Ghost Rider (Game Boy Advance) - Review by Andrew

Introduction

If it's not aging TV programs being brought to the big screen at the moment it's comic books and Ghost Rider is the latest in a long line of Marvel properties to make it to the cinemas and then to the games consoles. It hasn't exactly been a smooth ride for the project though and for a number of reasons the release has been delayed for some twelve months. That, in itself, is no great surprise these days but what is though is the fact the we have a GBA version and not, the now favored, NDS version. That and the fact that this has a rating of 12 years old and above which is also a rarity as far as Nintendo handheld titles are concerned. Another positive is the fact that French GBA specialists Magic Pockets are in charge of development so we can only hope that they turn in their usual high quality product.

Gameplay

The console versions of Ghost Rider take place just after the movie and just in case you didn't know the star of the game is actually one Johnny Blaze who is cursed to spend his nights as the Ghost Rider after being cheated by the devil, Mephisto. It's not a case of just cruising the streets though. Johnny must hunt down evildoers and punish them for their deeds. This plays out as a side scrolling beat'em up with the screen occasionally freezing to allow you to punch and unleash your chain and thus mow down all manner of enemies. You'll also have to deal with the odd guardian, who appears to pop up randomly, although these generally follow the same path so are reasonably easy to defeat.

Every now and then you'll also have a biking section which is a lot like Road Rash except for the fact that your skull is on fire. These present a welcome retreat from the endless battling and, let's face it, what would a Ghost Rider game be without a biking section? Throughout the game you'll also have the opportunity to increase your power and stamina thanks to the Demon Orbs left by fallen foes. These can be traded for a number of different things and without them you'll stand little chance of success against the ultimate demon: Mephisto.

Controls

Although it seems that every new level rewards you with yet another special move, in reality this is a button basher and even when enemies surround you it's generally easy to escape them. The same is true of the bike sections where the controls are again simple and intuitive.

Graphics

As usual developer Magic Pockets don't disappoint and the visuals here rival your average DS title. This is most evident in the side scrolling sections which feature multi-parallax scenery, which give a feel of a 3D environment whilst the spot lighting effects bring everything to life. The cut scenes are even more impressive and do a fine job of pushing the story along and for once I have to say that this suits the game rather than any pre-rendered FMV. Animation is also well above average with not only the Ghost rider but also all of his foes moving in a smooth and realistic fashion.

Sound

As far as the audio is concerned, the music fits the game's Hellish atmosphere and the sound effects also do a fine job. Don't expect any speech from the movie though as outside of the usual grunts, when you are beating up one of the many henchmen, no one appears to have anything to say.

Final comments

I have to say, in all the years I've been reviewing games, anything remotely connected with a movie is generally awful with sales due to box office success. The only reason why there was even a hint of optimism here was because of the developer and, fortunately, they do seem to have delivered a decent, entertaining title. It's simple enough but the mixture of high production values and relentless gameplay do elevate above the majority of movie tie-ins. If you did enjoy the movie, or even the comics, then this comes highly recommended and action fans may also want to take a look. You won't be disappointed.

Pro: Great In-Game Visuals and Comic Book Cut-Screens.
Con: Beat 'em Up Sections Can Become Tiresome.
Final score: 7.2

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