Hellboy: The Science of Evil
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| Hellboy: The Science of Evil | |
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| Developer(s) | Krome Studios (PS3, Xbox 360) Big Ant Studios (PSP) |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable |
| Release date(s) | NA June 24, 2008 EU August 15, 2008 AUS August 28, 2008 |
| Genre(s) | Action |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | BBFC: 12 ESRB: T |
| Media | Blu-ray Disc, DVD, UMD |
| Input methods | SIXAXIS Controller, Xbox 360 Controller |
Hellboy: The Science of Evil is a video game based on the comic book character of the same name. It was released for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PlayStation Portable on June 24, 2008 in North America, followed by an August 15 release in Europe and August 28 release in Australia.[1]
All versions follow the same story line, however the PSP version of the game differs from the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. There are 4 playable characters: Hellboy, Abe Sapien, Liz Sherman and Lobster Johnson (voiced by Bruce Campbell). Herman von Klempt, a Nazi head-in-a-jar, is the game's main villain, along with several of his 'kriegaffen'. The game has online and off line multiplayer co-op for up to 2 players.
The game was created under the creative direction of both the comic book's creator, Mike Mignola, and the film's director, Guillermo del Toro. Ron Perlman, Selma Blair and Doug Jones reprise their roles from the film as Hellboy, Liz and Abe respectively, providing full voice-overs.
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[edit] Gameplay
Players control Hellboy in a third-person perspective as they progress through a series of levels broken up into six chapters. Levels consist of separate stages and routes occupied by multiple groups of enemies that differ between chapters. In most cases, all enemies in the current area must be defeated in order to move to the next phase of the chapter, with ghostly barriers of smoke blocking paths while foes remain present. To combat opponents, Hellboy uses his stone "right hand of doom" for most hand to hand combat situations, with heavy and quick attacks that can be mixed together for varied combinations of attack. Foes can eventually be stunned, as indicated with a grey flash where Hellboy can grapple a perform additional attacks such as slams and head butts, along with cinematic finishing moves when near death. Such finishing moves are required when involved in boss fights. As Hellboy defeats enemies, he receives energy that is stored also within his health meter. Energy is used to execute certain grapple moves and to activate "Hellmode", where Hellboy’s right hand of doom becomes engulfed in flames causing further damage in combat.
Another weapon that can be used is Hellboy’s oversized pistol known as the Samaritan. The weapon fires heavy single shots at targeted foes with the choice of six different types of ammunition with nine in total as certain types aren’t available on certain levels. While most kinds are for damaging opponents like "Heavy", "Grenade" and "Splinter" ammunition, others can be used during the game’s puzzles like "Ignite" to light beacons or "Release" to destroy cursed vines. Additional types of ammunition like "Charge" can only be obtained by defeating certain enemies with a finishing move.
Hellboy can also pick up various objects throughout each level to be used as a projectile or combat weapon such as barrels, hammers, pipes, rocks and even parts of enemies or their own weapons that have been ripped off during a finishing attack. Some items are also used in small tasks to progress through levels such as lighting fires or lanterns. Other puzzle elements include certain obstacles like doors and cracked walls that require Hellboy to smash through with his right hand of doom and pulls levers connected to obstructions. Throughout the single player mode, there are collectables in the form of artifacts and lores. These act as additional small details to the story but also increase maximum energy capacity for the use Hellmode ability.
The story mode can also be played cooperatively with another player, both locally with another controller or online over Xbox Live for the Xbox 360 version and PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 version. The game’s host always plays as Hellboy and can save each chapter while the second player has the choice of playing as either Abe Sapien or Liz Sherman, both with their own unique abilities and form of combat such as Abe’s array of martial arts moves for combat or Liz’s pyrokinesis.
[edit] Plot
The plot opens in Romania where Hellboy has been sent to track a crazed witch through an abandoned graveyard in her thrall, inhabited by werewolves and undead. As he encounters and battles the witch, she falls back and takes refuge in the nearby cursed village, of which when Hellboy overlooks, he is quickly ambushed by a Nazi soldier and pushed down to hill and into the village.
The following chapter takes place 25 years earlier in an unknown part of rural Japan where Hellboy has been sent in to investigate reports of paranormal activity where he is quickly attacked by manifesting Oni, revealed by an old monk later that their hostility is due to their sacred artifact being stolen by the Nazis under Herman von Klempt who seek to use it for their own gain. After heading into the cliffs, Hellboy spots Klempt but is briefly attacked by one of Herman’s Kriegaffe, taking their fight into an old temple with the fight ending with Herman falling over the cliff side after accidentally being struck by a log thrown by his own minion. Hellboy quickly returns the artifact to the old monk.
The plot returns back to present time in Romania with Hellboy still pursuing the witch in an abandoned village filled with undead and Nazi robots that battle one another. Upon a final battle with the witch in the village church, she is crushed by its giant bell after Hellboy pulls it down, yet this is followed by the collapse of the church itself with Hellboy falling into the underground catacombs, finding a group of excavating a creature resembling an Ogdru Hem, also swarming with "frog monsters". Eventually Hellboy destroys the foundations of the underground causing it to cave in and while escaping momentarily, he later falls into an abyss.
The following chapter yet again follows Hellboy on a past mission, taking place 40 years ago in a Tunisian desert. He soon stumbles upon a wounded alien soldier who tells of the Nazis yet again attempting to gain power, this time from some form of alien beast yet failed and even though the aliens contained it in a crystal prison, it is indirectly controlling the fallen Nazis to bring about destruction of life. Further into the desert ruins, another soldier reveals that the beast might have followed the alien soldiers to their post on Earth. Hellboy tracks down and battles the giant worm underground, eventually leading upwards and defeating it on the surface.
Back in present day, Hellboy wakes up after having been washed up on the shores of an unknown part of Eastern Europe where he finds a giant castle on the cliff side. He attempt to send a transmission for backup but the signal conflicts with Herman von Klempt’s, making both aware of each-other's presence. After making his way further into the castle, Hellboy encounters an undead soldier who tells the story of the castle, that is was built by the Nazis to carry out their experiments, with Klempt returning to finish his work despite the soldier convinced they will fail once more. Hellboy eventually tracks down Klempt to his main laboratory where he releases a giant cyborg mutant to kill Hellboy. During the battle, Klempt’s control room catches fire and he is burned alive. After continuing the fight outside, Klempt appears once more but remaining as just a head in a jar hovering just above the ground. Hellboy grabs Klempt and forces him into the power core on the mutant’s back causing it to explode, throwing Hellboy off the castle and into the ocean.
[edit] Development
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[edit] Reception
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| GameSpot | 3.5/10 |
| Game Informer | 7/10 |
| GamePro | 4/5 |
| Game Revolution | C |
| Official Xbox Magazine | 4/10 |
| Eurogamer | 5/10 |
| Game Trailers | 5.4/10 |
| IGN | 3.5/10 (360 and PS3) 3/10 (PSP) |
Upon the game’s initial release it received mixed to negative reviews with an average critic score of 52% for the PS3 version, 49% for the Xbox 360 and 42% for the PSP at Game Rankings. While EGM magazine gave the game a 58% ranking, Game informer gave it 7/10 and Game Pro gave it 4/5. While some critics praised the combat style, most of them complained that the game had repetitive game play and that the graphics weren't up to current console generation standards. Team Xbox stated that if this game had been made for last-gen consoles, it would have fared better, but since it wasn't, it loses the appeal. They gave an overall 5/10. X-Play gave it a 1 out of 5, Hardcore Gamer gave it a 2.25/5 and IGN gave it 3.5 for Xbox 360 and PS3, but only 3.0 for the PSP. GameSpot gave 3.5/10 for Xbox 360 version. [2]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Hellboy: Science of Evil Official web Site
- GameSpot's Xbox 360 page
- IGN's PS3 page
- Hellboy: The Science of Evil Page
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