The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction

Start of review, the so-called introduction. It causes huge problems for many songwriters. Due to the lack of lacquer (or rather creativity), they fill it with little interesting information about the box in which the item is located, or they put in it perfunctory information about previous games from a given series. I, however, assume that an interesting introduction often means more than a proper review. It allows you to identify yourself with the author, direct feelings and emotions towards him (anger, understanding, sometimes an ordinary, friendly liking of the reviewer by the reader). This is how I see it. Meanwhile, let's vote Hulkogrrraaaauuuuu !!! ... "RZEEEEEZ! SZOOOOOOK! OVERRRRRRRAAAHWITH! ”... Phew, he's not very communicative creature. Unfortunately, it was not his only appearance in this text. There is nothing left for us to do but say hello to the hero of the title I am reviewing, Hulk - a powerful monster, known in his free time under the name Banner. From today, green rules this world.

The character of Hulk was invented in May 1962 by two gentlemen - Americans Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. It is worth noting that they also co-created such comic heroes as Spider-Man, Iron Man, Daredevil, Captain America or the extraordinary family hiding under the name of the Fantastic Four. For most of their lives, they collaborated with Marvel, arguably the biggest player on the comic book market (Stan Lee does it to this day, Jack died in 1994). Albums of Hulk's latest adventures are being released all the time. The filmmakers, in turn, faced this hero several times. In addition to television series, the most famous of which was the one produced in the 1970s by CBS (starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno), we had the opportunity to watch a cinema picture. Hulk, because that was the title of the film, hit theaters around the world in 2003, and the main roles were played by Eric Bana (as Bruce Banner) and Jennifer Connelly (as Betty Ross - the protagonist's fiancée). The players could play Banner's alter ego several times. Hulk appeared, among others in Capcom's fighting games (Marvel Super Heroes, Marvel vs. Capcom), a platformer for Atari 2600 (Incredible Hulk) and an action-packed adventure game from the authors of Ultimate Destruction, Radical Entertainment (The Hulk). You have to admit that the legacy is considerable. What does Hulkwrrrrrrraaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu !! ?? .... "CRUSH!" ... Mo ... I could not ask.

The story of The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction is based on a story known to fans from several recently released albums. At the beginning of the game, controlling the Hulk, we learn that Bruce Banner together with Doctor Samson are working on a vaccine that will break the unexpected changes into a green monster. Government troops led by the unpredictable Emil Blonsky (later in the game - Abomination) and the mad general Thaddeus Ross (the similarity of names and surnames to the Polish satirist are completely random) stand in their way. I don't know what to expect, but the Hulk certainly won't stop!

I usually describe the game system here, but in the case of Ultimate Destruction I will come back to the storyline, because not everything is fine with it. The biggest problem that touched this element of play is the broadly understood chaos. Even if we really wanted to piece the pieces of this puzzle together, we wouldn't be able to do it. It is related to the division of the game into three types of missions: main, pushing the story forward; tasks necessary to perform, which open up further key stages for us; and side missions that increase the number of points for which we acquire new blows. Most of the time of the game, we have practically no contact with the main plot. Interference with its evolution takes place only by performing the first type of mission. There are very few of these, just a few. In addition, they reveal themselves at quite considerable intervals. It is true that the authors also noticed this minor error and provided players with summaries that appear after the completion of each of the seven chapters into which Ultimate Destruction is divided, but a certain distaste remains.

In this way, I presented you with one of the few negative aspects of the reviewed item. With a clear conscience I can go to the description of the game itself. And this one is very interesting. The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction is a TPP position full of powerful duels. Remember the last console version of Spider-Man ( Spider-Man 2: The Game ) available in Europe, but replace the slender hero with the mighty Hulk. Add the ability to demolish entire districts, cause fires, and perform powerful special blows and you'll understand what I mean. The gameplay, as well as the character of the hero, stirs up so much aggression in us that the only thing we dream about is destruction. Clean, no-fuss demolition. The authors decided to abandon the stealth missions in which we played the human character of Bruce Banner (present in the previous game, entitled The Hulk ). In my opinion, it is a bull's eye - the ones in which we played with the green creature were simply more interesting.

You already know about the division into three types of missions, about seven chapters interspersed with quite extensive plot summaries. What you don't know is that the game starts with a training option. Thanks to it, we get acquainted with the basic set of movements that the undeveloped Hulk offers us. We learn to use jumps of several meters (e.g. to gain energy or jump onto a nearby building / rock) and the ability to run on vertical walls. We turn the vehicles scattered over a square kilometer into a pile of smoldering metal, and we send the regularly running soldiers to the bosom of Abraham. We also get acquainted with green energy balls, their orange varieties increasing the score account and thalers that open a number of accessories for the player (new boxers for Hulk, an elegant version of the green monster hiding under the name Joe Fixit, double punch strength, etc.)

After successfully completing the training, we begin without any obstacles to perform the tasks set for us by the gentlemen from Radical Entertainment. We proceed to them by leaving the base. This role is played by a church built in a remote area. Doctor Samson, who tries to help Bruce with the work on the vaccine, is inside for almost the entire period of play. In the church, we can also supply Hulk with new blows bought for points earned for completing missions, as well as read the nuances of the scenario. This building is also used to save the game (which we also overwrite after each stage). In the church yard, there are three strategic points - two fields that lead Hulk to a powerful metropolis and a town with a well-developed oil industry, and a point where the main mission closely related to the plot awaits us from time to time. These are usually fights with powerful opponents - Abomination (Emil in the gore version, i.e. after taking a dangerous chemical), General Ross who is in a huge job, called Hulkbuster, or an extremely strong Devil Hulk, which we will fight while staying in Bruce's mind Banner.

When we are present in a metropolis or town, the gameplay resembles that of the hit Grand Theft Auto series . Nothing prevents us from running around the whole map with Hulk, getting to know it and its most important points (the town is surrounded by a huge complex of canyons and rocks). In the meantime, we can practice our newly acquired blows and skills. It is also worth familiarizing yourself with the icons that appear on the screen, i.e. the energy indicator and the map with streets and badges symbolizing the main and side missions and places from which we can return to our base.

If we want, we can proceed to one of the tasks. In this case, run to the mark (exclamation mark or asterisk) and press the action button. The stages are really diverse (we will come across nearly thirty main and forty side ones). Playing the role of Hulk, we destroy reactors, power plants, watch over Samson, attacked by the army, trying to break through the city with a small estate car, attack convoys, protect a skyscraper and obtain items needed by the doctor to construct a machine capable of producing an antidote.

The side missions, on the other hand, are pure arcade games. The authors focused on the humor and dexterity of our fingers. There are runs where you have to achieve the best time, fights with soldiers (destroy them all!) And tanks. However, you can find real gems. How about golf, in which the role of the ball is played by a large rock, and the club is part of the crane that extracts crude oil? Even more interesting is the variation on the immortal Yeti Sports - soldiers jump out of the helicopter, and we have to hit them hard enough to fly at least 300 meters. A man is never sure of tomorrow - at one point I had to fly halfway across the city holding on to ... a huge, inflatable gentleman who previously served as an advertisement for one of the companies present in the game. The variety of tasks is really surprising and we perform each of them with a huge banana on our face.

I would now like to move on to the best, most rewarding part of the game. It is a fight. What the Hulk can do is beyond human comprehension. Let's skip jumping over a dozen or several dozen meters, running on walls and smashing into dust everything that comes into his fist. Our hero was equipped with the weaponize skill. It allows you to create a solid protective shield from, for example, a truck. But it doesn't stop there. Hulk can glide on this disc, like on a snowboard! I do not need to mention the great destruction. He breaks the smallest vehicles in half and uses them to create metal gloves, thanks to which the extermination of enemy machines is carried out in a truly lightning manner. Sometimes a crane with a ball used to demolish old buildings will appear on our way. Hulk can detach such a ball and use it like yo-yo! That's it for weaponize, because this option is only a small fraction of the green monster's capabilities.

Earlier I mentioned that you can buy a lot of new punches while in the church. There are (I did not count exactly) about eighty. Some are very simple - typical combos, breaking poles, bus stops. However, there are real bombs that can be activated only after charging the entire energy bar and a maximum of three power units (each additional unit is purchased in the church). Then you just need to hold, for example, a square with a triangle for about three or four seconds, and the Hulk will start an attack. The described impact releases a lethal shockwave that sweeps away everything in its path. Other skills are just as good, for example creating a large ball out of a rock, which throws it towards enemies and kills them like bowling pins. Flying units (helicopters and jets) can be intercepted in flight and brought to the ground, of course, in combination with a large explosion. Another type of enemy are tanks. We can grab these by the barrel, swing them and throw them towards a stronger enemy.

Later in the game, we are constantly attacked by small, flying Hulkbusters, i.e. robots controlled by humans. If they can't help us, they call for reinforcements in the form of ready-to-do Mega Hulkbusters equipped with rocket launchers. The green hero duel with them by jumping on them and hitting what he falls into, what he falls into. It can also intercept missiles flying towards it and send them back to the sender. The Polish Post Office has nothing to say here. We will deal with self-propelled rocket launchers in a similar way. You can use anything in sight for attacks - garbage containers, lanterns, traffic lights, stops, trees, poles, rocks, vehicles, and even people (although they do not deal too much damage).

Battles with the biggest opponents (such as bosses) cause devilish destruction. The effect of the fight with the robot controlled by General Ross, 50 meters high, is the island on which the duel takes place. Don't forget that it was previously covered with skyscrapers. The most important thing is that all the blows shock you with power, strength and unimaginable energy. The Hulk roars in the heavens, the murdered people roar, the commanders' slogans are silent. The impression is amazing. More than once, I've launched Ultimate Destruction just to crush a few tanks.

The new Hulk is not easy. Maybe in diffrent way. It is not difficult, but it is extremely demanding. Battles draw a lot of energy from us. The two-hour session was the longest I could ever play. I just didn't have the strength to do more. The buttons on the pad are pushed at the speed of light - punch, dodge, combo, wave, dodge, jump, wall run, jump, hit, dodge and all within seconds. Nevertheless, the satisfaction prevails and for the next 7195 seconds I fought like a real gladiator. Fortunately, the game is not very long. It takes about twelve hours to complete all missions, along with side missions, and get gold medals in them.

The graphic design is quite simple. The characters do not consist of any huge number of triangles, and the buildings are ordinary boxes, with little texture. This makes the metropolis very monotonous. The main actors, led by Hulk, excel in this field. Their appearance is professional, they are well animated. Mouth laughs when we see a hero dressed in the national colors of Ireland fighting against Abomination. The graphic effects are professional - an exploding tank sends a ton of rubbish into the air, and the blow causing the shock wave is accompanied by cool slow motion (cars bouncing around look brilliant). The bottom line is that the animation rarely chokes. It keeps a steady 60fps for most of the fun. Music sounds like a movie. If someone said that John Williams is responsible for it (eg Star Wars ) I would believe it. The sound effects are equally effective. Without them, some of the blows would not have made such a big impression on us.

The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction is the game I've been waiting for. I wanted a position that would allow me to live well and got something like that. If you too were waiting for a slaughterhouse with extremely fun missions, then TIH: UD is for you. And don't be afraid that you will get bored quickly. A ton of bonuses (movies, clothes, punches, graphic styles, e.g. sepia and lots of others) extends the life of this title to a really reasonable number of hours. At the end, my father's three words lead aaaaggrrrrrRRRRR !!!! ... NO HAPPY POISONUUUJESSZZZZ !!! WRRRRRAAAAUUUU !!!! ... He is terrible caveman.

Piotr "jiker" Doroń

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