Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks

Rating Everyone 10+ Genre action Publisher D3 Publisher External Links

Popular among young viewers, the Ben 10 television show has spawned several creations of the character in different media.  From lunch boxes and t-shirts to video games, Ben 10 has become a popular franchise.  Departing from the first Ben 10 video game, D3 Publisher has released Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks with some needed improvements and similar struggles.

Entering the story from inside Vilgax’s ship, you hear plans of his evil plot to start the invasion of Earth.  Meanwhile, Ben 10 and his familiar cast of characters are on Earth, unknowing of the forthcoming invasion.  Using the Omnitrix, Ben 10 and his aids must fight their way through enemies and overcome environmental obstacles, all in the eventual goal of saving the world from the evil Vilgax.

The controls are straightforward and easy to use; simple button combination yield simple and fluid results.  Hitting different attack buttons give different fighting combinations, and jumping or climbing elements are easy to execute.  Each alien you inhabit will have different attack styles and “special attacks,” which can deal out serious damage when executed under the right circumstances.  Switching between aliens is more cumbersome than difficult, and you will find yourself changing between them regularly to achieve whatever task is next.  The camera is also easy to control, sliding fluidly with the thumb stick as you roam around each environment.  Although the camera gets trapped and gives awkward angles at times, overall it functions well in the hands of the player.

Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks has solid graphics and sound, and stays true to the series.  As part of the “Xbox 360 Family Games Collection,” Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks is a great game for the family to play together.  The attack combinations and environments offer some variety and mix up the game play, but in the end are the means to the same end.  Adults will likely grow weary of having to once again change back to Spider Monkey—after having just switched away from him to do something else—to climb over a small wall just to get to the next area.  Kids, however, will probably enjoy running around as their favorite character from the show and punching away at the Vilgax invasion.  The addition of possible upgrades to health, energy, and attack moves give players an excuse to explore each environment for the hidden items.  While the levels have little breadth and the leveling system is not complex, kids would have no problem exploring what is offered.

Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks is a good addition to the franchise.  The ease of controls and solid graphics make this game a viable option for kids that enjoy watching the show.  Although Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks still has some issues to overcome for future installments, overall the game is a standard family-friendly option for the Xbox 360.