Hulk Ultimate Destruction For X-Box, PS2 and Game Cube
By Vivendi Universal
Rated T for Teen
Review by: Tuxxer
Playing a new video game can be like going to a favorite restaurant and seeing what's new on the menu. You're familiar with the cook, you know the ingredients, but you still want to see what he can whip up that you haven't seen before.
In that respect; Hulk Ultimate Destruction is freaking delicious. Seriously.
 While there is proportionately little to offer that could be called 100% new; what the boys and girls at Sierra and VU Games have put together is nothing short of excellent.
The word is freedom. You have most of a generic city to run rampant in. You can reduce entire buildings to scrap. All the fun of Rampage with better graphics! Virtually anything can be picked up and turned into a weapon or simply a projectile, including puny humans.
I don't know where to start. Spider-Man 2 inspired the cityscape for Hulk to pulverize, you have every bit as much freedom (although Hulk's size makes the town feel a bit smaller). It seems the game creators took a page from Grand Theft Auto, and supplied an alert-meter. Depending on how much smashing the Hulk is doing, the more attention he gains from the police and the military. Hiding out on a roof for a minute is a good way to bring the alarm level down, unless they've already sicced helicopters on you. Then you're kinda screwed.
 There are plenty of great side-games as well, to rack-up smash points (used to buy fiercer moves, so forth). They're fun, and you can go back to them through the main menu. Sweet.
It's a good plot, especially for a video game: Dr. Bruce Banner is losing control of his transformations. In order to develop a cure, Doc Samson hypnotizes Bruce into bringing out the Hulk under suggestion, and the mindless Hulk is sent out on 'missions'. It works for me.
Professional actors supply the voices, including Neal McDonough as Banner and Ron Perlman as Dr. Emil Blonsky, our bad guy du jour. Ron. Perlman. Sweet.
The sweetest plum on the whole Hulk orchard would have to be the work that went into the details. Cars, vans and busses veer out of your way and crash head-on into buildings. People scream in the streets as you scoop them up and wriggle in your hands. Chaos has never looked so good in pixels. That's not all. The Hulk's movements greatly resemble those of his movie counterpart. When he runs, jumps and pounds things to pieces, the motion is fantastic.
 I only have one genuine complaint; the fact that the Hulk is portrayed as a killer. He wreaks ample mayhem in the game, and there are plenty of bystanders caught in the cross-fire. Depending on which version of the comic books you read; the Hulk is either a mindless killer or subconsciously aware that it's a bad thing and steers clear of hurting innocent people. The Movie's Hulk was more in the second category, but the game makes no claims to be based on the movie. (After the last Hulk game, that's a very good thing.)
I give Hulk Ultimate Destruction a 9.5 out of 10. Outstanding in practically every way. Go buy it. Go buy it now. Go!
Official Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction Web site
Official Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction Retail Link
Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction Trailer Links – Windows Media
Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction Talent Video – Windows Media
Vivendi Universal Games Newsletter Sign-Up Link
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