[June 10, 2011] Review: 'Green Lantern' game has familiar ring to it Tweet Jun 10, 2011 (The Charleston Gazette - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- It would be easy to dismiss "Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters." After all, the Double Helix-developed game already has two strikes against it, being both a super-hero title and a movie tie-in -- two genres that generally do not inspire confidence. Yet despite some annoying design decisions and the occasional technical glitch, "Green Lantern" rises above these preconceived limitations to provide an entertaining experience that should satisfy fans of the DC Comics icon. "Rise of the Manhunters" is set after the events of the "Green Lantern" film. An army of exiled machines, the Manhunters, has returned to destroy the Green Lantern Corps and it's up to Hal Jordan to save the day and unravel the mystery behind the attack. Movie star Ryan Reynolds reprises his role as Jordan here and turns in a surprisingly solid performance. Reynolds' enthusiasm for the video-game role actually has me more excited to see the "Green Lantern" film, which was already high on my must-see list for the summer. The gameplay in "Rise of the Manhunters" borrows heavily from popular third-person action games such as "God of War," right down to the quick-time event sequences used to finish off large enemies. Green Lantern's ability to will the Power Ring to create any object he can imagine could have been a tricky issue to incorporate into a video game, but the developers handled it as well as they could by limiting the player to a dozen or so of these constructs. Basic construct attacks are mapped to the face buttons and include giants swords, a grappling hook and oversized fists. As you progress through the story, you can unlock and purchase additional constructs like a Gatling gun, rocket launcher and mech suit. Up to eight of these advanced constructs can be active at a time and are accessed by pulling one of the triggers and pressing one of the face buttons. You're free to mix-and-match your construct arsenal as you see fit, though I found myself only using the same handful on a regular basis. In addition to battling endless waves of robots and aliens, "Rise of the Manhunters" features some flight sequences, light puzzle-solving that shouldn't test your brain too much, and a smattering of RPG-type character progression that lets you upgrade your basic skills and ring powers. My biggest (and really only) gripe with "Rise of the Manhunters" is its painfully linear level design. Instead of letting the player naturally advance forward or having the freedom to explore the colorful alien worlds that are featured here, you are forced to progress by triggering a brief cutscene that sees Green Lantern leap from one area to the next. These repetitive cutscenes bring the fast-paced flow of the game to a grinding halt while adding nothing to the overall experience. Would it have been that difficult to include some stairs or a bridge to connect combat areas? I would love to know why the developers chose to go this route. I also experienced some issues with the soundtrack cutting out during cutscenes, but this only happened two or three times during the course of the 7-8 hours it took to complete the game. In spite of these issues, I still had fun playing through "Rise of the Manhunters." Thanks in large part to Reynolds' performance, I became invested in the story and looked forward to discovering the truth behind the Manhunters' arrival. The game makes good use of local drop-in drop-out co-op, letting a second player control Sinestro. My comic-book crazy kids especially enjoyed "Green Lantern," and we had a great time playing through the game together. In brightest day or blackest night, Green Lantern fans should not let this one escape their sight. "Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters" Developer: Double Helix Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Available for: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 ($59.99) Rating: T for teen Score: 6.9/10 To see more of The Charleston Gazette, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.wvgazette.com. Copyright (c) 2011, The Charleston Gazette, W.Va. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]