello, and
Michelangelo, and Leonardo. Guiding the Heroes along and moving the
story along is Splinter the Rat Sensei. Sounds and music are
passable and are in line with the game content.
At first glance I was not expecting much at all for the game. Almost
writing it off as strictly a kid’s game I came around pretty fast.
Playing around for a bit with the tutorial brought back memories of
other games where skills at getting to the next level was a driving
force for every kid with a pocket full of quarters. I was more than
pleasantly surprised to find the game appealed very much to me.
There is something very pleasing about playing this game; I just
cannot put my finger on it. Maybe it’s because the Turtles as
characters have always had such a powerful appeal.
Control wise as
noted before took a lot of getting used to on the PC version will
played around with. Moving along and playing as one Turtle, the
player has the ability to sort of tag team out and switch control to
one of the other Turtle Characters. I had the most fun playing
Michelangelo with his double Nunchaku. Having some martial arts back
ground, having the ability to play a bit and have the controlled
character do these really cool fantasy moves spins and acrobatics
while fighting an enemy was just a blast.
Something worthy of
noting as the player navigates through the city and fights all of
these unique enemy, (Including the Foot Clan) the Turtles true power
has always been through team work. Like some of the awesome combo
fight moves they can perform, so to must they team up to get to some
harder to reach places.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles developed by Ubisoft Montreal and
Quebec City studios for the Xbox 360, the PS2, the PSP, PC, GBA, NDS,
GameCube and Wii, and will be available at retail stores nationwide
some time mid to late March 2007. Parents a bit worried about the
content can search online for the Demo and have a go at it before
they decide to purchase for the kids. Yea, right. As soon as you
play this game title, you are going to buy it and the kids won’t get
a chance to play.
Have fun, play games
Edwin Millheim
