Review: Captain America Super Soldier (PS3)
By Wayne Webb
Movie tie-ins are always a tricky genre of games. Most have been messy and hastily thrown together to get a quick buck, some others can be as average as the film they support and rarely do they rise above to stand out. Captain America sits firmly in the average rankings of this genre.
I’ve not yet seen the movie so I don’t know how well the acting stacks up against the game, but from what I’ve heard in the gameplay – it’s not much to brag about. It does feature some of the original cast from the movie, Hugo Weaving being notably absent. It sounds like it’s being read off of cue cards in some places. The graphics look washed out and not as crisp and detailed as I would expect from current generation technology. Some of the scenes would not look out of place on a PS2. It may be part of the ideal look for a WW2 comic book adaptation, but I don’t see that as a good feature of a modern game.
The good news is that once you get past the presentation issues, the game warms up pretty fast and becomes enjoyable as soon as you throw your shield the first time. The story is pure boys own adventure territory and takes me back to my formative years with Marvel comics and Commando War Stories. Suspend your disbelief and ignore the anachronisms because it’s a comic book story and enjoyable every step of the way. The plot progresses the action, but there are achievements littered throughout the game for you to hunt down and complete. Smashing 50 statues, finding all the collectibles, exploding 500 objects (for example) will keep you coming back to replay some levels to get the full achievement reward.
The next big plus is the combat; the aforementioned shield throwing is fun and replaces the idea of shooting at your enemies. Power ups can be obtained through experience and score accumulation and these add some formidable moves to your arsenal. The landing of some special, “critical” hits and shield-charges are very gratifying in their bone jarring, slow motion glory.
It has a few presentation drawbacks, but the good thing about it is that the game is fun and engaging. Well worth a look-in to play if you’re a Marvel fan, a gamer or just looking to be entertained.
Pros: Fun story, loads to achieve, satisfying action.
Cons: Average graphics, not much of a challenge in places, voice acting sub-par.
3.5 out of 5 Shacks
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