Yet Another Movie Cash-in!
I’ll openly admit that I’ve have a fairly bad experience of movie tie-ins. Most of the games I’ve played that have been based on films have been obvious cash ins with limited life & pretty much no replay value, with a couple of notable exceptions (Goldeneye springs to mind). Because of my past experiences I wasn’t really expecting a lot from ‘Iron Man 2’, but I went into it with an open mind.
I haven’t seen the movie, but I am reliably informed that ‘Iron Man 2′ (the game) is set after the events of the film, and I picked up the story fairly easily. The basic plot is that Stark Industries’ rival company Armstech have stolen a large portion of data from Tony Stark, and are using it to manufacture powerful weapons, which they intend to use for evil purposes. The game gives you the opportunity to play as both Iron Man & War Machine (often letting you choose at the beginning of each level), both possessing different weapons & abilities, all of which can be upgraded with different types of ammunition & modules which offer faster firing, higher efficiency, more power, etc…
While it may not be the most polished game in the world, it will still provide a couple of hours of fun
I wish I could say that Iron Man 2 was an exception to the established rule, but while it has a couple of fun features, ultimately it doesn’t stand out as anything particularly special, and feels very rushed.
The game’s graphics are generally fairly poor, and don’t compare to other modern games. This, accompanied by a glitchy lock-on system which jumps between several enemies at split second intervals, awkward, often distracting camera angles and rather uninspired voice acting overshadows some of the game’s better features, and brings the enjoyment factor down significantly. I found myself getting frustrated at the game just a few levels in, and the lock on system made some sections infuriatingly difficult.
I should point out however that the game does have some good points. I will never get tired of flying around shooting lasers from Iron Man’s hands, and an interesting (if at times confusing) weapons upgrade system allows the use of different types of ammunition, as well as general weapon upgrades. Melee attacks can also be upgraded with different combos & moves, using research points earned when playing through the levels. As levels are completed, different suits are unlocked, & while this only yields a cosmetic change, it does give the player a small sense of achievement & something to work towards.
In conclusion, Iron Man 2 isn’t an incredible game – it feels rushed & unfinished, but while it is rough around the edges, it’s better than some games I’ve played, and overall I had fun playing it. While it may not be the most polished game in the world, it will still provide a couple of hours of fun, and a temporary distraction from whatever it is that you’re supposed to be doing, and isn’t that what games like this are all about?
The Good: Flying around is fun,; The upgrade system is pretty nifty.
The Bad: Poor graphics,; Uninspired voice acting,; Generally mediocre.
