Spider Fighter- Deadly Creatures Reviewed

Deadly Creatures for the Nintendo Wii - Developed By Rainbow Studios, Published by THQ

                                                 No, Treyarch didn't develop the title. Why do you ask?

Last November marked the second anniversary of the release of the Nintendo Wii. While the system is clearly a commercial success, having sold over 45 million units worldwide, there are still some enigmatic gaps in its software library. Third party offerings are particularly desultory, offering listless mini-game compilations, and half-hearted attempts at capturing the mainstream fanbase. When we first saw the uninspired cover art of Deadly Creatures, with its rattlesnake poised to strike a tarantula, we assumed it was yet another lackadaisical Wii title.

However, within moments of putting the disk into our consoles, we knew we had irrationally misjudged the game. That old cliché about books and their relationship to covers would be fitting here. The title opens with a wonderfully moody voice over from Billy Bob Thornton, who along with Dennis Hopper, portrays two brothers on a quest for gold. The method of advancing the narrative is novel- the game’s animal protagonists overhear fragments of the duo’s conversations. This technique gives the gamer just enough information to maintain a robust interest in the title’s story.


                                                             A scene from "No Country for Old Archanids"

Initially the player controls the tarantula, which moves via the control stick on the nunchuck. The ‘A’ button initiates a strike, while ‘Z’ is used to jump. As the player traverses through the title’s ten levels, new wiimote-gestured commands become available- from the left and right sweep to perform a spin attack, to a button and motion combo to execute a venom pounce. The game’s other protagonist is the scorpion, who while less agile that the tarantula, but packs greater offensive power. In lieu of a jumping ability, the scorpion has the ability to block attacks with the ‘Z’ button.

Throughout the game’s intricate levels, players will have to maintain their heath level by consuming crickets, pill bugs, and grubs; additionally, the scorpion regains health by successfully completing a finishing move. The game is fairly linear, although the player has the ability to deviate from the main path to corral collectables. Boss battles are mildly enjoyable; they are decidedly simplistic and require the player to perform a series of commands before dispatching the enemy.


                                  "Keep digging, those E.T. cartridges are supposed to be right here"

Developer Rainbow Studios is familiar with desert locales, having created many of the arid environments for its long-running MX vs. ATV series. Deadly Creatures’ recreation of the Sonoran Desert ranges from well rendered glubs and snakes, to the occasional drab textures for an underground wall or rock. When the player does encounter the sporadic discarded item, from a motorcycle tire to a baby doll, a remarkable sense of scope is conveyed to the gamer. Unfortunately, we often found ourselves disoriented when the camera lost focus in subterranean tunnels. Although the ‘2’ button brought up a directional arrow, navigating passageways as the tarantula was cumbersome without a horizon to use as a reference point. The game showed intermittent difficulty in recognizing our Wiimote gesturing, although with practice, we were able to execute special moves with a reasonable  measure of consistency. 

With amplified hisses, shrieks and squeals, the game’s sound design is amazingly immersive. Each creature has its own signature set of sounds- tail strikes to stealth pounces all sound deliciously crunchy. Deadly Creatures wonderfully minimal soundtrack of drum beats and western guitar riffs complements the on-screen action suitably.

                                                 "Yeah, I'd like to meet this Rikki-Tikki-Tavi character!"

Overall, this tale of the desert underworld’s two antiheroes is yet another indicator of a recent renaissance in third-party Wii gaming. While not perfect, Deadly Creatures is a compelling title, with solid controls and gameplay that seldom frustrates. Beyond the occasional camera hitch and sporadic framerate drop, the title comes recommended to Wii owners seeking a distinctive action-adventure title.

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Posted by DesertEagle at 2/19/2009 8:04 PM
Categories: Wii,Reviews
 

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