interesting film. The film, which was number-one at the box office for one
weekend, looked dark and gritty, starred two spectacular actors (one of which
happens to be the super-hot Kate Beckinsale), and appeared to be drenched in
computer imagery. How in the world could anyone resist a film like that?
I couldn’t resist, but after
sitting through two hours and twenty minutes of it I wished I had been able
to. Van Helsing, the movie that looked like a potential blockbuster that
deserved to surpass the $100 million mark, turned out to be a goofy,
over-the-top disappointment.
Needless to say, I walked
out of the theater in fear: not because of the film’s scariness (which was
nonexistent), but because I knew I’d be reviewing the Van Helsing game. Oh
the horror! If the film is this long and this boring, what will the game be
like?
Once again I made the
wrong assumption. First I thought the film would be good. Then I feared the
game wouldn’t be. The opposite of both turned out to be true. Van Helsing
(the game) is an action game in the vein of Devil May Cry.
A more accurate
description might be to say that Van Helsing is Devil May Cry without Dante.
As to be expected there are some differences, but the majority of the game
looks, sounds, and plays like Capcom’s beloved action-thriller.
Although some movie-based
games opt not to use the film’s main character, Van Helsing takes full
advantage of Hugh Jackman and all his coolness. He’s got guns, spinning
blades, and a decent helping of attacks. The button layout mostly mirrors
that of Devil May Cry — X is used to jump, square pulls the trigger of his
gun, and triangle unleashes Mr. Helsing’s Tojo blades. Van Helsing will come
across a useful gattling gun, a gun-powered crossbow, and the lightning gun he
used in the film. In addition to the pistol and Tojo Blades that you begin
the game with, a shotgun and Dual Scimitars (sword) can also be acquired. In
all, Van Helsing can wield up to eight weapons.
Not Devil May Cry-enough
for ya? Then take a look at all those colored glyphs that appear when you
extinguish an enemy. They’re not there merely for decoration – they’re there
to be collected, stored, and used as currency in exchange for statistical
upgrades. Upgrade your health meter if you wish and extend the amount of time
you have before the monsters slay you. Lucky for you, the first batch of
enemies aren’t very quick or very powerful, so when you’re weak the game
doesn’t put up much of a fight. It does become a little more difficult later
on, but it’s no more challenging than Devil May Cry 2. The easy mode is super
easy, so I’d advise that experienced gamers start off on the normal or hard
difficulty.
For another Devil May Cry
treat, press and hold the R1 button. Would you look at that? Now Van Helsing
is targeting his foes. Circle around them, dodge attacks, and unleash a burst
of bullets whenever you get the chance. It’s not original, but it is
necessary gameplay feature. The game would feel empty without it.
Want some originality to
go with your DMC-like experience? Van Helsing offers an interesting twist:
finishing moves. They’re not the outrageously gory, "Finish Him!"-style moves
that Mortal Kombat uses. This game is a bit simpler, using simple explosions
to kill enemies instantly. A kill timer goes off every time you attack an
enemy. If one of your Kill Counter slots is filled, all you have to do is
press the R2 button before the kill timer runs out. Assuming that all is done
properly, the enemy will die fast and efficiently. The first instant kill is
very basic, but you must keep executing it in order to acquire additional,
more gruesome finishing moves.
Devil May Cry wasn’t hard
on the eyes, and neither is its spiritual cousin. Van Helsing’s story mimics
the film (complete with voice-overs from Hugh Jackman; no new dialogue was
used, so all of the voice tracks were taken directly from the film). To
correspond, the game’s levels consist of big, beautiful environments that are
instantly recognizable. As much as I disliked the film, it was pretty cool to
see how closely related the two mediums are. Many of the film’s key movie
sequences are featured in the game as well, and while they were re-created in
polygonal form, story elements are still revealed.
Van Helsing’s character
model looks excellent. It’s not a perfect match, but it’s close enough to
make you forget about the fact that it’s polygons and just enjoy the
experience.
Despite being a great
take on the Devil May Cry style of gameplay, Van Helsing is not without its
flaws. Most notably the game is slower than DMC. I never thought of DMC as a
fast-paced game (it seems even slower after playing Ninja Gaiden), but it was
definitely quicker than Onimusha, one of my all-time favorite Resident Evil
spin-offs. (While it’s easy to forget, we must always remember that these
games are only possible because of Resident Evil and Capcom’s willingness to
transform the gameplay and release a spin-off every 12 months.)
Besides being slower, Van
Helsing is also plagued by weaker enemies. You can raise the difficulty but
you can’t make the enemies bigger, only moderately stronger. Most of the
monsters look weak, and weak-looking monsters are anything but intimidating.
The bosses look cooler, but I was disappointed by first boss battle. It was
over in less than 45 seconds! I know it was meant to be an introduction to
the game, but I wanted something more. Perhaps a more creative attack style
on behalf of the enemies would have made the game more entertaining.
These flaws – and the
fact that this is a Devil May Cry clone – are what keep me from giving the
game a score that readers perceive as being high. However, it is important to
realize that if this game weren’t a Devil May Cry clone it probably wouldn’t
have been as much fun. I don’t usually embrace clones, but Van Helsing is a
unique exception. It’s got most of what you love about DMC, give or take a
few elements. A worthy rental for any fan of the genre – a worthy buy for
anyone who appreciates the hard work and dedication that goes into imitating
one of the most beloved PS2 titles. Many have tried to copy DMC but only one
has succeeded.
|
|
Gameplay: 7.8
Combos, colorful
glyphs, gunshots that stop you from falling – this game is everything it
appears to be. If you saw the screenshots and thought, "Man, this game looks
like a Devil May Cry clone," play the game to prove yourself right. Don’t get
the wrong impression though – in this case that’s a good thing. We all need
more great games in the genres and sub-genres that we love. Devil May Cry 3
is not going to be released anytime soon. If you’ve already conquered DMC 1
and 2, where else can you turn? PlayStation 2 owners only have one worthwhile
option – Van Helsing.
Graphics: 8
Van Helsing’s
visuals sustain the quality of upper-class PS2 titles.
Sound: 7
I’m not sure
where the semi-decent music came from, but it’s nice to hear Hugh Jackman’s
voice being used in the game.
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Concept: 7.5
A Devil May Cry
clone that’s worthy of your attention. As much as we dislike clones, there
aren’t many DMC knock-offs on the market. And I’d hardly refer to this one as
a "knock-off." Van Helsing mimics Dante’s adventure in the best way possible,
keeping all of the jumps, gun fights, and almost-too-awkward camera angles
intact.
Overall: 7.7
Van Helsing
contains something that no other clone has: entertainment value! $50 is a bit
steep, but don’t let that keep you from checking out a game that is better
than the film that spawned it.
