Platform: PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox

Genre: Action

Number of Players: 1

Back when I used to read comics when I was younger, I was into many different super hero titles, but I just never could get into The Incredible Hulk. The X-Men were cool with their unique mutant abilities and intricate storylines, at least until continuity took a backseat, and Spider-Man was decent, but there was just something about a guy turning into a big green monster when he was angry that wasn't appealing. I've never been into the live-action television series from the 70's or the animated series, and I was warned in regards to the movie. But, a lot of magazines and website has been "raging" about the new Hulk game, so much so that I did take notice and decided that maybe I should find out if all of the hype was really reasonable, or if it was just another case of people getting excited over nothing.

The new Incredible Hulk game is subtitled Ultimate Destruction, and as you may have already guessed if you're a fan, you're going to be taking on the role of Dr. Bruce Banner. Banner has been working on a device to get his subconscious, the Hulk in this case, in check. However, the government is aware of where Banner is hiding and tries to flush him out, instead releasing the Hulk in the process. Now, Banners only choice is to get help from his close friend, Dr. Leonard Samson before the Hulk completely gains control. Banner is slowly slipping away, the government is close behind and trying to stop the Hulk permanently, and Banner's adversary Emil Blonsky has become an "abomination" of what he used to be, and things are looking grim with each passing minute.

How do you take a character that, in my mind, is a little lame and unimpressive and make a cool game out of him? With Ultimate Destruction, that's how. Maybe that's what you get when you jump into a game expecting little to nothing, but this game seriously rocks. The gameplay is more or less set up like a cross between Grand Theft Auto and Destroy All Humans or perhaps even Rampage. The Hulk however isn't going to be running loose on the streets stealing cars, but he will be running loose, and destroying just about everything that comes into his path.

You have two different methods of playing the game in the story mode. Dr. Samson will send you out on missions, most of the time to get the right parts for the machine that he's trying to help Banner complete. These can consist of general retrieval missions to time-based goals, but this isn't exactly going to be easy. The military is out to get Banner, and as you take to the streets, the citizens are going to become aware of your presence very quickly. At first, the police will be called in to deal with you, but once they see they aren't enough, the military will jump into the battle, and they are relentless. If you take to safer, or in some cases higher, ground, the enemy response meter will begin to drop, making things temporarily safe for you to get on with your mission.

Aside from the main mission though, you will find icons that represent bonus missions. These can range from things like destroying as much of the city as you can before time runs out to running from point A to B in as short a time as you can, to even killing soldiers. Each of the different areas in the game will have these, and even if you complete them, you are free to go in once again and try and beat your previous score. Is there a point to all of this? Of course there is.

Destroying things, anything, will award you with Smash points. These can later be spent on new moves for the Hulk, much like what gamers that have played the Spider-Man games have seen, and the big green guy has a lot of them. They start out basic enough, and you have your punches and jumps, but the Hulk can do some pretty cool things. He can run up buildings, he can land with a power punch, he can grab items on the run, and he can even Weaponize things. Let's say for example you pick up a car, you can then either throw it or you can crush it, forming steel fists in the process, which increase the damage your attacks do. Picking up a missile launcher will let you rip it in half, shoulder mounting part of it in order to launch attacks at enemies. Who is safe from the Hulk? No one. You can beat down the police, slap around the military, or even toss innocent citizens into buildings.

Really, they though of everything here? What are some of the things that I have enjoyed doing? There's something to be said about grabbing someone off the streets, it doesn't matter who it is, and then using them as a projectile to lob at helicopters. Taking destroyed tanks and using them as enormous steel bats is rather fun as well. With so many moves available, the possibilities of the destruction you can cause become virtually limitless, though it is a little difficult to bring down those bigger buildings. But, if you think that the Hulk is mad to start with, just wait until you see what happens as the game moves on. As you destroy everything and take damage, the Hulk has a meter that will build up, Critical Mass, and should it maximize, things get real ugly. Critical Mass will allow the Hulk to use some of his most destructive and deadly moves, though using these will deplete the meter, but this is where you can cause some of the most mayhem in the game. Critical mass in this case is good.

The stages will also find you locating game hints (and these can be accessed from the games sub-menu) finding comic book covers that unlock a number of features from cheat codes to movies, and even collecting icons that give you additional smash points or power-ups. The games second menu will also not only allow you to buy more moves, but you can go back to any of the mini-missions that you have previously played and try them again.

Ultimate Destruction looks amazing. The Hulk himself has a very good look but that's not what the most impressive thing is. The damage you do to the ground or buildings doesn't mysteriously heal, unless of course you leave the stage and then return. So, you can run up the side of the building and you will see pieces falling away, you can then charge your jump and land on the ground where you will see the impact crater left. Hit the pavement with a fist and there will be even more damage. The cities and other areas look amazing and some are quite vast, giving you plenty of time to run around and create a little mayhem. The bosses look amazing as well, and some of these are going to be enormous, making beating them down a little tricky, and fun.

If you're a fan of the Hulk (though probably not the movie) then this is going to be a game that you simply need to buy, and even if you're not, this is the things that's going to show that maybe you were a little mistaken, maybe the Hulk really is a little cooler than you originally though. Ultimate Destruction give you free roaming chaos that is fun for hours on end, even if you're not trying to advance the story any further. Believe me, I took about two hours or so in order to just run around and crush and destroy everything I could, then I decided to get back to the story itself. Hulk crush puny super hero games. The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction is ultimate fun, it's ultimate satisfaction, and it's an ultimate necessity. Kill people with a machine gun is one thing, but beating them down with my bare fists, now that's pleasure.

-mike-