TMNT

"Good idea, but too annoying"

Summary: Well, the theory was that if you take an older incredibly successful franchise, modernize it, and make a game, it will be successful. Not exactly true. But, moving to the game, They basically took your average ninja engine, and added turtles. Now, this actually sounds like it would be awesome, but, let me break it down.

DISCLAIMER: All turtle names are abbreviated.

Game play: 2/10 Despite using your standard ninja-game interface, there are a few major problems. Main problem is that the controls go from button-mashing jump, to blazingly difficult. I can't even count how many times I wanted to break my controller trying to climb 500 feet into the air doing wall-jumps, until you catch on how to do it easy it's a HUGE pain in the neck. Another problem, is that while ninja games are usually about fluid flow, they try to recreate it here, but tend to put changes in. One level, for example, you are running and jumping for a few minutes, and just as you seem to be looking cool and thinking that the game isn't too bad, they throw a random ledge, bar, or cliff that causes you to stop your fluid movements, and adjust completely. Now, I'm not saying that's not OK, but it usually entails your character having to PHYSICALLY STOP MOVING while you re-aim, judge, and calculate the jump. I mean, even if your character would be able to reach it without doing that, the game does NOT let you, and requires that you stop because you will phase through the pole. Combat, is pretty basic, there's about a 5-move combo which you repeat over and over, but it's different for each character. Also, they have a team-attack feature which is pretty useless unless you use the Mike+Don combo, not to mention, you don't get to choose which 2 characters interact, it's preset. Leo is the only one who can use other then his assigned turtle to do combos, because as you play the levels, the turtles sometimes don't want to help.

Graphics: 6/10 Really, there has been nothing with bad graphics in awhile. One of the things that made graphics here stand out though, is that during some missions, you will see ONLY black-and white, except for some random color occasionally. Typically this was with Raph, and I thought it was good.

Sound: 5/10 The fact that Ralphs armor (During night stalker missions) makes the most annoying noise to man lowered the score of a pretty good sound and music set.

Storyline: 8/10 Having not seen the movie, I can't say whether it follows it or not... Either way, they did a good job with the story, as they normally do with turtles comics. However, -2 points for not including my favorite villain ever.

Multi player: N/A None.

Overall: 5/10 About average. Nothing too good, nothing overly bad. Just a bunch of flaws and annoyances that could have been done without. If they fixed the controls, they game would probably be a lot better.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 12/03/07

Game Release: TMNT (US, 03/20/07)