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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed follows on from the recent film release. Accordingly, if you have watched that cinematic treat, you’ll be at home with the storyline and each personality. However, prior knowledge isn’t required as the story does a great job of explaining itself. The action is fast-paced, but repetitive. As such, adults may find their attention waning. Thankfully, my kids loved it and I believe that younger gamers will be attracted to the amusing one-liners and the vibrant colours.
This 3D beat ’em up title was developed by AHEARTFULOFGAMES and published by Outright Games. Moreover, it can be enjoyed alone or cooperatively with another player. I stuck with option 1 for this review. However, my children enjoyed working together as they pounded every mutant that they encountered. Talking of pounding, that is the core mechanic of this puddle-deep experience. The turtles spend their whole time sliding, jumping, and smashing their way to victory. Consequently, things outstay their welcome pretty quickly. Yet, the simple gameplay is perfect for its intended audience.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed tells a dramatic but silly story.
New York City is renowned for its unique characters. Subsequently, a bunch of mutants living freely under the city streets doesn’t raise an eyebrow. However, when these mutants run riot and start attacking people, things take a turn for the worse. Fearing for the safety of their nearest and dearest, the turtle heroes decide to take matters into their own hands. With the help of their friends, the 4 heroes uncover the mystery and save the day yet again.
Though the plot is paper thin, I enjoyed the story and the pace it unfolded. Alongside this, the characters were interesting and there are some genuinely amusing moments. Furthermore, if you love the franchise, you’ll adore the unique twist on each protagonist and the relationships that form. No matter how crazy the story gets, the familiar elements sit at the fore. This was great as the new art style won’t be everyone’s cup of tea and some old-school characters keep it grounded.
Repetitive action.
The gameplay is divided into 2 key areas. First, you have the core missions. These tasks ask you to tackle contaminated mutants or to deliver pizzas. Additionally, you may practice in the dojo or progress the story. Each mission has a timer associated with it and you must activate that stage before the timer runs out. Each day is made up of a day/night cycle and the turtles can execute one activity per session. Therefore, you may enjoy some meditation before getting to grips with the story goals.
If you have time, you can visit your friends in the city. Each of these encounters improves your relationship and opens up new skills. This was an interesting approach on a character skill tree and I appreciated the unique design. Though these encounters were low-key affairs, they helped to build lore and add depth to the story. Moreover, there were the occasional side quests to complete and these took me by surprise.
As you progress through Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed, you will wander through a handful of small arenas. Each of these areas has mutants to kill, collectables to find, and graffiti to photograph. Though the latter 2 elements can be ignored, you will have to wipe out each group of mutants if you wish to complete the level. These combat encounters were repetitive and there was little skill required to progress. This was disappointing for me, but my girls loved the button-bashing ways.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed looks fantastic.
Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder. I know that the hand-drawn aesthetic will not appeal to everyone. Yet, I loved the grungy style and the vibrant colours. Moreover, the turtles looked great and each mutant had a varied style. What wasn’t great though, was the animation and camera angles. The animation was rudimentary and robotic. Additionally, it lacked energy and was far too uniform. Alongside this, the camera angle wasn’t good. Navigating some of the platforming elements was frustrating and you will fall in the sewer more often than not. This was disappointing as it undermined the polished finish.
The audio was obnoxious at best. The one-liners were funny, but they were relentless. As such, you pray for some silence. The music was upbeat and this matched the fast-paced encounters. Yet, there was rarely a rest from the cacophony and this made me grimace. Though it wasn’t for me, my kids laughed repeatedly at the silly words and they smiled when they smashed each mutant. Consequently, though I didn’t like it, they were hooked.
Smooth controls.
Smashing the buttons for untold combo attacks is a little uncouth for my liking. I prefer more defined commands and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed rarely penalises you for button bashing. Though it wasn’t for me, I cannot deny the smooth nature of the control system. Furthermore, a handy tutorial helps you with the basics and a guide highlights every combo attack you can execute. Therefore, the developer has done a great job with the control system.
There are plenty of collectables to find. Moreover, you can search for graffiti and computerised mutants throughout the world. I wasn’t too bothered about this as it seemed far too tedious for a limited return. Yet, if you are a completionist and you like to search for random objects, this has your back. As such, there is replay value and longevity if that is your sort of thing.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed is a mixed bag.
I’m on the fence with this game. As an adult, it doesn’t offer enough variety or difficulty to keep me entertained. What’s more, much of the action outstays its welcome. However, this is intended for a younger audience. Therefore, I only have to look at the joy on my kid’s faces to understand that it has hit the mark. They loved the simple gameplay and the witty dialogue. Moreover, they adore the characters and can tackle this alone. Accordingly, it was a success for them and I recommend buying it here! Can you save New York and the mutants? Pick your hero, speak to your friends, and get to the bottom of the mystery.
