Toss 'Iron Man' in scrap heap
Video game version of the hit movie is just another mediocre tie-in.
— -- We've seen this plot before: Blockbuster summer film hits theaters. Mediocre video game tie-in hitches along for the ride. The latest is Iron Man.
Weapons mogul Tony Stark is kidnapped by militants in the Middle East and forced to build a superweapon. Instead, Stark creates the Iron Man armor and escapes. After returning home, Stark decides to cease weapons production and destroy the remaining remnants of his arsenal.
Sega handles the game's star pretty well. The armor glimmers brightly. His three main weapons — hand repulsors, missiles and a unibeam from his chest — are fun to use. The first time you grab an oncoming missile and thrust it back is gratifying. Manipulating Iron Man in the air is tricky, especially when switching between flying and hovering, but becomes easier to grasp as you advance.
Unfortunately, the 'one-man army' wastes his capabilities fighting in shoddy landscapes against buffoons for enemies. Every level looks awful. Mountain ranges have no depth, while city skyscrapers resemble miniature models.
Opponents are easy targets. Rarely do they maneuver away from your line of fire. The lock-on feature only exacerbates the issue, allowing you to mindlessly hold down your fire button while zipping around enemies as the reticle automatically flips to your next target.
Missions are absolutely lame. Here's your basic breakdown: Destroy x number of targets, then annihilate a larger, more difficult entity.
At the end of one level, for example, Iron Man must destroy a heavily armored Stark tank. After firing a barrage of missiles, the tanks rumbles down a desert path and eventually just stops in front of a wall. From there, you can stand on the tank and punch out the power core until it's defeated.
As you conquer levels, you'll earn cash rewards to go toward armor upgrades. But when you consider the quality of opponent, you don't really need them. Additional armors are available in One-Man Army mode, in which Iron Man must defeat a series of foes within a specific timeframe.
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