PlayExclusive: Madworld

Console: Wii
Genre: 3rd person Beat-em-up
Players: 1-2
Rating: Mature 17+



Three days after a major city has been infected with a mysterious virus and blocked to the outside world, Jack, a no-nonsense tough guy with a robotic arm appears on the scene, to find that the entire city is now a massive game where only murderers survive, in a kill-to-live competition. Jack enters as a contestant, in these “Death Watch” games, all while working undercover to find the truth behind why it's all happened.


While the presentation is done with in-game graphics and nice comic style slides, the plot is hardly interesting, and some might even say it only serves to distract players from the main attraction of the game, it's mean gameplay!

Gameplay
Thanks to it's simple graphics, Madworld suffers no, or very unnoticeable slowdown as you pulverize foes in a number of creative ways. Luckily, creativity is a 5'5” man with a chainsaw on his arm, and a real chip on his shoulder!


Pummeling enemies with your fists, and pulling off gruesome A or B button finishers never gets old, but the main attraction in this game is the environmental kills.

Using your environment to chain attacks, players can rack up points in Madworld's arcade style system. Players can pick up all sorts of items around them; Barrels, signposts, enemies, or whatever they can get their hands on, use it on other baddies to devastating effect, especially when used in a combo.


Running your opponent through with a post, throwing a tire onto them, and then launching them into a wall of spikes is a throughly satisfying way of racking up that high score!

With said points, comes new unlockables, in the form of some health, a weldable weapon, monstrous boss battles or a brilliant way to keep things fresh, the “Bloodbath Challenges”!


These sadistic minigames range from throwing as many opponents into a jet turbine, or launching enemies in a game of “Man Darts”, but they all have one goal in common; to kill as many enemies in a limited time frame. As twisted as it may sound, it's an excellent break from just running about killing stray goons, and the presenter, the Black Baron, is always a laugh!


With new stages, come new and exciting ways to tear you opponents to pieces!

Graphics & Sound
Partly inspired by Sin City, the graphics are a beautifully bleak black and white, with the occasional splash of red or yellow, here and there. While disorienting at times, it's makes for a very unique look that truly brings out the color of your opponents as you crush them!

Sound effects are also shown on screen like scenes right out of comic book pages, with loud screeches and crunches emanating from every punishing blow!


Whether you love em' or hate em, the two announcers Kreese Kreeley, and former Madworld contender Howard "Buckshot" Holmes, voiced by John DiMaggio (best known for his work in Gears of War as Marcus Fenix) and Greg Proops respectively, are there to comment on all sorts of things during your killing spree, from how you threw that last guy on the rose bush, to over the top gay jokes, or dumb questions like “Whats in that Mad-juice, anyways?”.


Annoying or funny, it's all up to you to decide, as they may be entertaining to many at first, but towards the end of the game, or second playthrough's, their repeated and recycled comments may just become victim to the 0 on the volume dial.

Another likely target to mute might just be Madworld's hard and hilarious hip-hop soundtrack, with the lyrics mostly about Jack causing mayhem in all sorts of ways, in a variety of tunes, from.


Overall
It's presentation, graphics, and over the top violence make this a game that is NOT for children or the faint of heart! Anyone that enjoyed God Hand or No More Heroes will have an excellent time of it though, slashing their way to the top!





Review by Johar Aston, TheLAG

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Copyright 2009 Johar Aston, TheLAG