Review #242: TMNT(Gamecube)

 Ubisoft never cared much for the franchise, now did they?

 TMNT was Ubisoft's very first TMNT game after they acquired the rights to the franchise. Hot off the heels of the movie by the same name, TMNT is just your average, run of the mill movie-licensed game that could've been so much more.

 The game follows a slightly version of the movie's story, doing away with secondary characters like Casey, April and Karai. It also alters some events here and there. It's a passable retelling of the movie. The story is told through some hideous comic-book style cut-outs, and a very few clips from the movie. It takes place throughout 16 different stages, hopefully your favorite turtle is either Leonardo or Raphael, since they get the most solo levels, Mikey and Donnie only have a single level each to call their own, and the rest of the levels you play as the whole team... kinda. This is a strictly single player affair, and in the levels in which you can play as every turtle, you can press B to switch between turtles, making the turtle you were using before vanish into thin air. The game takes about 3-4 hours to complete, but there's also 16 unlockable challenge maps, as well as some extras by spending in-game currency.

 TMNT has two major components: Platforming and Fighting. Platforming is not unlike Prince of Persia, you'll jump from wall to wall or to ledges, wallrun across buildings and the such. It looks pretty nice, and the platforming is mostly decent, with the occasional accidental wallrun, which is pretty much a trademark of Ubisoft's games! The road you must follow is pretty linear, although there's a couple of sections that allow for slightly different routes. It's pretty neat that we finally get to do acrobatics across rooftops, which is something seldom seen in TMNT games... however, level design is very uninspired and dull. Every city level is pretty much identical to each other, you'll often wonder if you hadn't already come across certain obstacles. That said, there's a couple of levels that have unique set-pieces, like Mikey's level in which you must jump through giant floats, or a level that ends a top a train, these sparse moments of creativity can be quite fun, if only the rest of the game was as inspired. Now then, each turtle has a unique skill: Raphael can climb through certain walls(That look exactly like every other wall in whichever level they are, but are highlighted by a red light. Brilliant.), Donatello can use his staff to do a vault jump, which you only have to use TWICE in the ENTIRE game, Mikey who can hover with his nunchucks, which are only necessary in his only solo-level and then Leonardo con can... phase through metal bars... Yeah... What's most disappointing about these, is that they could've made from some interesting obstacle courses, but the skill you'll have to use the most is Rapael's, mostly since he has the most solo levels, and Leonardo. Why bother giving each character a unique trait, even if a very lame one, if you are not gonna build levels around exploiting each Turtle's abilities?

 Then there's the fighting, which is pretty much lifeless. Each turtle has the exact same abilities but their normal attack string. I just used Leonardo whenever it was possible since he is fast, strong and his combo covers the biggest area. Each character also has access to the same set of kicks, which break enemies guards, but mashing the normal attack button got me through the game just fine. There's no real depth to the combat, there's a few other abilities, but they are optional  at best and don't offer any possibility for creativity. So, y'know, just mash that X button. Slaying enemies without getting hit will increase your Star gauge, when filled you attacks become one-hit kills for a short while. Then there's dodging and blocking by using the shoulder buttons, team attacks by holding the B button, and a charge attack that works exactly the same for each turtle. Basically, dull and lifeless, like most of the rest of the game. And by the by, on the Nightwatcher levels, they didn't even bother to give him his ball and chain, he just uses the Sais. Amazing. And I didn't even get into the fixed camera angles, which can get in the way of the platforming, or hide enemies.

 The presentation is terrible, character models are simple to a fault, baring any kind of detail. The animation, particularly on the platforming actions, is pretty smooth though. As for the levels... while there's the occasional unique set piece, most of them look pretty bland. But the game as a whole looks blurry, terrible textures and a very washed-out color palette. I'd be hard pressed to be able to differentiate between all the City levels, they look pretty much the same. The music is forgettable, and the voice acting... according to the credits, Nolan North reprises his role as Raphael, but he sounds nothing like he does on the movie, the same holds for the rest of the characters. All in all, the dialogue is passable at best, assuming you don't get tired of hearing the same lines all the friggin' time.

 TMNT for the Gamecube is not terrible, there's fun to be had every now and then, but it's hard to avoid noticing how uninspired and soulless it feels. But hey, at least it's not TMNT on the PSP!
 5.0 out of 10