Like 2002s Spider-Man 2, Hulks last console outing - the sublime Total Destruction - was one of the few Marvel spin-offs to make you feel like a superhero, bucking the trend of execrable comicbook adaptations that have been fleecing players since the dawn of gaming. Yet in keeping Total Destructions gameplay basics, but losing its absurd sense of humour, this latest rampage falls short of the thrills delivered by its cataclysmic predecessor.
Like Total Destruction, the game offers a sprawling city to explore, where you can clobber enemies and demolish skyscrapers without having to follow a predetermined plot. Friendly action where you rarely (if ever) die will also appeal to time-starved players, and using the movie as a springboard - but not sticking too closely to the big screen plot - will please players seduced by Louis Leterriers flick.
But while the fun in Total Destruction came from surfing down the street on the side of a bus or batting missiles out of the air with a lamppost, Hulks devastating new move-set dont allow for the same inventive carnage, and the outdated graphics and repetitive missions will alienate anyone bewitched by games such as GTA IV and their varied challenges.