Monsters vs. Aliens

Rating Everyone 10+ Genre action Publisher Activision

Dreamworks has released another wildly successful animated movie: Monsters vs. Aliens.  Already taking over movie theaters across the country, children and adults alike are joining in the battle and choosing sides.  Like many popular franchises, Dreamworks has licensed out their newest creation to Activision, Beenox, and Criware to develop the Monsters vs. Aliens video game for multiple platforms.  Playing as the popular monsters from the movie, gamers get to take on the aliens trying to overrun the planet.  Despite the overwhelming challenges inherent in creating a successful game from a popular movie title, Monsters vs. Aliens is a quality game for young and old gamers.

The story begins with the monsters trying to escape from military prison.  After being transformed into their now monster forms, the U.S. government placed then in a detention center because of the threat they inherently-- and unknowingly-- pose to the country.  Upon breaking out of the prison, the monsters' attempt to escape is foiled moments before alien crafts land on the planet.  Because alien leader Gallaxhar is attempting to take over the world, the monsters are asked to take down the forthcoming alien clone army.  Coupled with the antics of each monster and solid game play, Monsters vs. Aliens gives gamers a fun chance to use each monster in a unique way to disrupt Gallaxhar's evil plot.

Gamers will transition often between each monster, giving each area of the animated world a new dynamic.  Starting as Ginormica, gamers will help her skate passed, through, and around the various obstacles put in front of her.  These moments are broken up with sequences of short challenges completely with different button combinations.  Although they could be potentially jarring, moments in which you have to stop a boulder from falling on Ginormica or use her fighting skills to take down the alien robot help keep things fresh and interesting.  These moments also work well because they flow with the story and never take over the action.

Once Ginormica has safely skated her way to safety, gamers will then switch to the gelatinous mass B.O.B.  Using his ability to slide through vents, jump onto walls, and eat or spit out his enemies, B.O.B. switches the gameplay from fast-paced quick moving action to more puzzle-based challenges.  B.O.B. also stands on platforms that continually reload him with ammo, allowing him to continually shoot at the drones and robots trying to take him down.  Much like Ginormica, the various puzzles and challenges offered in the sections with B.O.B. vary enough to keep gamers interested, as well as provide a different look on the location that the monsters have currently found.

The Missing Link provides the third variation in game play.  Playing like a platformer, gamers will use The Missing Link to break open boxes, fight off enemy drones and robots, dodge incoming laser fire, and turn the screws that break apart the alien robots trying to take over the world.  Although sections involving The Missing Link can occasionally fall into button mashing, there is enough variation with the types of attacks he can perform to keep things interesting.  Coupled with the fact that you do not play as The Missing Link for the entire game, his game play is still an enjoyable and unique element to the game.

Finally, between levels, players can visit the DNA lab and purchase unlockable strands for bonus content.  The game offers a lot to players in the DNA lab, rewarding good players audio commentary on certain levels, movie stills and sketches, co-op upgrades, and character upgrades.  As the DNA lab grows, players can upgrade their monsters and check out some interesting bonus content.

While each section provides a fresh element to the game and justifies the use of each monsters' abilities, Monsters vs. Aliens does have some flaws.  Because players will go from one monster to another, there is an overabundance of cut scenes and in-game short movies.  After almost every new area a monster enters, control will immediately be taken away from the player to allow the camera to pan to the ending area.  Along with this, players had just watched the cut scene switching from Ginormica to B.O.B.  The DNA lab helps break up these moments, but being forced to watch continual cut scenes and having the camera pull away strains the flow of action and removes the player.

Also, small details in the game create a few difficulties for players.  Dr. Cockroach is helpful for players the majority of the time, but he also does a lot of talking.  His voice will stick in your head days later.  There are also a few awkward camera moments in sections with The Missing Link, and occasionally gamers can move far enough ahead that audio cues will bump into each other.  These moments only happen occasionally, so they do not completely detract from the overall experience.

Monsters vs. Aliens is a quality platform game based on the Dreamworks movie.  Older gamers will most likely be uninterested in purchasing the game outright, but picking it up and playing with your kids would be a fun and sometimes challenging experience, despite the co-op element being lacklustre.  Younger gamers will definitely enjoy playing as each monster and solving the puzzles.  Although older gamers will find the humor flat, younger gamers will most likely enjoy how each monster perceives their little portion of saving the world.  Monsters vs. Aliens, despite a few set backs, is a quality game for younger gamers that gives fans of the franchise a chance to play as their favorite monster.