The Incredible Hulk:
Ultimate Destruction
Hulk Smash. Okay, he runs, jumps, punches and throws stuff too in this
action-packed game, but mostly he just smashes. Instantly theraputic for anyone
who's ever wanted to hit anything, The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate
Destruction allows players to use the Hulk (and just about any item he
comes across) to destroy his enemies and the environment around him.
(Vivendi Universal, 2005 - for Playstation 2, Xbox, Gamecube)
Within five minutes of launching this game for the first time, I had destroyed a
dozen tanks with my bare fists, knocked two helicopters out of the sky by
throwing boulders at them, and killed an enemy soldier by beating him to death
with a cow. If that's not a recipe for fun, I don't know what is.
Many superhero-based videogames are as predictable and linear as the films
they're based upon. In games like Spider-Man, Batman, X-Men and even
The Incredibles, you'll have to first learn how to harness all the powers
your hero is capable of (usually by working your way through a tutorial level)
before heading off into the big city to face your nemesis and his hoarde of evil
henchmen. And in that respect, The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction
isn't much different than its counterparts. Where Ultimate Destruction
stands out is in the, well, ultimate destruction.
While The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction is ultimately another
level-based superhero game, Vivendi has gone out of their way to make the levels
(which are large) as interactive as possible. If you see a rock, you can pick it
up and throw it. If you see a vehicle, you can smash it. If you see a soldier,
you have several options - punch him, attack him with a combo, pick him up with
one hand and pummel him with the other, throw him as far as possible, or pick a
target and use the poor screaming fellow as a projectile weapon. And yes, if you
see a cow, you can even pick it up and use it as a weapon (melee or projectile -
your choice). Once the action begins, the game plays like one big
three-dimensional version of Rampage. And unlike the previous current-gen
Hulk game, there are no wimpy Bruce Banner levels to be played here. This time
around, it's all about breaking stuff as the green guy.
A big plus for this game is the uncomplicated controls. While there are
combos and other complicated moves which can be learned and mastered, my
eight-year-old nephew did pretty well by simply button mashing his way through
levels. The targeting system for throwing projectiles is simple to learn (pull
the right trigger to cycle through targets) and easy to use when things get
frantic. On more than one occasion my nephew would do something like pick up
cars and use them as boxing gloves. When I would ask how he did that, he would
just shrug his shoulders and say, "I have no idea." The variety of moves and
weapons is so great that I often found myself surprised at what the game would
let me do (tree + Hulk = batter up!).
The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction is a blast to play - of
course, with hundreds of tanks, army men, helicopters and other enemies closing
in on you, you won't have too much time to think about it until long after
you've quit playing. Fans of the comic books will appreciate the in-game
references to characters, while casual gamers won't need a history lesson in
order to enjoy the mayhem. Hulk smash, indeed.
Rating: 
Four quarters - Easy to learn controls combined with open-ended gameplay
and interactive levels make for a smashing good time. One of the best
comic/superhero games available on the market.
Reviewed by Rob O'Hara
theLogBook.com Staff Writer
 
 
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