TMNT Mutant Melee – XB – Review

The Green
Team may be back in TMNT Mutant Melee, but do they still have what it takes
to fend off the notorious Shredder? Cel shaded and styled similar to the newly
animated series, our team of unlikely heroes fight on in “Mutant Melee”, a
multiplayer-focused turtle game featuring twenty playable characters. Most
likely, the majority of you who are reading this already know who and what the
Ninja Turtles are all about. Either you’ve taken to one of the animated series,
played a few of their countless games, or witnessed one of their all-too-classic
movies. These last two years have yielded a few new games boasting the infamous
Turtle title; unfortunately the title’s diminishing value may call for the old
ooze-sodden towel to be hung up once and for all.

Likely made
clear by the rather unambiguous title, TMNT Mutant Melee’s focal point is that
of its multiplayer melee mode. Find a friend and you may be able to squeeze out
a few hours of fun. Here and there a taunting comment generally followed by the
quick-witted jape may be just what the game needs, though more than likely its
limited and all-too redundant modes of play will hurriedly become a bore.
Last Man Standing is, just as it would seem, a to-the-death battle where the
last turtle standing is the victor. Knock Out is similar to the classic
death match, highest kill count is the winner, just beware the one-hit-kill
ledges which can quickly turn the tides of battle. King of the Hill
offers some additional strategy to the twitch tactic, causing the player to do
whatever they must to remain within a crimson-glowing ring as their timer ticks
toward its goal. Last, and most likely least, is Keep Away, a simple game
in which a single chest of coins appears and must be held for the given amount
of time. Meanwhile your timer ticks closer toward its goal as your opponents
furiously attempt to knock the chest from your hands to take it for their own.

Adventure
Mode is the game’s other method of play. Rather simple and straightforward, the
player will progress through multiple stages leading up to the game’s finale,
all the while unlocking hidden characters and stages for the Melee Mode. The
story itself is told in a linear fashion, derived from the stage’s
tree-structured succession and occasional branching, most often leading to
mini-games. The majority of gamers who play through the game’s Adventure Mode
will find doing so surprisingly easy. Supplied with an infinite number of
continues, there’s little-to-no pressure to complete the level perfectly the
first time. In fact, the majority of the game’s levels take no more than a
minute or two to beat. Unfortunately, there are only a limited number of mission
types. Levels consist primarily of time-critical survival, defeating the enemies
more often than they defeat you, and defeating the enemies without dieing.

Styled
similar to the newly animated series, TMNT Mutant Melee’s character graphics
aren’t too shabby. Unfortunately the game’s environments and graphical interface
are simplistic, almost to the point of being bland and boring. Though many
stages offer a few items of note (whether it is a couch or truck), even fewer
vary enough to effect the game’s play mechanics or tactics. Fortunately,
gameplay itself is spiced up slightly by the game’s introduction of weapons and
status benefits. Such items as a baseball bat, rocket launcher, battle axe, and
long sword can be found by breaking any number of the stage’s crates. Nothing
says ‘good morning turtle’ like a temporary defense boost or ‘farewell shredder’
like a photon cannon.

In
conclusion, TMNT Mutant Melee is best described as an “Ok” game that won’t be
missed if overlooked. Its lack of originality and overuse of concepts may
entertain you and your friends for a time; though more than likely its mundane
and repetitive design will show through all too quickly. Rent it, borrow it, or
download a movie to see what it’s all about. If you’re looking for a good turtle
game, perhaps it’s time to dust off the old NES, blow out the cartridge slot,
and go back to where the series got its well-to-do reputation: Konami’s 1989
TMNT 2: The Arcade Game.

Review Scoring Details for TMNT Mutant Melee

Gameplay: 5.5
The game’s
repetitive gameplay mechanics and lack of tactical abstraction leaves little to
do beyond basic maneuvers including hack ‘n slash, jumping, and occasional
blocking. The game offers two modes of play, Melee Mode which can be fun for a
while if you’ve found a friend to play, and Adventure Mode which you’ll likely
play to do no more than unlock the hidden extras for Melee Mode.

Graphics: 6.0
The game’s
graphics are extremely simple. The characters themselves are cell shaded and
appear to be dynamically lit, though are much more likely animated to appear as
such. The environment itself is generally a rectangular arena with extruded
architecture and cartoon’ish textures.

Sound: 6.0
A little of this
and a little of that… TMNT Mutant Melee has a distinct sound track that hits
just off the mark interspersed lightly with short segments borrowed from the
recent cartoon series’ themes. As for the game’s voice segments, expect a few
out of place and rather peculiar quotes.  There’s nothing quite like Donatello
winning a ‘bout and saying: “I swear, you’re as smart as me” or “Stay in school
kids”.

Difficulty: Easy
With a learning
curve that’s near instantaneous, TMNT Mutant Melee can be played by any age
group. Perhaps it’s just the game for an elder gamer to play with a young child.
Simple button mashing suffices, a little ‘A’, a little ‘X’, and you have
yourself combo.

Concept: 5.5
The TMNT title
has been around for quite some time. Turtles dropped into radioactive ooze,
trained by a rat transformed humanoid named splinter in the arts of ninjitsu,
sworn to protect the helpless from the likes of Shredder. A few basic battle
modes, twenty playable characters, two attack buttons, a couple combos, and you
have yourself a game… even if it’s not a very well implemented one.

Multiplayer: 6.0
Find someone to
play with. Whether it’s your friend, neighbor, girlfriend, or kid brother,
Mutant Melee’s gameplay is stiff at best and in general difficult to find
entertaining if played solo.

Overall: 5.7
TMNT Mutant Melee
seems to be a game that has been published and distributed to take advantage of
hardcore turtle fans. If you have to see what it’s about for yourself, rent it
before purchasing, and above all else… find a friend.