Review: can G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra escape the curse of movie tie-ins?
The G.I Joe cartoon series was extremely popular back in the 80s, with so many different memorable characters. The new G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra game lets you play as 16 different characters including Cobra members. Despite the assortment of colorful characters that can be controlled, the game suffers from the age old movie-to-game trappings.
Story
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra the video game is the movie tie-in game to the recently released action film. Interestingly enough, the developers decided to bring a new story to the game instead of repeating what was shown in the movie. However, don’t expect a story of epic proportions, but more on the scale of a side mission. There isn’t much to tell about the story, except that gamers should probably watch the movie first or you will be confused in the beginning.
Controls
Probably the most glaringly frustrating aspect of G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra stems from the controls. The game seems to suffer from an identity crisis, which could be caused by trying to do too many things. The game can’t decide whether it should be an action game or a shooter. Incorporating 12 playable G.I. Joe characters plus some Cobra characters can be challenging when trying to accommodate different attack styles.
The developers decided to incorporate a cover system, which can be used to latch onto nearby objects with a press of a button. The same button also causes the player to do an evade roll. At times due to the fixed camera angle, players will don an evade roll while trying to take cover and vice versa.
A cover system should not be employed in a game that has all of these characteristics at the same time: third person action, fixed camera angle, and lock-on system. The cover system really just feels tacked on possibly to entice hardcore gamers into buying the game.
The game also utilizes a lock-on system which can get finicky at times. You will end up locking onto powerups when you want to lock onto enemies and vice versa. This is an age old issue when utilizing a lock-on system and almost always requires a great deal of development time to refine properly like Prototype. However, I suspect since G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is a movie tie-in game, development time must have been limited.
It seems like the developers wanted to make G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra more of an no-holds barred action game with arcadey shooting mechanics, which I can respect. For the most part the game does deliver an almost fun and mindless rampage experience especially with the accelerator suit activated and when not marred by nagging camera and control issues.
Visuals/Design
Visually the game won’t knock your socks off, but there are no glaringly serious issues with it either. The cut scenes which progress the games narrative look actually pretty decent, but the voice acting is a bit lacking. However, the music is probably one of the best aspects of the overall presentation.
As I mentioned previously, the camera is fixed and can’t be controlled by the player. We have seen games with fixed camera angles done right, but unfortunately G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is not one of them. There are issues with enemies just sitting off the range of vision shooting at you with no possible way to swing the camera to that direction. At times you will be running to certain death blindly.
The developers also included a local co-op mode to further provide that arcade like experience. This mode can be fun to play with a friend if you are just looking for a quick pick-up and play session without the goal of beating it. Serious gamers will get frustrated with the lack of checkpoints as both you and your buddy will have to start from the very beginning of the level if both players die.
For the initial playthough, it is recommended that gamers play with the computer AI, which is incredibly resilient.
One of my favorite aspects to the game is the unlockable videos. Gamers will be able to unlock video clips and the classic public service announcements through game progression. There are people out there who buy DVD versions of the cartoon series just for this stuff. It does bring back awesome childhood memories of being glued to the TV set every Saturday morning.
Wrap-up
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is a mediocre game at best, but it does have some great fun moments. Hardcore gamers will get frustrated with the controls and camera angles, but casual young gamers should get some enjoyment via pick-up and play style. I strongly get the feeling that the game was geared towards a younger crowed who might have enjoyed the movie, but I also get the feeling that it was unsuccessfully trying to target the hardcore market as well.
This might have been the developer’s biggest mistake by trying to do too many things at once. Also, the fact the developers had to work towards a hard-set milestone probably didn’t help things much. Despite some of the glaring shortcomings, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra can provide mindless fun if not taken too seriously and played with the intent to run around shooting things up while killing some time.
Score
2/5
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40 Responses to “Review: can G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra escape the curse of movie tie-ins?”
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August 26th, 2009
Seriously Mike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?
August 26th, 2009
Roca,
I’m behind as it is..there is a queue of things that needs to be done..
Already working on the next review.
August 26th, 2009
Yo Joe. Did you guys ever watch the cartoon while getting ready for school?
August 26th, 2009
The game looks awful and is awful i read. Enjoy this episode instead.
megaupload.com/?d=FZUDYIJ7
GI_Joe.S1E01.The Further Adventures of G.I.Joe.avi
August 26th, 2009
Bugger and I threw the latest issue out, but I think OPSM Aus game it the title of worst movie tie in ever.
August 26th, 2009
“Yo Joe. Did you guys ever watch the cartoon while getting ready for school?”
ohhhh those were good timess!
August 26th, 2009
***** Final Fantasy VII Remake news*****
Speaking at gamescom last week, Kitase said: “As for a VII remake, all I can advise right now is to play the PSN release that just came out for the time being. Maybe, perhaps we’ll have some news for you at a later time.”
“I’m actually working on multiple projects right now,” said Kitase. “I don’t know exactly what new projects I’ll be taking on after XIII, but I am working on Agito XIII as well, so maybe I’ll be able to focus a little bit more on that project once XIII is complete.”
I knew SE cant be that stupid and not make a remake of their best game!
August 26th, 2009
Roca.:
All i want is FFXIII, Versus XIII and XIV. Also i want Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep.
August 26th, 2009
I thought you dont play/like RPGs
August 26th, 2009
Is there a good movie tie-in out there?
I remember myself watching G.I. Joe cartoons but somehow I don´t remeber the episodes as much as Thundercats´.
August 26th, 2009
@ Akaro
ThunderCats was awesome! is it just me or cartoons now days are not as good as the were in the 80’s and 90’s
I loved Thundercats, Silver Hawks, Transformer, Jhonny Quest, The Flintstones, Voltron, Popeye ,The Smurfs, The Jetsons, SWAT Kats, The Centurions, TMNT, X-Men, KNIGHTS OF THE ZODIAC, and more
August 26th, 2009
Roca.:
I don’t play them but for FF i always make a exception.
August 26th, 2009
Well, at least with the next Batman movie they can just re-use/modify what they did for Arkham Asylum. Then we will have the first good movie tie-in in history!
August 26th, 2009
********Xbox 360 Price Drop********
“As of Sunday 30th of August the Xbox 360 60GB Pro system will be cut to $249.99 from $299.99, and the Xbox 360 120GB Elite system will now be available for $299.99 from $399.99. The Xbox 360 60GB Pro system model will be phased out over the next three months”
August 26th, 2009
Guess those walmart ads were true then
Now, where is Nintendo with thier price drop?
August 26th, 2009
Walmart never lie (wink)
August 26th, 2009
“Then we will have the first good movie tie-in in history!”
Doesn’t GoldenEye already have that title?
-Arvis
August 26th, 2009
Damn you Arvis, DAMN YOU!!!!
*shakes fist*
Guess I forgot about that one…
Ahhh proximity mine only death match… Those were the days… *sniffle*
August 26th, 2009
Mike… Where’s my BatMan GOTY review?!?!?
Also that chick who plays the Baroness in the movie is smoking hot.
August 26th, 2009
Goldeneye may have been the first to buck the long legacy of movie tie in games being horrible (ET was the first, I think) but it is still one, if not THE best movie tie in game ever.
August 26th, 2009
Isn’t ET the game that 1,000s of copies had to get buried in the desert somewhere?
I have actually played ET… I remember it was completely broken. It didn’t even work.
August 26th, 2009
Millions of copies, apparently. A couple dudes made a documentary about it a few years back.
The story goes that it was one programmer given 2 weeks to make a video game to tie in with the impending super success of the movie.
August 26th, 2009
“Doesn’t GoldenEye already have that title?”
O_O… I can not believe I forgot about that one… *Seppuku ensues*.
Roca:
Oh man, me too! Now those are DVD collections I want to get! Also, Batman, The Animated Series was a favorite.
I remember that my father used to watch some of them with me (when he got some time). Unlike then, he says he can´t stand today´s cartoons , aside from a FEW good ones like Avatar. It seems that most nowadays cartoons are mediocre.
Changing topic:
And I dunno, perhaps Nintendo will choose to receive some hits at sales before doing their move.
August 26th, 2009
Do you guys know that the “Predador” game for PS2 is “unbeatable”. Nobody has EVER beaten the game
the Developers forgot to put HP (hit points/damage points) to the Final Boss….lol
August 26th, 2009
Damn Roca, that is an awesome piece of trivia. I might have to use that some time.
August 26th, 2009
Jofa – Huh, I’ll have to check that out. It was ages ago, but I remember that the only thing I could get ET to do was extend his neck.
August 26th, 2009
Akaro – the early 90s BatMan series was the best by a landslide. Also the straight to DVD movie, BatMan Gotham Knight was really good.
August 26th, 2009
damn Jofa, you got the joke so quick! at least I tried
August 26th, 2009
Oh shit, I forgot about Batman for the NES. That was a damn good game. I also played the shit out of Robocop for NES, but never finished it for its massive, flickering flaws.
August 26th, 2009
Love the music from the first stage at Batman for the NES.
Seems like Batman receives a better treatment at videogames than most superheroes.
And how many animated series get to introduce characters and plots into the original comics as canon? I mean, Harley is even in AA, isn´t she?
August 26th, 2009
All I know is after playing AA, I can see why the joker is interested in Harley…
She crazy trash, but sexeh crazy trash…
August 26th, 2009
Akaro – Yeah Harley was actually first introduced in the animated series. I think she is voiced by the same actress in the game even. Didn’t that series introduce someone else also?
The game’s story was written by the same guy who wrote the animated series (Paul Dini)
SW – I love her new outfit.
August 26th, 2009
Lets start talking about G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra again please.
Currently playing Call of Duty: World at War on my 2007 80gb PS3.
If anyone here wants to watch those old cartonn let me know.
August 27th, 2009
Mike,
Here is what I would do if I were you…
Eject GI Joe from your console. Then take the disc and snap it into two. Return the game to the retailer were you purchased it, and tell them it was like that when you opened it. Politely ask if you can exchange the game. When the young kid behind the counter agrees, ask if you would be able to exchange it for Batman.
Return back home and call your boss. Tell him you don’t feel well and will not be able to make into work tomorrow. Then stay up and night and play Batman. Sleep in the next day, then wake up and proceed to play Batman. You can give us your glowing review tomorrow evening.
And….. go!
August 27th, 2009
I am with Barnabe on this one.
Heck, lets just all agree you’ll be giving batman an A/A-
Review complete
August 27th, 2009
Now I can sleep tonight. Thank you.
August 27th, 2009
I have been enjoying both Batman and FF: Dissiddia.
Batman is freaking awesome (I had low hopes for this game) although I need a fucking strategy guy.
Dissidia is a great fighting game that brings alot of unique (FF) things to that genre
August 27th, 2009
I will pass on Batman
August 28th, 2009
I know u are all about shooter but Batman: AA is freaking awesome
August 28th, 2009
I guess i can get it when it becomes a GREATEST HIT collection for just half the price.