Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction – Review

Comic book inspired videogames often serve to promote a sense of reviewer dread as they load up before wary eyes so accustomed to Marvel malaise or DC disappointment. And bigger, higher profile titles than The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction have recently proven themselves unworthy in today’s marketplace.

One need only cast a disgusted backward glance at the truly horrendous Fantastic 4 to gather a fair idea of what we, the lowly reviewers, must endure on behalf of the expectant consumer. Therefore it’s all the more surprising—yet also desperately clarifying to the current quality dive—when a comic hero smashes preconceived notions of expectation. And who better to do the smashing than Dr. Bruce Banner and his monstrously green alter ego, The Incredible Hulk.

As the game begins we find the good doctor in a secluded forest hideout, busy putting the finishing touches to an experimental device which he hopes will rectify his traumatised subconscious mind and subdue the Hulk that rages within. However, Banner’s isolated research and hopes are shattered abruptly by attacking government forces, and the prototype machine is destroyed in the ensuing chaos. Banner escapes, but with his work now obliterated, successfully quelling the mighty green beast may be all but impossible.

Together with long-time friend and therapist, Dr. Leonard Samson, Banner begins anew on a quest to assemble another machine. This time though, the only way to quickly gather the required components is to use Samson’s powers of hypnosis to induce a controlled state of mind in Banner, thereby causing his transformation to The Incredible Hulk on demand. Dogged throughout by the relentlessly pursuing General ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross, an endless supply of heavy artillery, and the nefarious Emil Blonsky, Banner must utilise the very thing he hopes to destroy in order to reach for freedom.

Unfortunately, Ultimate Destruction offers no accessible avenues for the dedicated female gamer, though being a huge green juggernaut of annihilation is probably not that alluring in terms of the gentler sex. The game also doesn’t offer up any connecting female characters, it’s all male-oriented mayhem from the get-go. However, that doesn’t detract from the experience, and, personally speaking, I’ve always found the Hulk to be somewhat ambivalent sexually, no? The hard of hearing demographic can still enjoy the game’s central narrative in its entirety via full subtitles, and they’re never intrusive to the gameplay to the point where they sully interaction.

Graphically, Ultimate Destruction initially resembles GTA in terms of scope. It’s opening cityscapes are genuinely expansive and players will always feel the tug of exploration as they tear through streets, mauling cars, ripping down water towers, terrifying the locals, and generally causing havoc with anything not bolted down. As with GTA’s basic core mechanic, Ultimate Destruction sets players free amid the downtown sprawl and simply allows for completely unhurried familiarisation with the surroundings. There are story missions highlighted on your HUD map, but no ticking clock against which they are measured. Indeed, taking an hour to simply roam around the city exercising the Hulk’s abilities and getting into countless rumbles with police patrols and tactical strike forces assigned to ‘bring you down’, immediately draws you into the game. From this point on, you’re a fan. There’s no point trying to fight it.

Beyond the marked story missions exist countless opportunities to gather ‘smash’ points (which can be traded for new attacks and special moves) by accepting challenge missions. While these have no direct bearing on the narrative, they exist as exciting and addictive mini-games and semi-tutorials where the player seamlessly hones specific skills while battling it out for the coveted ‘gold star’ reward and its accompanying wealth of points. These range from rescuing stranded civilians from atop a burning skyscraper before it topples to the ground, evading tank and artillery fire so that attackers accidentally shoot at each other, and racing over a set course of markers that are laid out to cover ground, rooftops, and air. Every challenge mission seem to unfold in order for players to naturally progress with the Hulk’s array of moves and abilities without ever feeling forced to adapt by uncomfortably applied circumstance.

Also littered liberally across environments are green spherical power-ups (also dropped by defeated foes), which increase the Hulk’s HUD power bar. Once at maximum, Hulk reaches ‘critical mass’ and can then execute one of a selection of massively destructive special moves—which are all guaranteed to bring a smile to the face. These power-ups become incredibly important during the more frenetic battles where Hulk is facing considerable simultaneous opposition in the forms of tanks, rocket-launching ground troops, mobile missile trucks, helicopter gunships, armoured mechs, etc. In short, they’re vital for Hulk’s survival and his continued attack power. Other yellow power-ups provide Hulk with extra smash points, whereas 60 hidden green discs containing the letter ‘C’ unlock classic Hulk comic covers, game-related artwork, in-game movies, a documentary, and a variety of cheat codes. Question mark icons are also in constant attendance throughout the game, and they offer handy gameplay hints and guidance, should the player wish to use them. Finding and using every icon unlocks a special goody within the game.

Though the game’s aesthetic qualities, both visual and aural, are fantastic, it’s the open and accessible gameplay that truly takes the plaudits in Ultimate Destruction. The overriding sense of absolute freedom and complete power within any given environment is staggeringly well achieved. Whether you’re careering headlong down a busy street and plucking cars from your path to hurl at oncoming traffic, or you’re bounding effortlessly in and out of deep and winding canyons, Ultimate Destruction actively promotes the one core gameplay factor that cannot be coded, designed, or implemented: fun.

Following the unfolding storyline is always your prime objective, but wasting time between missions by simply enjoying the game’s depth and breadth is almost as important. This reviewer simply found himself repeatedly causing as much blatant destruction as possible to evoke a strike team response from the authorities. The clock ticked through more than two hours as wave after wave of forces attempted to stop the mighty green menace. The sound of boyish laughter filled the lounge as more and more smash points amassed, and the Hulk’s plethora of moves became second nature. Not many games can draw that level of enjoyment. Not even GTA.

One of the most famous lines from the title sequence of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s TV iteration of The Incredible Hulk was: “…don’t make me angry, Mr. McGee. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.” How true, who would be thrilled by the sudden visitation of a semi-naked green Lou Ferrigno? However, in Ultimate Destruction, you as the player will positively gush with enjoyment every time the Hulk displays his ill balanced temperament. Indeed, above all other elements, your complete control over such an astounding destructive force is the game’s crowning achievement.

But this immersion-specific gameplay mechanic would be all but worthless without a suitable platform to exploit it on, which makes the game shine even brighter as you bound and leap across expansive, detailed and believable environments. Ensuing interaction would be tainted irrevocably without tangible challenge progression, but this never emerges as you hurl, lob, crush and pulverise almost anything in your path—be it threatening or otherwise—while learning fabulous new attacks and critical moves to balance the evolving difficulty.

Graphically and aurally, Ultimate Destruction is thoroughly impressive, yet its high-end aesthetics happily, and quite rightly, take a back seat for the sake of simply fabulous gameplay. Across the course of the game, and amid Hulk’s ever-expanding arsenal of attacks, nothing comes close to the immense satisfaction taken from leaping high into the air with a truck and launching it ferociously at an enemy directly beneath. The sense of breathless inertia is fantastic as Hulk lingers at the top of his jump and the truck thunders down towards its distant target. The game is crammed with these moments of player joy. Simple and effective, Ultimate Destruction encapsulates the very essence of quality gameplay. Excellent.

Review by Stevie