vrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmm SPLOOOOOOORCH!!!!!! (Madworld (Wii))

Member Name: loadedluke

Product:	Madworld (Wii)
Date:	14/09/09 (63 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: There's fun, there's comedy, there's a guy with a chainsaw for an arm

Disadvantages: Poorly told story that doesn't fit the game. It's repetitive and it's repetitive and it's repetitive

Madworld is the ultra-violent brawler released by SEGA in 2009. It is a novelty on the Wii as it is one of the few 18 rated and adult orientated games on the console. Although that fact in and of itself should not be a novelty. But this is not a place for ranting over the perception of video games in today's society.

Although, calling madworld a game is a fairly loose concept as well. It is more like an animated comic where you choose which panel comes next (will it be a baddie getting a baseball bat in the face or getting chainsawed in half). The influence of black and white manga, along with edgy western comics like Sin City, are obvious and intentional. The only colour on screen is swathes of red blood or yellow onomatopeia (SPLOOOORCH plastered over the screen as another foe is eviscerated)

The story focuses on Varrigan City, which has been captured by terrorists and its citizens are forced to compete in Death Watch, an underground tv show where contestants kill one another and viewers gamble over the result. You control Jack, a competitor with a chainsaw for an arm. At that point you should realise all realism has left the building. Each zone is cartoonish and ridiculous. You come across giants, ninjas, zombies and robots, and lets you kill them in a variety of ways.

And you have to kill them in a variety of ways. The objective of each level is to gain enough points from imaginative methods of murder in order to beat the level boss and proceed to the next level.

To accompany each level is commentary from two comedians which is actually very funny and doesn't repeat itself too often, as well as rap music and hiphop which is enjoyable and gets you in the mood for the grind that is to come (in some levels, you literally throw opponents into big grinders and watch them get squashed). But i am mostly talking about the bad kind of grind. Because once you have exhausted the few level specific death traps, you'll have to spend the rest of your time doing the same kill. Namely the barrel, pole, spike kill. There is a big vairety in barrels (there's wooden ones, metal ones, or just use a tire) and lots of different poles to put through your opponents head (stop signs, candle holders or, my personal favourite, trumpets), but you'll essentially do that a dozen times per level (and there are ten levels in which to grind through).

And that is where the problems begin. This game is repetitive. Its full of ideas, but they boil down to giving you a different enemy skin through which to chain-saw. Some of the bloodbath challenges (mini games which involve killing for bonus points; imagine throwing guys against a massive dart board or a golf game but with someones head instead of a ball) are fun, and each boss is very individual and are fun to fight against. But it's still a grind fest, and the black and white design, although arty and original, can also be drab and confusing. In addition, the vehicle levels, which are implemented to try and break the repetitive monotomy, but they are even more boring, as you only have two attacks, and these sections feel slow, boring and much more could have been done.

In addition, the gameplay and design is at right angles to the story. The story, told through cut scenes at the beginning and end of each level, try to create a sense of jeopardy and realism, as well as presenting a story of political conspiracy reminiscent of Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear opus. The slow, serious and wordy cut scenes, which often lack any music, drain the fun generated in each level and fail to generate excitement for the level ahead. The realism and seriousness of the story, is juxtaposed and undermined when you are fighting zombie's outside a gothic castle with outlandish weapons, as well as the jokey commentary which presents everything through a camera lense and reminds us that this is mant to be fun. The story is not neccessarily bad, but it doesn't fit the direction of this game, and is more irritating then enlightening, despite some good vioce acting.

This juxtaposition is confusing and presents Madworld as confused. It doesn't know what it wants to be. It is a very short game, but it still manages to be repetitive, with only the occasional birght idea and comedic moment.

My recommendation is to rent or borrow this game, and skip the cut scenes. The outlandish conspiracy story, which strives for realism and attempts to be relevant in today's society is a confusing direction and detracts from a game that does have some quality. The levels are fun. There is alot of fun to be had experimenting with different combinations and throwing people into each deathtrap. The simple control system is engaging and the use of motion based attacks does create a sense of immersion, which is a refreshing idea that hasn't been implemented well in many recent games. In addition, the ninja levels and zombie levels are fantastic, and sometimes lets you foget the repetitiveness of the core game concept.

Overall, this is an original game. It is an individual game. There is alot of brilliance and imagination hidden here, and you can have fun finding and using all the ways to kill opponents in each level, but it is weighed down by a confusing and poorly told story.

Plus, if you loved the Evil Dead movies, then pretend Jack is actually Ash and keep playing the zombie levels. It will fill you with glee.

Summary: I question the sanity of madworld's director...