Published by: Majesco
Developed by: Panic Button
Release Date: 05/18/10
Available on: Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii
INTRO: Well, bringing you guys a hot new movie-related game every week isn’t’ always the easiest thing to do. I try to stay away from HUGE games unless they really hit the nail on the head for something awesome for the AITH site. What I really like to do is find the little guys that you might not have seen on every magazine cover for the last 6 months and let you know if they’re worth your time.
Today’s game took quite awhile for me to find, and although it isn’t completely a horror game, it is certainly movie-related and undoubtedly a relevant one for the column. On this day my friends, we visit Attack of the Movies in 3D. If you’d like to know how awesome it sounds, just read this description:
In Attack of the Movies 3D, players become an integral part of movie scenes they can typically only watch. Each scene features genre-based ultimate weapons to engage enemies, including zombie-slaying shotguns, automatic laser cannons and more. In addition, branching paths, changing enemy attack patterns, unique areas and environmental challenges ensure that players never experience the same fight twice.
I know, right? Doesn’t that sound like fun? You must read on to find the truth, true believers!
GAMEPLAY:
This game is a rail shooter that tries to span across all of the recognized movie genres. It works far better on the Wii than on the Xbox 360 because at least with the Wii version you’ve got a remote that you can point and shoot with. You’ll choose a movie theme (like a killer shark movie, a haunted mansion, giant insect attack or a zombie flick, my favorite) and start blasting.
Of course, we simply must mention the 3D aspect of the game because it’s legit, not just a catchphrase. Yes, this game comes with 4 pairs of the old red and blue glasses to wear while you play. If you think its a bad idea to stare at your screen for hours with these headache inducing glasses on, you’re right. Although it’s cool for a little while, the feeling really falls flat after awhile. There are a few cool moments but this isn’t exactly My Bloody Valentine’s field of depth. The only marginally satisfying 3D elements come when there are a ton of bad guys to blast on screen. But don’t worry- if you hate the 3D, you can lose the effects in 2D mode.
You’re probably wondering how this one plays at this point, right? Well, it plays essentially like you might expect- you point and shoot. Eventually you can pick up ammo-limited powerups as you go along the way (and when you get them, there’s a terribly annoying voice that tells you what you picked up). What drove me absolutely batsh*t insane is that the targeting reticle is constantly re-centering itself towers the middle of the screen and there’s absolutely nothing that can be done about it. The enemies move really fast and the projectiles can be tough to shoot before they hit you. On top of that, when you play with a friend you share the same life bar and die twice as fast! Neat!
Ultimately it is hard to not feel a bit cheated by this game. The 3D doesn’t deliver, the levels are pretty poorly designed, the game is short, the control is frustrating and there’s nothing terribly original about it. I suppose a family of four could have a fun night with this as a rental, but that’s being generous.
Gameplay: 3.5/10
GRAPHICS:
The graphics here are not impressive. You can’t shoot up any of the environments, and the characters are big, blocky and reminiscent of a PS2 title. On top of that, the red/blue 3D will give you a headache after an hour or so. On the plus side, there’s no slowdown or glitching that I noticed.
Graphics: 5/10
AUDIO:
The soundtrack is the best part of this game, with passable sound effects and fun movie scores that are entertaining and pretty decent all around.
Audio: 7/10
FINAL VERDICT:
This is undoubtedly a game meant for the bargain bin. If you’re an old-school 3D hound you might want to pick this up when it gets to be about 10 bucks. If you’re a gamer with a young family, you might want to give it a rent. The rest of us must settle for the fact that this is a ho-hum title that doesn’t rise above a fun concept at any point and can be blazed through in a short amount of time.
Final Score: 3.5/10
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