Grade: B+
Good things come to those who wait.
When the Wii first came out in 2006, it was a radically different system with a new and innovative way to play. But as the novelty wore off and the cascade of crappy games piled up, hardcore gamers began to feel alienated.
It's time for those gamers to dust off their Wii and re-hone the skills, because Mad World has hit stores with a vengeance, bringing true gamers everywhere a sign of relief from the drudgery gaming mediocrity.
The game takes place in the fictional Varrigan City, where a group of terrorists has isolated the city and forced the inhabitants to take part in a game show that has them literally fighting for the lives.
Players will control Jack, a mysterious outsider with a retractable chainsaw attached to his arm who voluntarily joins the competition. His motives are unclear at first but, as the game progresses, his intentions are pieced together.
The first thing gamers will notice is the stylized virtual art. Looking like something out of a Frank Miller novel, everything from the characters to the scenery has been rendered into black and white.
Red is the only color players will see, and they'll see the plenty of it, blood flowing with a determination to separate this game the disappointments of Wii past. It gives new meaning to the phrase, "black and white and red all over."
Unfortunately, the art is what holds the rest of the game up. The story is lackluster, nothing more than a clich?(c)d comic book plot. However, it is presented as such, and the game wisely decides not to take itself too seriously.
The story is not exceptionally long but the longevity is bolstered by brutally harder and unlockable minigames that can be played with another gamer.
The commentators reinforce the playfulness of the game. Since it takes place on a game show, there are two play-by-play announcers, voiced by John DiMaggio (Gears of War 2) and Greg Proops (Whose Line is it Anyway?). Their banter is both funny and well performed. It never feels forced or unnecessary and is a great way maintain the story's interest.
Mad World's control scheme feels natural as players are given chainsaws and other melee weapons. To attack, simply swing the Wii-mote and watch victims fall to your mercy.
While many innovative controls are not always used properly, this game does it right, proving much more fun to play than had it required a standard controller.
The targeting system is the only flawed aspect of the controls. It takes several seconds for Jack to lock onto an enemy and when he finally does, it takes precious seconds to cancel the target. If there is a large group of enemies and the player locks onto the wrong one by mistake, it can get very frustrating.
Wii owners do not see the M-rating often, but this game uses that rating to the fullest. The copious amount of blood is nearly matched by language so vulgar it sounds as if was lifted straight from a Martin Lawrence standup special.
Boss battles occur regularly, each with interactive finishing moves that would make Mortal Kombat jealous. There are also several vehicle stages that serve as a welcome break from the hack-and-slash play that permeates the rest of the game.
Whether it is because of the system's hardware limitations or the cavalcade of family-friendly games, the Wii has put off a lot of hardcore gamers. But finally, a game has been released to accommodate that audience, and it was well worth the wait.
It will take a lot more than one game to save the system. Hopefully this is the beginning of something great from Nintendo.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
