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Platform: Xbox
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Van HelsingScore: 7.7 / 10 |
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Pros: -
It's Devil May Cry -
Decent action gameplay - Only game I know of with a hat bonus |
Cons: -
It's too much like Devil May Cry -
Extremely derivative - Murky graphics |
Related Links: Review: Bruce Lee - Quest of the Dragon (XB) Review: Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb (XB)
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"While it's a quick ride, action fans will get a decent time out of Van Helsing." |
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When
clips from the Van Helsing movie first came out, video game nerds
proclaimed loudly: "Look, it's Castlevania The Movie!" and
there was some fair amount of rejoicing. Though the movie shared a bit
of the same influence -- tons of movie monsters and at least a touch from
the classic anime Vampire Hunter D -- it seemed to mirror the style of
cool found in video game legend Devil May Cry (DMC). Clearly seeing a good
opportunity, Vivendi Universal's Van Helsing doesn't just borrow from
Capcom's 3D action classic, as other games have done. No, it rips it off
COMPLETELY.
You'd
almost think Capcom is at the helm with this one, although it was
actually created by Saffire, those behind the questionable Barbarian. If
nothing else, they've come a long way. The titular hero controls exactly
like Dante, although you can awkwardly double-jump next to
walls. Pressing the jump button while locked onto an enemy will cause
you to roll, which adds a tiny bit of flair to the action, but also adds unnecessary confusion when you actually want to, you know, jump. You
have the same camera that makes it difficult to see exactly what's
hitting you in certain shots. Puzzles are mostly threadbare, but exist to give the game some sense of
adventure. You have two
primary weapons, consisting of long range (guns, shotguns, crossbows)
and short (Van Helsing's spiny Tojo Blades, swords), and a variety of
techniques that would be impressive had they not been used thousands of
times before. And in case it needed to be spelled out, you do pick up
little tokens from the scenery to buy new stuff. The only real
innovation is the spear gun you lug around. In addition to impaling
enemies with it, it can be used to latch onto walls or swing across
chasms, to a much greater effect than any of the 3D Castlevania games.
There's an alternate power shot you can use to temporarily make your
weapons more powerful, although it's so easily replenished that it
almost makes the game too easy. That, along with the embarrassingly huge
number of health power-ups and frequent save points, lead to an
experience that can be blown through without a whole lot of effort.
There
are a few bonuses to strive for. A combo meter urges you to kill as many
enemies as quickly as possible, and rewards you with finishing moves. In
an amusing allusion to the movie, Van Helsing will occasionally lose his
hat during combat, and it's in your best interest to try to keep it on
at all times. There are plenty of hidden challenges scattered throughout
the game too, much like DMC's bonus missions. And there are several
cheat objects hidden around, allowing you to do all sorts of useless
stuff. These little touches don't add much, but they're certainly a
welcome addition
This
being the Xbox version, Van Helsing is much crisper than any of the
PS2-bound Devil May Crys. Unfortunately, the general looks of the game
is so grey and murky that, while eliciting a strong atmosphere, deny
most any graphical appeal. The music strays nicely from the usual
generic techno and instead brings across a strong orchestral score when
fighting demons. Most of the voice acting was done by the people from
the movie (Hugh Jackman is present, although Kate Beckinsdale is gone)
and while they don't seem altogether comfortable doing strictly
voiceovers, they're suitable enough. It's
hard to be too critical of Van Helsing being a Devil May Cry clone,
because that's pretty much the same essence of what the movie wanted to
capture on celluloid. Vivendi's team did such a good job emulating it
that their lack of originality is almost excusable, especially
considering the inherent terribleness associated with most tie-ins
kicked out the door to coincide with the movie's release date.
Unfortunately, in following so closely to the movie, you end up losing
any potential excitement.
While it's a quick ride, action fans will get a decent time out
of Van Helsing. - Kurt Kalata (June 21, 2004)
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