The Incredible Hulk

With Marvel and the film business having another stab at making a decent Hulk movie, it was inevitable that a game tie-in was on the cards, and refreshingly (unlike the recent Iron Man game), The Incredible Hulk aint half bad. It's a confusing mess at times and has some serious issues, but it's a sandbox orgy of destruction that serves up enough fun to keep it's core audience, kids and Marvel fans, content at least.

So what's the script? Super-scientist David Banner has developed a mean side. Triggered randomly, he transforms into a huge green behemoth and wrecks the joint with uncontrollable rage. Worse, he's on the run from the government who want him for testing. This is the main story in the game, but to avoid the restrictions of the film script there are tons of extra villains and plot threads from the original comics too.

Set in New York, you can stomp around, wreaking havoc by throwing things like buses at folk or, if you want, folk at buses — it's all gravy. There are tons of missions such as defeating enemies or reaching way points. However, along the way you have to be careful not to trash things too much. Cause enough destruction and the armed forces will come and take you down a peg.

This is where combat comes into play. it's a bit clumsy, and enemies are easily defeated. However, there's something fun about feeling so invincible as you toss soldiers around like rag dolls. Navigation is fun too as you grab onto the side of skyscrapers and leap about, literally ripping them apart to the foundations.

It's a weighty game, but has some major slowdown issues, not that it really matters, but when you have to get somewhere quick, the jerkiness can often prove to be a distraction. Otherwise, for a film game, this will appease fans of the franchise, yet hack off those who may buy it as a passing fancy.

Actors Edward Norton and Tim Roth lend their voices to the game, adding a bit of value, although Norton sounds like he really can't be arsed and Roth seems like he's putting on his natural English accent. Still, it's nice to see them get involved. It certainly feels like 'the game of the film' with a neat action flick soundtrack and plenty of well-scripted, if underacted cut scenes, although these come much later in the game, with the initial scenes being a bit crap and dull. Things definitely ramp up significantly further into the game, so a bit of patience here definitely pays off.

To be fair, no one really expects film games to be good anymore, they have simply let people down far too many times, but if you fancy some honest, throwaway fun then you will get a pleasant and unexpected little kick out of this.