Rise of the Cobra Sinks

Movie tie-in  games are notoriously hit or miss, and G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra (see official site) definitely  misses. At the very least, I can’t help but feel that a game like  this should have been a little fun, reveling in the unapologetic action  and gun play that summer blockbusters are filled to the brim with. From  the monotonous game play, ridiculous control layout, unimpressive graphics  and mind numbing cutscenes, there is little to like about this game.

Perhaps the  worst of this derivative and uninspired game’s sins is the completely  fixed camera angle. With no control over your view of the environment,  you’ll often find yourself being attacked from off screen and unable  to fight back. When your screen does eventually shift, the controls  often won’t adjust accordingly, leading to ridiculous and unnecessary  mistakes.

Follow this  up with an unfailingly irritating automatic targeting system and you’ve  got a true mess. While you can switch from the target automatically  selected for you by the game, if you don’t do something quick enough,  the game shifts you back to its previously selected target. This often  means you’ll be surrounded by shooters but inexplicably wasting your  time trying to get a power up instead of defending yourself.

The control  layout is yet another flaw in this game. With a single button frequently  having multiple control functions, it’s all too easy to duck for cover  when you mean to roll, or to don your accelerator suit when all you  were trying to do is open a door.

At least the  accelerator suit is cool, speeding you up to inflict maximum damage  and playing some classic retro music. If the whole game had managed  to capture that gleeful enthusiasm, it might have been worthwhile. But  then, I felt the same way about the movie, too.