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Video Game Review: Iron Man

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By ROMMIE JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 30, 2008

System: Sony PlayStation 3

Also available for: Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PSP, Windows PC

Publisher: Sega

Reviewer's rating: **

ESRB rating: Teen

Game type: Action

Kind of like: A dumbed-down "Armored Core"

Best feature: "Yeah. I can fly."

Worst feature: As you progress through the game, some levels become insanely difficult.

The bottom line: This summer's "Iron Man" movie is a rare exception to the rule that films based on comic books invariably resemble steaming piles of raw sewage.

There's a similar rule about video games based on movies. Unfortunately, on that count the "Iron Man" franchise fares less well.

Which is a shame, because Tony Stark's heavy-metal superhero has loads of potential. And the game actually does a great job with the character himself. Flying around in Iron Man's Mark III armor can be absolutely exhilarating, and using its myriad weapons systems feels completely natural once you get used to the controls.

But the visceral thrill of realizing "I am Iron Man!" is short-lived. It gets bogged down in the monotony of linear levels that are packed with relentlessly re-spawning enemies. The tedium of the action leads to a sense of relief - rather than accomplishment - when a level is finally completed.

For the inevitable sequel, give us the same character with more varied objectives in an open-world environment (kind of like the "Spider-Man" games) and you might be on to something.

Until then, give me a Scotch. I'm starving.

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