| Introduction
I've been a fan of Justice League ever since I first
saw it. If you don't know, Justice League is the greatest
superhero team of all time and their mission is to fight
crime and injustice. Shown on the Cartoon Network and
produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Justice League has
gained quite a following, thanks to the updated visuals,
sleek animation and great storylines. Not surprisingly,
a video game was bound to appear, and with such a rich
source material it was likely to happen sooner rather
than later. Here then is the GBA version of Justice
League.
GamePlay
The object of each level is relatively simple - utilize
two JL superheroes in one of the many missions, disable
the Mind Control Hub and beat the end of level boss.
The unique aspect here is that your duo have very
different skills and you may switch between them at
any time when required. This should make for some mind-bending
puzzles but unfortunately, the levels rarely address
this feature, and as a result you're unlikely to find
any impossible situations.
Before you actually get to the Hub you must run around
a series of rooms battling henchmen and avoiding lasers
whilst searching for the occasional elusive key required
to exit the level. Don't forget, however, to search
for and get all the various tokens as they'll reward
you with anything from energy to an extra life.
Because of the dual superhero cooperative mode you'd
naturally expect a multiplayer option and we did too.
Unfortunately, there isn't one so once you've completed
all the missions, that's it.
Possibly the best thing about JL though is the save
option which is a battery backup and incredibly simple
to use. There's a generous four slots available and
once you've completed a stage it's saved automatically.
Controls
This is a little complicated at first as all the
buttons are used but with a little practice it becomes
second nature. Once it is though you'll probably get
frustrated and not to mention, irritated at the poor
collision detection in JL. Sad to say, this happens
everywhere, both in combat and when wondering around.
Graphics
Visually, the game doesn't live up to the high standards
set by the series and some of the areas feel unfinished
with little thought given to the overall design. The
animation follows suit and the various superheroes don't
appear to posses the fluid movement that you'd expect
and appear rather wooden. Even the cut screens were
mediocre and overall, the whole game looks average and
under finished.
Sound & Music
Sound effects are meant to enhance the on-screen
action. Unfortunately, this isn't the case in JL. There
are the usual groans, laser shots and bangs but, as
with the visuals, it all feels a little rushed and bears
the same erratic design that plagues most of the levels.
The intro music is a little better and is reminiscent
of the many Super Hero themes of the past, but once
you’re in the game, headphones are definitely not required.
Final Comments
While Justice League is reasonably entertaining it's
also formulaic. That wouldn't be so bad in itself except
that nearly everything (gameplay, controls, sound, visuals)
has been implemented with such a reckless lack of care
and attention to detail that even fans of the series
may be a little disappointed. It does have some good
points and younger gamers who watch the show will no
doubt enjoy it. Those looking for a challenge though
are advised to look elsewhere.
|
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