"A new name to the Rampage world, and a whole new look to boot."

When I first heard of this game, I thought of the classic version I played on Shockwave. Not at all the same, aside from the classic games included with it. This game kinda jumps out slightly in my opinion in the Rampage world, and for good reasons.

Basically, Scum Soda has mutated 30 people into mutants while testing it. Only 24 of them were sealed away, however, and the other 6 on on a mission to find them. Smashing buildings, eating cops, and destroying helicopters are only a few tasks you'll face while you do it.

Gameplay: Punching, Kicking, and Grabbing are most of the moves you use. Its hard to get tired of finding different ways to smash buildings and trying to upgrade all the characters to their fullest extend. But it is all circling around the smashing of buildings a little, so the 7 different places you travel to don't seem very different in what you must do. As you progress, things start to get a little more challenging. Tanks come in and fire missiles, and SWAT and army men are constantly dropped off. And unlocking new characters can be a little frustrating at times, because you may require to destroy a certain room on a building with a certain character while trying to maintain health. But, the satisfying feel of finally destroying the last building makes it worthwhile.

Score: 7 out of 10

Sound/Music: Sound can be more repetitive than it seems. Most characters make the same noises, and most blocks have similar background music, though it is good music nonetheless. They also did some good work with what the people and the announcer in the background say, making it a bit funnier.

Score: 6 out of 10

Graphics: The graphics are what first got my attention when I saw this game, because I never saw George or Lizzie animated. The cars and buildings seem more real then the old ones, and make it really feel like you're tearing apart Midway Studios in the first L.A. block. It blew me away.

Score: 8 out of 10

Replay Value: This game has pros and cons in this area.
Pros: Trying to unlock every character adds much more replay value, along with trying to upgrade them all the way, and the 2 other modes could let you play with friends forever.
Cons: As much as I hate to admit it, the sole plot of smashing buildings can get slightly old, but the new style lessens it slightly, though taking a little away from the replay value.

Score: 6 out of 10

Overall: Rampage is a game for the people who loved the franchise, and not the ones who hated it. With 27 characters, upgrades, different enemies, and 7 new cities, it brings a new name to the Rampage world. Sure it can get a little repetitive at times, but by the time it does, you could have already gotten 3 new games and not played them yet.

Score: 8 out of 10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 05/01/06