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Daily Mail baiting seems to have become an almost competitive event for games companies. As ‘the evils of computer gaming’ seems to be top of the Mail’s hit list these days, throwing in a few decapitations, or the like, is a sure fire way to get some free publicity. The Punisher has followed this route too, it seems, and is bound to get complaints over some of its nastier elements. Is this all the Punisher really has to offer? We took an early look.
The Punisher is and elder statesman of the Marvel comics universe, who has cropped up in several video games before. Let’s face it, someone who primarily runs around with a huge arsenal of guns taking out crime lords is a fairly easy fit, but the recent Hollywood movie makes this a perfect time to launch him in a new game. The hook is the new ‘interrogation’ moves, which is the element that THQ have wisely decided to focus on in their marketing and is the aspect that is likely to draw the most critics.
First impressions of the game make it look like a Max Payne clone, which automatically gives it some stiff competition, especially when it hasn’t even decided to rip off or adapt Max Payne’s bullet time, which would have made a lot of sense, and worked well within the context of the character. It’s so similar in fact, that within a few minutes of play its hard not to miss the bullet time aspect and see some real opportunities for its use.
The demo we played is set in a zoo/museum and sees the Punisher face off against a group of Mafia henchmen (or cannon fodder, take your pick). Straight away the weaponry feels chunky and familiar, though nothing special, with a range of assault rifles, shotguns and the now obligatory dual wielding pistols. The bad guys themselves are very samey and the AI at this stage feels terrible, with certain enemies not even responding when you run behind the area where they are taking cover.
So, considering the generic nature of everything else will the interrogation sections be enough to prop the game up? In a word, no. The moves themselves are very scripted and can only be performed in certain locations. Interrogation moments are so obvious they might as well be sign posted. “Here I am near some piranhas, why not torture me?” Nothing is left to your imagination and the setups feel forced. It’s interesting, certainly, but it’s primarily going to appeal to the younger audience. That’s right, the audience that really shouldn’t be buying it.
So far, The Punisher isn’t terribly impressive. It seems to lack any real hooks to attract consumers and feels like another generic shooter. The license may sell a few copies, but after the low box office for the movie the Punisher brand can’t be in great shape. Hopefully the developers will make a few changes between now and the final release, but at this stage, we won’t hold our breath, unless we are forced into a piranha tank
