Summer blockbusters usually deliver action, explosions and a few hours of shallow entertainment — and video games with matching characteristics.
"G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" follows that path with a T-rated version from Electronic Arts and Hasbro. The third-person action game picks up where the movie leaves off, with Cobra using a new-fangled teleportation device to cause trouble.
You select two Joes at the beginning of each mission and head into battle against soldiers, ninjas, robots, tanks and more. You can choose commandos, such as Snake Eyes; hard-hitters, such as Heavy Duty; or all-around infantrymen, such as Duke. Each offers a unique combination of weapons, attacks and abilities.
Game play basically involves the two characters running around like crazy and blasting everything in sight. All you have to do is wiggle the joystick and hold down the trigger. You can occasionally hit a button to launch a powerful secondary attack or another button to activate the Joes’ devastating Accelerator Suits. There’s not a lot of strategy — or even thought — required.
Of course, this can get a little old as you move from tundra to desert to jungle to final showdown. However, it can be fun if you let a friend control the second Joe, with each player blasting away and racking up points in competition.
The graphics are pretty basic. While the settings are decent, the character renderings are rather lackluster.
The camera also presents some problems, sometimes getting stuck in odd positions or zooming out way too far in an attempt to keep both characters in view. When the latter happens, the Joes can easily get lost in the confusion.
Of course, if you simply hold down the trigger and wiggle the joystick, you’ll probably be doing the right thing.
Platforms: Xbox 360 (tested), PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, WiiOn the Web: www.gijoe.ea.com
