Week in Review: Iron Man and Wolverine Series Finales and Look-Back

After twelve episodes, the Iron Man anime has finished. It was by far the most popular and least-bashed of the two. I myself have enjoyed both, but more on that soon. I will present to you first my review of the series finale. Some major spoilers for both reviews.

The plot is coming to a close, with the death of Captain Sakurai, Tony is ready for the big battle. The stage is set for the final conflict between him and ZODIAC leader Minister Kuroda.

This episode had it all. Big fights, lots of drama, and Tony Stark showing everyone why's he's Iron Man. A very cool part with Dr. Tanaka was her transformation into a ZODIAC member. Though at the beginning, her getting suicidal didn't feel right, it felt forced. I was a bit surprised by her death, though it makes sense, since she technically can't interfere with whatever this show's continuity's in. There was this cheesy scene where Stark somehow got new strength to beak free of Kuroda and fly into the sky, just a bit too cheesy if you ask me.

I really liked Tony in this episode. While so many things are happening, he doesn't crack or get too emotional.  Prime Minister Kuroda is a decent villain, but lacking the pizzazz Yinsen brought. His armor is still pretty awesome. The other characters, such as Nanami, still bring nothing to the table.

Overall, this episode was definitely one of, if not the best episode of the series. It's a fine closure, with some epic fights backing it up. There might have been a bit TOO much melodramatic, but the fights and Tony keep this episode from getting drained by it.

9/10.

Looking back, the Iron Man anime was a success. It provided a very good portrayal of Tony Stark, with the animation and fights being top-notch. ZODIAC was a good choice for the villains, since them being an established force in the comics. The problem was that a member would appear each episode, and die very fast. No characterization, only Minister Kuroda and Yinsen are get any real character. Useless characters, like Nanami could have been cut, since she and some others have no significance. The romance between Stark and Dr. Tanaka felt a bit forced, it could have used a little more build-up. The whole Yinsen thing was unexpected, and got fans angry. This guy wouldn't have turned evil, so I didn't like it either. (I forgave it once we found out the power controlled him.) This show succeeds in having real drama and sad flashbacks, not to mention the awesome fights. (I think I mentioned that.) It would have been nice to get to know Captain Sakurai more, he was portrayed as the "cool cat," but ultimately failed, becoming more laughable than anything. Still, his suit was pretty awesome. The Iron Man anime was a good watch, I would recommend it to fans and non-fans alike.

The series gets an 8/10.

Ah, now for Wolverine. While you might hear some good things about Iron Man, Wolverine gets bashed A LOT. I fully understand, and will address those things in the look-back, after my review of the series finale.

The plot comes to a close as Logan and Shingen duke it out for a battle of ages.

My major thing with this episode was WHY IS WOLVERINE SO DARN WEAK?! Seriously, this bald samurai guy was slaughtering him, Wolverine got knocked around, it was almost unbearable. I can't get over how pitiful they made him. If this was a comic, Wolverine would have eradicated that guy in under five minutes.

They really do try to make Kurohagi an interesting character, flashbacks and everything. It fails miserably. This guy is one of the most un-threatening beings in existence. Mariko continues to be an even more useless damsel in distress than Princess Zelda herself. Kikyo is one of this show's saving graces, bringing something new to the table every time he's on screen. Yukio gets a moment of glory, and an unbelievable plot twist that I never saw coming. Wow.

The fight between Wolvie and Shingen was good, but could have been a lot better, The fights in general with this show could have been better. Nice music though.

Overall, the final episode of Wolverine was a bit underwhelming. Mariko dies, therefore this whole story feels like a waste now. At most, a decent finish, but the ending felt un-fulfilled.

6/10.

Looking back, the Wolverine anime was a lot more mixed. The Wolverine portrayed here seems to be more easy going and more of a "dude" than the hardcore one us fans are use to. The Wolverine in this show would better fit in something like Bleach. It doesn't help that he looks so darn weak. (And don't get me started on the voice.) Only thugs he seems to be able to beat easily, everyone else he has trouble with. It doesn't help that whereas in Iron Man, Tony Stark is always the main focus, Logan is put to the side in favor of the journey and side characters. The sometimes awful writing is a major downside. In the middle of his battle with Vadhaka in one of the later episodes, he randomly says "I'm the best there is at what I do, but I what do is-" before getting slapped away by the statue. What? We got a very nice appearance from Cyclops, the dialogue between him and Wolvie ranks as the best scene in the whole show. A lot of the side characters work, and succeed at being interesting to watch. Kikyo is by far one of the best characters in the show. But what on earth happened to his final battle with Logan?! The show kept hyping it up, but there was no pay-off! Major fail there. It's hard to recommend the Wolverine anime. I think non-fans would enjoy it better than us fans. Still, it was great to see him slice and dice with no Y7 rating holding him back for whatever reason.

I give this show a 6/10.

Infamous 2 Review

Last year I traded in some old Gameboy Adance and Gamecube games in hopes of getting a $20 store credit. I wanted to get the Clash of the Titans for the PS3, but then the Gamestop guy said the game pretty much sucked. What followed was him showing me the best of the best, and then we came across Infamous. He explained that it was his favorite game on the system and went to say how great it was. I still wasn't convinced, I wanted Clash of the Titans. But it would look kinda strange picking it up without at least trying this other supposed great game, wouldn't it? I picked it up, and it was great. It is one of the best games I've ever played. Thanks to that little conversation, I had gotten a much better game worth every penny. (Seriously, it's only $27, pick it up if you haven't yet.) What's cool was that a sequel was announced beforehand, so I after I finished the first one, I got to follow the second one closely. It had big shoes to fill. Now that I've beaten it, I can say whether it succeeds as a sequel. Sorry to keep you waiting, on to the review!

The plot continues with Cole preparing for the attack.....but he soon realizes even he isn't close to being able to stop......THE BEAST. Cole is easily slapped away by its awesome power. THE BEAST completely eradicates Cole's hometown, Empire City. Now Cole is stuck in a city called New Marais. THE BEAST is coming after him, Cole has to find some way to power up if he hopes to have any chance of stopping it.

As you can see, the sequel, like the first, is a story-driven game. It's comic-book style, with unbelievable plot twists, and stellar voice acting. I've been reading comics for awhile, but there were some things I didn't see coming. That's how you tell a story, surprise people.

Like the first game, Infamous 2 is an open-world game. Thanks to the Spider-Man titles, I'm pretty much use to it. The difference, however, is that this open-world and its citizens are more life-like and realistic. No offense to the Spidey titles, (they are great games by the way) but the citizens there were like walking robots. In Infamous, you could go ahead and take anyone out if you wanted to. You could throw a grenade in the middle of the street, and watch the explosion rock people and cars alike. (Not that I do that, I'm Hero Side all the way.)

Both Infamous games put a strong emphasis on gameplay. You have street-level combos mixed in with the power of lightning. The engine is very tight, and it improves with number 2. You have satisfying combos with a finisher that is always awesome to behold. It's a good mixture of hand-to-hand combat with shooting thunderballs. What I like about this game, is that it carries over some of the moves from the first one, without having to re-learn them. I don't like it when a sequel makes you learn everything again and makes you go through some painfully easy stages in the beginning. *Cough*Legend of Zelda*Cough* (I am a big Zelda fan by the way.)

One of the few things I didn't like was that this game was a lot more mission-based. Yes, the first Infamous was also mission-based, but the story was kept at a good pace. In Infamous 2, with every vital mission moving the plot, there are two more that are just meant to kill time to prolong the game. Some missions are plain annoying, I also don't like that they added in the option to switch moves. There should be a set of moves, and that's it. Still, these two things shouldn't stop you from picking this bad boy up.

I miss Cole's old voice from the previous game. His new voice takes a little bit to get use to, but it's adequate. With that said, the voice acting is triple A class, with each character having a very distinctive voice. The soundtrack is good, it fits the atmosphere of the game well. (I would have liked some opera thrown in there.) Graphics wise, like the first Infamous, this game is a powerhouse. It boasts some really impressive graphics, and the framerate is always nice and steady. The monsters look mighty impressive, especially the Behemoth, it sports a very unique design. I would love to see that captured on the big screen. Of course, nothing could beat the imposing appearance of THE BEAST.

One of the big selling points of the first Infamous was the "good karma" and "bad karma" system. Basically, the game will sometimes give you choices to do right, or to do wrong. (Example: Save a guy from a prison cell, or electrocute him to take a Blast Core.) They said for Infamous 2, the decisions will be harder and more like "What's more wrong, this or that?" I am disappointed with the karma system in this game. If you have a moral conscience, you will always go with the good side. I was hoping for more harder decisions that would have to really make me think.

Overall, with it's cast of interesting characters, great story, and perfect gameplay, Infamous 2 is a must-own for any PS3 owner. Don't skip out on the first, which is just as good. Now that Cole is appearing in the upcoming Street Fighter X Tekken, he's making a mark on the video game world. Infamous 2 will engage from the start. I haven't really touched upon the  UGC. (User Generated Content.) This concept was first introduced in the all-star game: LittleBigPlanet. It's a fun little feature, adds some replay value, but thankfully isn't a main focus or gets in the way of the actual game. (I was afraid it would be more of a focus than the story.) Still, I have to wonder how on earth everyone has Cole's cell number, people randomly call him, even the villains!

9/10.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon Review

Michael Bay's Transformers series has a rather infamous reputation. To be fair, people liked the first one. The second, Revenge of the Fallen, destroyed the box office, but got pretty negative reviews. Why? You know the story, Transformers were taken out of the screen time in favor for lots of crude humor. While the first film did have those negatives, it was relatively well-paced and an alright start for the franchise. Revenge of the Fallen took what was negative about the first, and increased it ten-fold. As Dark of the Moon approached, Michael Bay even said that Revenge of the Fallen didn't turn out the way he wanted. (Right.) He said Dark of the Moon would be the best one yet, with lead actor Shia Labeouf saying, "It's going to be the craziest action movie ever made, or we failed." Have they failed? That's what I wanted to find out. And I did.

The story begins with a flashback to 1961, about the Apollo 11's landing on the dark side of the moon. They find a mysterious spacecraft with technology beyond their understanding. Inside, they find an inactive robot, which means one thing.....we are not alone. It was the most well-kept secret for years, until now. An invasion is coming, and even the Autobots may not be able to stop it.

Believe it or not, I wasn't a big Transformers fan when I saw the first two films. The only two characters I knew where Optimus and Megatron. That was it. When I saw the second film, I decided that I was going to delve deep into the franchise, because these characters interested me. I liked this satellite one from Revenge of the Fallen, a Decepticon called "Soudwave." Thus I had a starting point. I went back to my Revenge of the Fallen video game, re-read my old comics, watched some G1 episodes on YouTube, and currently watching Prime. So I get to review this film as big fan of the franchise. Sorry, I've been talking about the life and times of myself, let's get on to the review. Skip to the last paragraph if you've yet to see it, there will be some spoilers.

Here's the problem. This is not a film about robots with humans as the backdrop, it's about humans with  robots as the backdrop. That's the problem with all three films, and Dark of the Moon suffers greatly from that. I could maybe let that slide if ANY of the main performances were half-decent. The scripting is lousy, stuff you'll hear on a Saturday morning cartoon. (Mixed in with Adult Swim humor, not a good thing.) Take out the robots and war backdrop, you have the basis for an R rated comedy.

Shia Lebeouf once again gives a strange performance. I'll admit that he could be funny sometimes, but as the main lead, he's not good enough, I'm sorry. There was this big thing that happened awhile back that changed the way some looked at the film. The main female lead from the first two, Megan Fox, quit for the third. I'm going to say what's obvious, she wasn't in the films for her acting credibility, she was there purely to help sell the film with looks. So when she left, someone had to take her place. Instead of hiring a seasoned veteran actress, you know what they do? They hire a Victoria's Secret model with no acting experice in the form of Rosie Huntington Whiteley. What?! So instead of hiring someone who could have given this film a little class, they hire someone who had NEVER acted in a movie before. Isn't it sad that a film relies on eye candy and mindless explosions rather than having a well-paced story to tell? Apparently it does, and succeeds, cause according to the stats, it dethroned Return of the King. (Now I know humanity has lost it.)

Of course, the main reason why we're watching this thing is for the robots. The scenes with them are always a treat, it's nice to see them rendered with great CGI. Optimus Prime as always is the most fleshed out and gives the audience a reason to watch these films. With his great quotes and Peter Cullen as his voice, he's truly great. But it's actually Soundwave's robot vulture Laserbeak who stole the show. Transformer purists probably won't like that they gave him the ability to talk, or his transformation ability. I for one thought they were both awesome inclusions. In G1, Laserbeak was always this silent thing Soundwave sent out to do missions, this film gave him character, his scenes were pretty horrifically awesome. Megatron is pretty much a chump the whole film, he doesn't appear that much, and is beaten up the whole time. His end is also pretty quick. Starscream in this film is one of the more accurate ones. My main bot Soundwave gets a nice little role here. It's nice to see him participating in the action, though he needed a heck lot more screen time.

One of my major criticisms with this film was the hardly-appeared Shockwave. This guy was marketed as the main villain, seen on the posters and everything. I remember the first major announcement, saying that Shockwave would be the villain. He appears near beginning of the film for a few seconds, then disappears until the invasion. He doesn't even get a big fight. Major disappointment there.

Sentinel Prime is portrayed as an ancient Prime would.......for the beginning. His betrayal and emergence as the main villain was unexpected, but didn't fit. As a Prime, he wasn't the Fallen, it just didn't make sense. The more logical thing would have been to him team up with Optimus and the Autobots against Shockwave and the invasion. So, not a big fan of that turn of events.

Things that don't make sense to me include the appearence of Carly. (Rosie Huntington Whiteley.) It doesn't make sense to me because Sam's past girlfriend is barely touched upon besides being heard that "she dumped him." The transition just isn't smooth. Like, if you were to watch the three films back-to-back, the third film would feel a bit out of place in that part. Also, the death of Ironhide was dramatic, but isn't touched upon or seen as a major factor. I mean, not even Optimus addressed it. Also, an annoyance, (big one for me) is that a scout like Bumblebee, could beat a communications officer like Soundwave? Absurd.

There are some really epic action pieces. Optimus's fight with Sentinel Prime being a highlight. The intro flashback to the war for cybertron was truly a treat and a taste of what a full blown prequel would look like. I'm sure the final forty minutes of this film looked amazing in the IMAX. The film's sountrack is decent enough, with two standout tunes. Could have been better though.

Overall, Dark of the Moon was a disappointment. It's far superior to Revenge of the Fallen, and maybe slightly better than the first. Once again, it suffers from too much unnecessary bad humor, bad performances, and too much screen time on the humans and not enough on the bots. Sam's parents could have been easily cut, they have ZERO significance in the film. To sum up the very cheesy scripting, here's a short quote. "I want to matter!" -Sam Witwicky, talking to Carly on why he feels like a helpless person. Ah, that line just might be the best, I'll never forget the ridiculousness of it. The only other line in movie history movie I know that is even more ridiculous was from the Asylum's Alien vs. Hunter. "Don't do! Don't do!" -The unmemorable main character from that Alien vs. Predator rip-off. Still, Dark of the Moon has some pretty amazing set pieces. Near the middle, with Megatron, Starscream, and Soundwave, felt like an episode from G1! The action is by far the best in the trilogy, the final forty minutes being one of the most epic forty minutes in movie history.

6.5/10.

Spider-Man: Edge of Time Review

When Edge of Time was first announced, it looked like an extension, or a direct sequel to last year's Shattered Dimensions. Over the course of the year, we found out that it was going to take the formula, but be a much different game. Shattered Dimensions brought back Spidey 2099 and made him popular again, so of course he would be a major factor in Edge of Time. (In fact, I'd say he's more the main character.) I enjoyed Shattered Dimensions, then again, I've enjoyed all the Spidey games. (Big fan of the character, but you already knew that.) Unlike most, I consider Web of Shadows to be the best one, and has yet to be dethroned.....until now? Let's see.

The plot follows Spidey 2099 hunting down Alchemax scientist Walker Sloan, a man with an idea. He has built a time travel device, and is going back in time to start the company, thus the future being completely owned by Alchemax. Meanwhile, Anti-Venom is back, and strangely wants to eliminate Amazing Spidey. If he dies, everything will go out of whack. Can 2099 stop this, or will the Timestorm consume all of creation?

My major thing with Shattered Dimensions was a lack of plot. There was an opening, and there was an ending. It was basically a popcorn-style plot. Mysterio as the villain was very cliche, considering which he was already the villain in Friend or Foe. With the story being done by high-class comic writer Dan Slott, the plot felt very shallow. Rather than rely on it, it relied on the mechanics of the different Spideys. Edge of Time is complete opposite in that way. Rather than relying on the game's mechanics, it relies on the plot. And that's a good thing.

The majority of fans don't like this game or Shattered Dimensions for not having an open-world, such as the three movie tie-ins have. I think it's disappointing not being able to swing through the streets of New York, but I'm fine with a level-based game. (The old one for the Playstation is highly rated and sometimes regarded as the best Spidey game, yet that wasn't open-world.) Of course, when you have a level-based game, it has to have a good plot to keep up the motivation. That's the one thing Shattered Dimensions failed in, it didn't have an engaging story. (It's still a good game, mind you.) Edge of Time is a really cinematic game, you will not get tired of it. There's actual danger, and you feel it. The CGI animated cutscenes are top notch, with excellent writing and voice acting.

Of course, it's the two Spider-Men that carry us through. They're similar, but a lot of the times clashing personalities, are so much fun to watch. While you may be dying from the onslaught of enemies, their dialogue back and forth will have you smiling the whole way through. I found myself laughing out loud a lot of the times, only Amazing Spidey can make trying to stop the uiniverse from erasing fun. One scene I found myself laughing at (though it's sad for mouse fans) was when a mouse was walking into a room, then the sensors pick it up and disintegrate it with a laser. Spidey 2099 says to this, "Wow, they really mean business." (It doesn't sound hilarious on paper, but on screen it's something else.)

I've been discussing the plot a lot. (Saw what I did there?) Let's talk gameplay. Since this game was done by Beenox, the same people that did Shattered Dimensions, the gameplay remains pretty similar, which is a good thing. Seasoned veterans such as myself can jump in knowing what to do already. The combos are nice, and remains fun. The combat doesn't get repetitive. The upgrade system I find isn't as great as the previous two games. The upgrades aren't as diverse and interesting. Web of Shadows still has the best upgrading system.

Graphic wise, it's very good. The environments have a good amount of detail, (though it could get a bit boring after awhile, you will miss being able to web sling outside) as do the characters. The cinematic cutscenes as I've said, are top notch. (And you unlock them as you go along, so you could enjoy them over and over again.)

The game's sound effects deserve praise, mainly the great voice acting. Here we have all stars Josh Keaton, (Spectacular Spider-Man) as Amazing Spidey, and Christopher Daniel Barnes (the Animated Series) as Spidey 2099. I've always said that hiring familiar voices is the way to do it. The soundtrack is very good, fits the thematic scale. (Shattered Dimensions still has the best soundtrack though.)

A thing I have to mention is the game's biggest weakness: the length. The game arrived in the mail on Thursday, and I beat it the next night. That's right, it took me a day. Web of Shadows took me three, while Shattered Dimensions took me four. For $60, it needs to be longer.

The other characters are portrayed mostly great, with a few exceptions. Mary Jane looks supremely useless, constantly yelling, and running away when 2099 tells her to stay put or come toward him! Web of Shadows did a good job with her character, but this, this is just sad. One of the big selling points, (for me anyway) was the inclusion of Anti-Venom. (The trailer with him in it got me beyond hyped.) With him currently having a role in the comics, it was only natural that they would throw him in. He was in my opinion, the best part of the game. (Voice: EPIC.) The transformation into Atrocity was a bit random, but it greatly adds to the game. (Perhaps a homage to Monster Ock from the Playstation one.) Though, I would have liked a finisher, after you beat the monster, it kinda disappears. I like closure to everything. Now I'm going to address one of the major plot twists of the game, skip to the last paragraph if you don't want to know what it is.

I was genuinely surprised when it was revealed who the CEO of Alchemax was: Peter Parker. Watching him on screen, it just didn't add up at first. The Peter Parker I know would never resort to destroying all of creation. "Playing God" as Spidey 2099 put it. Then after sometime, I began to see the brilliance of the character. He is portrayed as a corrupt Peter would be, with the same humor, albeit serious. Still, I don't think he would resort to erasing everything, but it's still a great portrayal.

Overall, Edge of Time feels like an animated film. The beginning with Anti-Venom is one of the most epic beginning I've ever played. Also in the beginning, with 2099 climbing down a shaft, you could see the names of the makers, it adds to the cinematic feel. This game is better than Shattered Dimensions, (amazing, since they were working on it for only a year) but its length is a bit of a problem. For hardcore Spidey fans such as myself, you'll want to pick it up right after you finish this review. For non-fans, I'd say it'd be best to wait for the price to drop, or give it a rental. You notice how the Timestorm is involved? A reference to the comic event "Timestorm: 2009-2099." There's also a playful jab at Turn off the Dark, it doesn't get any better than that. Edge of Time might just be the best Spidey game to date. Web of Shadows still wins of course.

9/10.

Detective Comics #2 Review

Originally, I was only going to be picking up the Justice League series spinning out of the New 52. Then I heard some really good things about Detective Comics. Batman has always been my favorite DC hero, up until that point, I haven't read a hardcore Batman story in awhile. I picked it up, and it was the best comic I've read in a long time, I gave it a PERFECT score. Now, issue two has arrived. Does it continue to be that dark detective story established from the first issue? Read on.

There's a certain cliche in a lot of media, namely TV shows and a lot of the times, comics. Basically, the first issue or episode of anything will start out with a bang, makes sure it captivates the reader. The second episode or issue will slow down the pace and be more dialogue-centric. It is usually never as good as the first, same applies here. But, it still is a great issue.

The issue continues the plot from the last, Batman is on a mission to rescue Olivia, little does he know that things are not what they seem......

In this issue, we get some Bruce Wayne scenes. His character is established as more of Tony Stark-esque. (Not TOO much, thank goodness.) This short romance with a reporter (hmm, remind you of something from a certain 2008 film?) wasn't needed and felt forced. We really don't need it to make the story entertaining. Once he suits up, it gets back on track.

So far, this is a perfect Batman story. There are no sidekicks, there are no references to the other heroes of DC, this is a definitive Batman story. As I've said in my review for issue one, it feels like an episode of the Animated Series, this would make a great direct-to-DVD adaption. (In ten years, they probably will use it.) The thought boxes for Batman is really, really important and what's been keeping this series in its atmosphere. Batman is a deadly serious, no-nonsense, get the job done guy, I've always wondered what he's thinking through all that. These dialogue boxes really separate him from the rest of the DCU, it gives him the human-edge.

Doll Maker so far has been alright, but I don't see the threat others in the past have provided. I don't see the difference between this guy, and say, Professor Pyg. I'm sure I'll change my mind in the coming issues. The most interesting plot of this series so far is with Joker, but that isn't touched upon at all really in this issue. I am looking forward to seeing where it goes. Commissioner Gordon has a very interesting edge to him in this series, becoming a bit more than just the guy Batman goes to for info.

The art as I've said in my past review, is top-notch. It fits the dark and gritty atmosphere well. Maybe I didn't notice it before, but the ear part in Batman's costume is way too short. Not a big deal of course, just something.

Overall, this issue is non-comparable to the first, but it's still a great read. If you're looking for a definitive Batman story, no sidekicks, no guys that can fly faster than a speeding bullet, just a guy attempting to bring order to a city with no heart, check this series out. The ending had me surprised, I don't know how it will get resolved.

8/10.

Civil War Act 6 "Prelude to Conflict"

The Civil War series has been truly a highlight in my animation career. I am pleased to say that after three months of hard work, Act 6 is done.

Here are the first four acts.
                                                                           Act 1

                                                                            Act 2

                                                                            Act 3

                                                                            Act 4

                                                                           Act 5

Now, for the latest act. Description: "THE CIVIL WAR CONTINUES! The war is nearing its close, Luigi has escaped his prison, will he make it out? The stage is set for the FINAL BATTLE!

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Ghost Rider PS2 Review

Recently, I really started to get into the Ghost Rider franchise. Ever since re-watching the film, (my review here: http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Destroyer14/news/?a=44337 ) I started to buy some of the 90's comics, and watched some of the 90's shows with him guest starring. He's now my second favorite Marvel character. Now, to able to play as this guy would be awesome, right? So, I found out that there was a video game related to the movie. Despite the negative reviews, I picked this bad boy up. Why don't we hear my take on this old game?

The plot follows Ghost Rider, who is thrown into Hell by the demon lord Mephisto, who says the Rider's work is not done. The demons are attempting to ressurect Blackheart, and Ghost Rider has to stop that from happening.

As you can see, rather than adapting the plot of the film, it's meant to be a SEQUEL to it. I think that's always a sound way of doing it. Rather than "playing" the film, you get new material. The plot here is great, it's a direct sequel. It kind of makes me disappointed to think what could have been done as a direct film sequel, so many great great possibilities. The plot is good, but has a few problems I will address soon.

Ghost Rider at its core is a beat-em-up. There's no puzzle at all, so get ready for some mindless whipping. (If you're into hardcore puzzle games like Zelda, you'll find this game heart-breaking.) If you're into button-mashing and combos after combos, you'll find this game extremely enjoyable.

The gameplay is reminiscent of the famous God of War series. I only knew that cause all the reviews say it, for I've never played that series. So, you have your chain, punches, and a shotgun. Combos are the rage here, you will be using them a lot. I'll give a hand to the game, the gameplay is pretty fun. The different combos are truly devastating and awesome to behold. Sadly, the game gets really repetitive with the missions feeling the same, and the same annoying enemies over and over.

The other part, and one of the games's main selling points, is riding Ghost Rider's cycle. For the most part, it's fun. You get some nice ramps, some ducking for good measure, it's good stuff and shakes up the formula. (You're going to need that after battling the same enemies endlessly.) Still, it would have been nice to have a little free-roam with the cycle.

The plot of this game is really good, but doesn't have enough cutscenes. You go whole levels without any real update on what's happening. With some more cutscenes, the narrative could have been better. For fans, there's some awesome appearances by characters from the comics. Seeing Vengeance alongside Mephisto, and Blackout and Deathwatch making an alliance is truly cool. Since this game is in the movie world, they could play around with the characters. It was such fun fan service, but for non-fans, it won't seem like much. (We also get Blade!)

Graphic wise, it's decent. It isn't bad, of course nothing great. But it's doable. The environments look bland, and just boring. Ghost Rider looks fine enough, with the final boss having some great detail.

The game's sound effects are decent, a little generic. The soundtrack is similar to the film's, it has some really cool little tunes. The voice acting is mixed. Ghost Rider sounds awesome, but the other characters, Mephisto and Blackheart, don't match their movie counterpart's voice. Would it have been really hard to hire the actors for voice-work? C'mon people. The Caretaker sounds good, along with the rest of the villains.

Presentation: The menu is too simple and arcade-like. Extras wise, it one of the game's biggest ups. There's some nice artwork and interviews. And for fans, actual pages from the comics. Nice little touch. The upgrade system is good, but upgrading is severely easy. On the second level, I had already maxed out my health. Three levels before the final one I had upgraded all my moves and combos, it goes by too fast. After you beat the game, you unlock other characters, Ghost Rider 2099, Vengeance, and Blade. But really, who would want to play through the story mode again? Some stage select would have been nice.

The plot as I've said is very good. But due to some pretty cheesy writing and stuff that doesn't make too much sense, it could annoy some people. Like, Blade appears, but then disappears after his third cutscene. He wasn't there for the final battle, he just vanished. (C'mon, even if he appeared in the final cutscene riding away would have been fine, I like closure.) Mephisto's plan at the end feels forced and just put in. The final boss has the scope of epicness, seeing Blackheart in his REAL form from the comics was very cool. But if you have maxed health, the battle is pretty easy.

Overall, Ghost Rider is a step above the average tie-in. Awesome combos, fun little story, and some great appearances makes this a fun comic book game. Sadly, it gets repetitive with no variety, and the same annoying enemies over and over again. (The shielded ones will drive you insane and make you feel like throwing the controller out the window.) This game is not worth the $30 when it first came out, for you could beat this game in under four hours. (No joke, according to the screen, it took me three hours and forty-five minutes to finish it.) You can find the game at Gamestop for $7, so if you're into beat-em-ups and like Ghost Rider, it's worth $7.

6/10.