Me likey smashy.

Superhero games are a lot like superhero movies – most absolutely stink although you occasionally find a real gem that reminds you why superheroes have such a hold on our imaginations. Unfortunately, The Hulk (both the game and movie) fall into that all too large category of superhero licensed duds.

The Hulk the game’s story is based on the plot of the movie. You play as both Bruce Banner the scientist and his mutated alter-ego The Hulk as he tries to retrieve the Gamma Orb that made him what he is today. An evil scientist, who also happens to be his father, wants the Gamma Orb for himself so that he can complete his experiments and transform himself into a superbeing.

Bruce Banner’s duality of character translates into a duality of gameplay. The Hulk is as divided as poor Bruce, playing as both a pure action brawler and a stealth action game. As The Hulk, that game is all about smashing things and people as you move along a destructive line from Point A to Point B. On the positive side you will pass through very destructible environments on those journeys allowing you to make use of many objects as a variety of weapons. There are also plenty of attackers to contend with, keeping the action at a virtually non-stop pace. The Hulk has several ways to hit, stomp, and throw enemies, and a rage meter will fill as you beat enemies and will let you unleash more powerful moves when filled. At first the pure mayhem of the game can make it pretty fun to play. However, you will soon find that the enemies will keep coming in an endless stream and the destructible objects will be replaced if you stick around the same area. You can never really clear an area, which in some way takes away from the feeling of accomplishment you get when completing a level in other games. To move on you just need to beat enough enemies to open the pathway to the next area or room. The game is very linear in this regard – there are no optional paths and there is never a question as to where to go next. You’re herding along to the point where if you need to jump a gap to the next battle an arrow will appear showing you where to jump and in which direction. The repetition and lack of challenge diminish the enjoyment of what should be the centerpiece of a Hulk game, unbridled mayhem and destruction. Instead, the game succeeds in building a very strong sense of “been there, done that” which makes it difficult for it to hold your interest for too long.

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