Megamind: Ultimate Showdown Reviews

Story:
Having not seen the movie yet, I can only assume this ties in after Megamind decides to be a hero rather than a villian. The game doesn't really introduce the characters at all, just drops you into the game after a quick cutscene at the beginning of the game. You are tasked with finding pieces of a DNA tracking machine and pieces of DNA held by 3 bosses to find the final boss of the game. Fairly straightforward, mainly because with the exception of some minigames unlocked as you progress, the next level is highlighted on the map once the previous level is finished.

Graphics:
Standard fare here, though I didn't notice any graphical glitches, there were a few in game scenes where the characters mouths didn't move when talking. Quite colorful but nothing groundbreaking.

Gameplay:
Very simple platforming and level exploration. There are no real puzzles beyond pull this pin, press this button, or use this gun to shoot this barrel/knock it over with air from this other gun. The game also saves you backtracking by setting the gun you need pretty much right before you need it. You also collect blue orbs called B.I.N.K.E.Y. used to upgrade your (technically) 4 weapons. You are also able to replay any level already finished to collect more orbs should you need to upgrade your weapons to max.

One thing I would like to comment on is while the platforming is fairly standard fare, jumping to small boxes in water, mostly in the sewer levels, is insanely frustrating. I found myself coming up short, missing left or right, or landing perfectly, when suddenly Megamind would slide off randomly. Unless you are going for the specific achievement of not dying in a level, this won't be a terrible thing to deal with, as there's only a 50 B.I.N.K.E.Y. pentalty for dying, but it's still a bit frustrating.

Controls:
One of the more simple games to pick up and play, the (default) controls are X to shoot, A to jump, and B to interact with buttons and the like. You both move and, to an extent, aim with the left stick.

Achievements:
A rather simple movie tie-in game, worth an easy 1000 points in about 3-4 hours worth of playtime. Nothing too hard here, not even real collectables. A few achievements for beating the bosses without dying, and getting through a level without dying. The rest will unlock through story and for collecting enough orbs, which are gained by killing enemies, breaking inanimate objects, and just finding them on the levels. Definately a rental for easy achievements, nothing more.

Oh, and I'll add that although the game has 2 player co-op, only the first player playing as Megamind will recieve achievements.

*Thanks for the feedback*

Most of the time, film tie-in games are pretty shoddy affairs, rushed out to coincide with the unmovable deadline of the movie's release date, whether they're ready or not. Usually, this means that on release they're chock full of problems and bugs. Unfortunately, at least to an extent, Megamind suffers from this all-too-familiar syndrome, though not to an extent where you will want to give up half way through. As my esteemed previous reviewer Nipplepwner rightly points out, even with the update patch installed, this is somewhat of a buggy affair at best, with problems including Megamind getting stuck in the credits sequence in his own lair, and levels refusing point blank to end after completion, meaning another playthrough is called for. This all happened to me even after installing the update too, so good luck if you haven't got Xbox Live, i can only presume the unpatched version must be even worse. Having said all that though, the game isn't as bad as you may be expecting. The avid 30-something Achievement hound will most likely see it in a shop and think something along the lines of "£12.99 brand new, and it's a children's game? I don't think i'll bother, it must be useless". They would be right in what they think to a certain extent, but there are far worse games on offer than this. It's a fairly standard cartoon film tie-in, a bit of light exploring, some very easy puzzle work to activate lifts or open new areas and the like, and some admittedly sometimes-frustrating platform action, as mentioned by both of the previous reviewers. I'm personally no fan of 3D platform games and this did nothing to convert me to their cause. Jumping on to a moving box in a game like this where you have no direct control over the camera angle can sometimes verge on the extremely annoying. Be prepared for a bit of trial and error in the sections where you need to jump across water on a series of sinking boxes, though having said this, it's not all that bad. However, the graphics and voice acting (mostly courtesy of the film's stars Will Ferrell and David Cross) are pretty good, even considering it's a pretty modern game, and so to be judged by modern standards. Gameplay-wise, it's extremely simple and very easy to boot, as you'd probably expect of a children's game. If you're over about 14, you'll blaze through the entire game in no more than 3 hours, so longevity is not really on the cards here. However, the main reason anyone is on this website in the first place is the pursuit of Achievements, and here Megamind does not let us down. Put in the most simple terms, if you can complete the game without being killed by one of the end-of-level bosses, you'll have done enough to earn your 1000 Gamerscore. And believe me, you will be able to do that, there is only one boss, Psycho Delic, who has the remotest chance of killing you before you do him in. It really is nothing of a challenge, as the game's stratospheric gamer completion percentage attests to. However, for it's many and obvious faults, i enjoyed Megamind while it lasted (not long!), it's clearly a better rental than an outright purchase, though since in the UK at least it is readily available for less than £15 brand new, it will not cost much to pick up second hand i shouldn't imagine. Worth a play for some supremely easy Gamerscore, and also at least a bit of fun. You do really need to bear in mind this is aimed squarely at the younger gamer rather than most people who will read this review, and judge it on those merits.

MEGAMIND: ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN - Good for Kids, Bad for Gamers

Megamind is a really good character and the concept of the changing from Evil to Good is well applied. At least on the movies. I played the game with high expectations for being one of my favorites characters of Dreamworks Animations, and it was a deception. A really deception.

STORY - 1

The story bases after the events of the movie, where a Group of Villains called "The Doom Syndicate" attack Metro City and steal Megamind's DNA Tracker and our beloved Blue Head Guy and his King Kong Fish Minion needs to recover the DNA Tracker Machine and save the city. The characters doesn't have 1% of the Movie charisma and most of the cliches jokes i've ever seen are in this game.

GRAPHICS - 6

The graphics on this game are actually good. The character model and scenario were extremely colorful and at least cool. I've seen only one graphic glitch in Megamind: Ultimate Showdown and that was on the Second Boss, where on the pre-battle cutscene both Megamind and Psycho Delic where any of them moved their mouths during conversation.

GAMEPLAY - 1 -

Playing a licensed game that is actually good was my first thinking playing Megamind. I was wrong. Is incredibly repetitive and horrible and generic enemies. Playing two levels of Megamind: Ultimate Showdown makes you feel on a Teletubbies Syndrome and repeating the same things and obstacles. Even the Minigames and the Boss Battles are boring and idiot. And a great chance to add a incredible multiplayer to control Minion was replaced by a rail shooter gameplay with one of the Megamind Robots that I couldn't handle for one ***king minute. If aimed to the childish public, this would be acceptable, so the rate sightly rises with to 6 if you are a father or a kid.

SOUND - 7

Oddly enough, the soundtrack are actually good and the main theme of the game is catchy and funny. The dubbing is original from the movie (Which I didn't see the english version because I live in Brazil) and Minion and Megamind voices were very splendid. The sound of the weapons and attacks were...ok, I think?

ACHIEVEMENTS - 1

Generic as hell, complete that, finish the game, defeat this without dying. BORING. In a 3 hours gameplay listening to a podcast you can easily win 1000 Gamerscore.

CONCLUSION - 3 out of 10 - Dreamworks fails...again.

PROS:
+ Good Graphics and Soundtrack
+ Easy Achievements
+ Good for kids and maybe fathers

CONS:
+ Repetitive Gameplay
+ Boring Minigames
+ Short campaign
+ Generic Enemies and Boss Battles