TMNT- XBOX 360 Game Review

Its not hard to figure out which XBOX 360 games took time and patience and which ones did not. One XBOX 360 title that had a lot of potential was "TMNT", which is of course "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". The amphibian brothers, that so many have loved for so long, have not had a video game appearance in quite some time, let alone a big-screen appearance. However, that has changed with the release of "TMNT". Unfortunately, there is some bad news. The game only seems to have been created because of the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movie, which is also titled "TMNT". Why is this unfortunate? Well, that's because "movie games" don't really give a good gaming experience. So does "TMNT" fit into that category? Honestly, it's a coin toss. There are some good aspects and some bad ones. You'll just have to see if the good outweighs the bad.

The storyline for "TMNT" seems to follow the movie pretty well. Bits and pieces are added here and there, but you'll see how it syncs together with the movie. If you're not familiar with the movies plot, heres the deal...

.....The turtles (Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael) are beginning to drift apart after the defeat of Shredder, their long time nemesis. It isn't long before each of the turtles is out on his own, doing things solo. During this "family separation", strange events begin unfolded in the city, which ultimately reunites the 4 brothers. Max Winters, an immortal tech-industrialist, has awakened ancient monsters known as the "Stone Generals". With their help, and the help of a few others (namely the foot clan, which has come under new leadership), he seeks to conquer the world....

"TMNT" can be seen as a toned down version of "Prince of Persia". Instead of focusing on action and fighting (which is what the Ninja Turtles are all about), the game focuses mainly on platforming. There will be plenty of double jumping, wall running, ledge hanging, gap leaping, pole swinging, back flipping, and climbing. As a matter of fact, platforming makes up at least 2/3 of the game.

Each turtle has special talents that will be used during platforming. If you come across a large gap, use Michelangelo's nunchuku helicopter maneuver in order to hover across. Have to climb a wall to get past the area? No problem. Use Raphael and his sai to scale the wall within seconds. Most of the games levels are actually designed for you to use specific turtles, but you may switch between them whenever you feel like it. The platforming doesn't seem to be as intricate as "Prince of Persia"; yet, it's not always a walk in the park either. Sometimes it'll be just a simple jump, while other times it will be a string of different jumps and maneuvers that you will have to pull off simultaneously. Even with the obviously flaws (such as the camera angle), the platforming in "TMNT" is a lot of fun.

It would be great if the combat portion of the game measured up to the platforming, but sadly it doesn't. Combat seems to have taken a backseat to other aspects of the game, which definitely has hurt it's overall appeal. Each turtle has his own type of attacks and his very own unique combo: 4 turtles, 4 combos. Therefore, if you get get tired of using one combo over and over, switch to a different turtle and use him for awhile; otherwise, combat will get boring way too fast. Besides the combos & basic button smashing attacks, you will also be able to use "team moves". When you use these "tag-team moves", another turtle will enter the area and perform a devastating attack with your help, which will usually take out numerous enemies. The tag team special is definitely the highlight of fighting in TMNT.

The combat wouldn't be that bad if the enemies were a bit smarter or tougher. To dispatch enemies, all you have to do is keep hitting the attack button. Most enemies are stupid, as they will run right into your flurry of attacks without a second thought. There will be moments when the turtles shine and the fighting stops being so ridiculously repetitive, but those moments are few and far between. Luckily, due to the frequent platforming, you won't be bombarded with an insane amount of combat at any one time.

The graphics and visuals in "TMNT", for XBOX 360, seem to be on par with todays standards. If they weren't, this game would have been even more of a let down. Although each version is good in its own way, it's the XBOX 360 version that rains supreme yet again. It has better detail, more textures, a crisper image, and dramatically better lighting. The detail & look of the turtles is nearly identical to that of the movie, which is definitely a good thing. Overall, the details and animations are simply excellent, especially when you see the turtles performing their awesome acrobatics. The graphics department undoubtedly made a big save for "TMNT".

It's obvious that this game was not created for the sake of gamers and their consoles, which would have made things turn out for the better (for the game at least). Instead, it was mainly created as a cash cow for the new CG movie. This cash cow may not have failed miserably like other "movie games", but in the eyes of many, it didn't succeed either. Dropping $50 on "TMNT" is completely up to you and your expectations for this game. But either way, it is still worthy of a 5 day rental; even if its only for the sake of playing “The New Ninja Turtles Game"!