As a child, I never got into comic books, or as people like to call them today, "graphic novels." They just never appealed to me. With this in mind, people will probably say I do not know anything about the Hulk, who was recently placed into a DS game by Sega this year. All I know about the Hulk is that Bruce Banner got hit by some radioactive rays that transforms him into the Hulk whenever he gets exceedingly angry. Now he's on the run from the U.S. Army, looking for a cure before being sent to a foreign planet and battling his way to beneficent grand dictator, which takes place before causing World War III. At least, that is what Wikipedia told me one night in my sleep. I also briefly remember a movie from the 1980s, and the only major thing I remember is when one of his friends holds a big Norse hammer in front of himself and screams, "THOR!" This then makes said god materialize.
As previously mentioned, the plot of The Incredible Hulk is essentially Banner looking for a cure. And it is not much of a quest because the plot rarely advances. When it does move forward, it does not deepen the story or any of its characters. Furthermore, Banner is not exactly likable because he is so flat and unemotional. Some might say that is Banner's personality; I say he's human and should show some emotion and stop acting like an automaton. Furthermore, the manual makes a big deal about Banner's struggles of missing his girlfriend Betty, his being hunted by the Army and his own inner demons. None of these are really present. When they are, though, nothing is really expanded on. And it is very disappointing that the game does not follow through with these ideas like the comics.
Graphically, the game is not up to par with other DS games by my standards. The Hulk himself looks rather decent and moves rather well. However, if the graphics were more pixilated, he would look more like a punching green blob than a massive overmuscled man. There are three different "palettes," or overall area maps, to explore: Alaska, a Brazilian rain forest and a metropolitan city in the United States. While each area is unique, there is nothing special about them to set them apart from other areas. The game sets up each level as sequential but gives the look of being able to choose a path. At the end of the day, though, it's extremely linear — with a little more effort on the developers's part, we could have followed different story paths ("cure" Banner or indulge in destruction or something in between).
The levels are destructible and look properly smashed in when hit but do not fall apart when fully destroyed. (Is it wrong to expect that when a building/area is fully destroyed?) The main thing that somewhat impressed me was the FMV cutscenes that look like they came out of the late 1990s. Think of the original Tomb Raider's introduction screen — except with a much higher quality. That is how well-done those scenes look. It is disappointing when the cutscenes and the current level do not match up. It makes the game feel even more forced than it is already. Furthermore, Sega could have shown off the power of the DS by showing a scene in which Banner transforms into the Hulk. Instead, the camera goes somewhere else when Banner transforms into the Hulk. No, I am not kidding about this on any level.
So if there are a few FMVs, then there must be voice acting — right? And amazingly, there is. The quality of those voice actors is questionable, though. It feels phoned in, and the dialog is not done well. The rest of the sound effects and music are solid and noncrating, though they are completely forgettable — especially if the sound is turned off.
There is one saving grace that is to the game's benefit: very solid controls. The Hulk is perfectly responsive, and moving him around is a breeze. It is the one element that Sega got perfectly. Level design is solid, though it is completely forgettable due to the fact that the levels are set up on the ancient block system — this quickly becomes apparent on the map screen. One level quickly looks like the next except with a slightly different layout. The block-oriented level design gives off the feeling that there should be a level editor available to share homemade levels with friends, which would be really cool if it were available.
A level map is constantly seen on the touchscreen, while the main action is on the top screen. The map is scrollable using the stylus, which quickly moves around the screen and makes it difficult to accurately find what comes up ahead or find something. Or, one can use the much better implemented digital controls instead. The map function is the only touchscreen implement in the entire game, besides selecting menus. There is a gamma boost meter, which fills up as the level is destroyed and enemies are defeated. Activating this boost, or rage as it appears in the game, renders Hulk invulnerable for a few seconds, takes enemies out with a single hit and increases his speed. By continuing the process of destroying everything in sight, it will not end unless the duration ends or gets hit by an enemy's projectile. This makes the game even easier than it already is as the game rewards the player for using it. But by far the worst parts of the game are the cheap bosses. It takes 30 seconds to defeat every single boss except the fourth boss, which took one minute because he would temporarily leave the area. Furthermore, a simple strategy is used: Push the Y button, run around for a second and keep an eye on the boss, and push the Y button again. Rinse, wash and repeat. Boss battles should not be that simple. They are supposed to be a test of everything the player has learned, not a quick button mash.
On the bright side, there are some collectibles to find. About 85 percent of them are skins/costumes for the Hulk to "wear." Seventy-five percent of those skins can be worn as soon as they are found while the rest are only usable after beating the game. Some are rather neat; others are weird. Major fans of the Hulk will probably be pleased with the variety of skins offered by the game. Health expansion packs also can be found, which makes up the remaining 15 percent of the collectables. By finding them, it makes the game even easier and faster.
The game has a duel mode that is only accessible when both players have a game pack in their DS via local wi-fi. I have not tested this out because I do not know of anyone who owns the game — and the fact that my mother will not let me buy a DS for my dog. But if it is anything like the rest of the game, I suspect that it is rather solid function.
Despite all my carping on the game, it is rather decent, and I got some pleasure during its quick stint. Anyone who is a big Hulk fan will probably get a kick out of playing it. Thus, if you are tempted to get it for a kid, that child will probably be content playing it for a bit, but do not expect it to carry his/her attention during the duration of a trip. However, a $30 price tag is a rather steep admission price for THREE hours of enjoyment. I suggest gamers look elsewhere for a proper long-term gaming relationship. This makes it is a rental at best due to the poor presentation and adequate-level design, which drags the game down to the swamp of the mediocre, while the tight controls save it from being the dreaded will o' wisp. This is a shame, a real shame indeed that Sega has brought upon us DS gamers. It could have been much cooler.
