Volume 1 Issue 3 August 2005 Serious Sam II - Hardcore Gamer

Review by Syriel
Publisher : Activision
Developer : seven studios
Release Date : 6/28/2005
Rating : TEEN
Genre(s) : Action
Category : Comic Superhero
# of players : 1-2
When most gamers hear the name Fantastic Four, the
first thing that comes to mind is Acclaim’s horrendous
PSone game. Referred to by many as the worst game
ever made, the mere sight of it makes gamers cringe.
Thankfully, the current take on the cosmic quartet isn’t
nearly as bad as its predecessor, though it does make its
fair share of mistakes.
Based on the movie of the same name, Fantastic Four has
players taking control of Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the
Human Torch and the Thing as the team races to save the world
from the evil of Doctor Doom. Though it follows the basic plot
of the film, the game expands on the action by introducing new
opponents and environments that weren’t on the big screen.
The game offers up a different set of moves and special attacks
for each character, and requires players to tailor their style
to the selected hero. For example, the Thing excels at melee
combat, but try the same thing with the Invisible Woman and
it’s game over. The special powers are just as varied, giving you
a reason to switch back and forth between team members, and
assist moves allow an AI-controlled hero to help out the player.
While certain levels will force you to use a particular hero, the
majority of the game allows you to swap amongst them freely
with a simple press of the D-pad.
Unfortunately, the coolest moves in the game are contextsensitive,
meaning you can only execute them when the game
says you can. This is indicated onscreen by a colored icon that
corresponds to your hero. Move to the icon, click the action
button and a minigame will pop up. Win the game and you’ll
perform the move. It’s interesting at first, but the repetitive
nature of the minigames soon becomes apparent as you play
them over and over again.
With all of this variety amongst the main characters, one would
expect the fighting engine with Fantastic Four to have a bit of
depth. Strangely, it doesn’t. It feels rushed and simplistic; it’s
a simple matter of button mashing. The collision detection is
extremely picky, requiring players to be spot on for an attack to
connect. Another point of contention is range. Why is it that the
elastic Mr. Fantastic has the same reach as the bulky Thing
when fighting hand-to-hand? Other problems include
camera and clipping issues that appear
at inopportune times, as well as
repetitive level design that has often
you playing through the mirror image
of the room you just completed.
Ultimately, Fantastic Four feels like
a game that was rushed out the
door just a little too early.
The concept is great, but the
execution stumbles and the
end result is
merely average.
Rating : 3 of 5
2.5 of 5
2nd opinion by Roger Danish • Alternate Rating : 2 of 5
Like the movie, Fantastic Four the game doesn’t live up to its potential. Derivative
beat-’em-up gameplay and sub-par graphics round out this un-fantastic title.
64_REVIEW_FANTASTIC FOUR
HARDCORE GAMER MAGAZINE_VOLUME 1_ISSUE 3_WRITTEN BY BOOTH BABES