The Incredible Hulk (Wii)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 1.5 stars Poor
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 3.5 (1.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Tom Shea
• Reviewed on: 06/16/2008
• Released on: 06/05/2008
• Originally published on GameSpot: The Incredible Hulk (Wii) Review

From a blind man's perspective, the Wii version of The Incredible Hulk is a mirror image of its Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 counterparts. You control the giant green monster in a free-roaming, fully destructible version of New York City. The repetitive missions and devil-may-care structure make the transition intact, letting you wreak havoc on the streets if you feel like shirking your duty to save the city. Though the core mechanics are identical, what little fun that could be had by mindlessly terrorizing the people of New York has been lost in translation. The rudimentary graphics and cumbersome controls eradicate even the simple joys of causing massive chaos. By trying to cram the same sandbox experience onto a system with far less power, the Wii version loses what little charm The Incredible Hulk had. This abject mess should be avoided by even the most diehard comic-book fans.

The story shows Hulk's evolution from local monster who everyone wants out of their precious city to the lesser-of-two-evils abnormality who saves New York from an even greater threat. Half of the cutscenes are told through static screens featuring just a tape recorder and Edward Norton's tired voice, whereas the other half are poorly rendered cinematics that show barely recognizable versions of the stars from the movie. It's hard to get immersed in this tale of alienation and redemption when the actors sound so disinterested in the proceedings.

The visuals in Hulk are absolutely atrocious. The comically archaic draw-in and pop-up from the other versions are even more pronounced here, hindering not only your visibility but your fun as well. When you climb a building and look at the city beneath you, there is nothing but thick fog engulfing everything. It's often impossible to judge how far you must jump to land on the next building because you can't see it, which saps the fun of bounding around the city. When you're walking at ground level, people and cars will pop into view right in front of you and mysteriously disappear when they leave your sight. There is also a lot of clipping going on. You can toss cars straight through buildings, and you'll see Hulk's arm go clean through the backside of enemies, causing no damage. At other times, you'll reach out to grab an object that lies in front of you and it will vanish right before your eyes.

The thriving city that made the other versions fun in short bursts seem to have been overrun by a life-ending plague here. Streets are often completely empty. Where an abundance of cars and people once fled in terror, there are now only a few people and the occasional car lining the streets. The idea of rampaging around a virtual New York City is enticing, but when the population seems to have disappeared, it kills one's desire. It's boring destroying a city if no one even cares.

Continue reading