“The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction” was offically released in 2005 (same year X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse came out) on PlayStation 2, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube. It received positive reviews from critics, fans and gamers alike. Ultimate Destruction’s argubly the best Hulk video game.
Insomniac Games’ highly anticipated “Spider-Man” will be released on Octboer 20, 2023 only on the PlayStation 5. Neal McDonough will co-star in Angel Studios’ “The Shift.” It’ll come out on December 1st, 2023. Before I plan on playing the next Spider-Man game and watch The Shift, I wanna share my thoughts on the best Hulk game.
This review contains no SPOILERS. I’m giving some of you a chance to play this gem.
Strong & Weak Qualities
Strong: Neal McDonough reprises his role as Bruce Banner from the short-lived 1996 cartoon. He did an excellent job for his voiceover performance.
Fun Fact: Neal also portrayed Dum Dum Dugan in “Captain America: The First Avenger” set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or MCU for short. Neal later reprise the role in “Agent Carter,” “What If” & “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”
Ron Perlman did a fantastic job for his voiceover performance as Emil Blonsky/Abomination.
Marvel writers Paul Jenkins and Bryan Hitch wrote the story and helped the game designers bring an authentic Hulk game to life. The designers were primary influenced by my favorite Spider-Man game, “Spider-Man 2.”
Graphics still hold up for a 2005 game.
Main Story centers on Bruce Banner looking for a cure to rid himself from Hulk. With help from Doc Samson, Bruce’s subconscious lets Hulk to find parts for a machine that’ll an evil presence manifesting his mind known as, Devil Hulk. While tracking down specific parts, Hulk encounters General Thunderbolt Ross, the military, mecha and his archenemy, Emil Blonsky/Abomination.
It took me two weeks to beat the entire game. Well worth wasting my time.
Gameplay/Mechanics
- Presented as a third-person open-world game, you play as Hulk navigating a big city and a badlands. Traverse by leaping in the air, running/climbing on walls and sprint on foot.
- Hulk’s strength allows you to destroy anything in your way. Destroy objects, either beat up enemies or toss ’em like rocks and last but not least, grab and object and create a weapon. For example, pick up a car and turn it into boxing gloves. Edward Norton’s Hulk also did the same thing.
- Besides the Main Story, you can engage in various Side Missions like partaking in various challenges, playing golf with big balls, carry an ambulance to the nearest hospital etc.
- You earn points for completing missions, challenges, fighting and breaking almost anything. Spend your hard-earned points on new moves, improvised weapons and ultimate attacks.
- Filling up Hulk’s health grants him “Adrenaline Surge”. Spend a bar on an ultimate attack. Use it wisely in case things get difficult.
- Comic Books are scattered across the city and bandlands. If you find a random one, you’ll unlock an actual comic cover. Check ’em out in the Gallery Section. As a special treat, you get a cheat code. After you earn a code, type the code on the Extras and you’ll unlock something good like Grey Hulk or Joe Fixit.
- In the Gallery Section, you can view concept art.
- If you switch costumes as Joe Fixit, he quips several one-liners.
- If you’re having a hard time, don’t forget to look up cheat codes or walkthroughs on YouTube.
Blonsky’s scheme to use Bruce’s gamma radiation makes perfect sense.
After you beat the Main Story, you can replay it on New Plus carrying all your upgrades.
Weak: I couldn’t find nothing wrong. I’m givng the developers an Extra Point for making a flawless game as possible.
The Final Verdict: A, FOR APEX!
As of 2023, The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction is still the best Hulk game. If you’re looking for a way to keep yourself busy before Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man 2 comes out, you’ll get a kick out of Ultimate Destruction.
Which Marvel game should I review next? Please leave a comment and I’ll respond back.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 