TMNT: Out of the Shadows Review

[MrTMNT2012]

This is my official review for TMNT: Out of the Shadows. Leave your own thoughts/opinions on the game down below.

So, it's been a while since we had a good TMNT Game with a slew of failed attempts to adapt the TV Show in a respectable and fun manner. 1987 Series had some great titles such as Turtles in Time and Hyperstone Heist to name just a few but the 2003 Series never had a memorable game that still stood the test of time. Licensed games in general seem to be lacking except for the Arkham franchise (Which this game borrows heavily from) and the recent TMNT Games have been mediocre, even the updated version of Turtles in Time that now doesn't exist.

To kick off this new era of the Turtles, Nickelodeon has done a fantastic job introducing these characters in new ways to the younger generation while also being enjoyable for older fans. So how does the first game for this generation of Turtles fair out? Honestly, it's a love letter to any Ninja Turtles fan. It has all the right elements to create a new awesome experience for Turtles fans, old and new! I will split this review in 3 parts containing Gameplay, Presentation and Extras:

GAMEPLAY: This is the BEST element of the game by far. Red Fly really nailed the mobility and animations of the Turtles in a way that rewards the player for exploring the environments with these Ninja Skills, thus making it fun to just goof about. Aside from that we have a fantastic, expansive and immersive Combat mechanic that really makes work of the Turtles different fighting styles and tactics so it's never repetitive and allows for some EPIC juggles and moves. They really captured the essence of the Turtles and they also added a Stealth mode which isn't anything special but at times it can really make you feel like a Ninja Turtle, as it should. The first full play through of the game will probably take you around 10-12 hours if you do all the challenges, arcade mode and campaign. Then there's a whole level up system that's really well done and a Survival mode which is extremely fun surprisingly. All that plus Bonus content such as Artwork and the Turtles Lair really helps make this feel like a perfect package, with more content than most licensed-retail games!

PRESENTATION: Unfortunately this is the area where the game mostly lacks in. It just feels unpolished and clunky, there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for this. So no more people saying "But it's only $15 and made by 16 people" - that's not our problem. The game developers bit more than they could chew and that's their fault unless they patch it somehow. There are frequent glitches such as floating enemies and weapons (nothing game breaking but still...) and sometimes the animations can feel stiff. The comic style cutscenes are lazy especially when they could have just used the normal graphics for the cutscenes as they do in few occasions. I like the new look for the Turtles but I don't feel it was quite necessary, especially to people who haven't seen the new cartoon, this is a bad introduction to the designs for them. That's really my only problem with the game, so onto the positives. This game NAILS the style and feel of the new Nickelodeon Cartoon and puts you right into the action. You honestly feel like you're playing the cartoon and that's the best thing about the presentation. The 'Final Blow' cutscenes are amazing and great ways to finish off the EPIC Boss battles. The A.I starts out really stupid but gets better as the game goes on with the Foot Elites and such.

EXTRAS : This is my personal favourite aspect of the game. The amount of nods and homages to previous incarnations and to the newest is sure to give you a lot of Nerdgasms! The banter between the Turtles is AWESOME and this is one part where the developers really did their homework. They captured the characters perfectly and there is constant new conversations between the Turtles that allows for some great homages (Usagi Yojimbo reference FTW!). Right off the bat, you'll be happy with the menu screen and the Turtles HQ as they have some fun interactions that are always new. I love that they used different parts of the Lair as the menu and the Turtles & Splinter are always doing different things like meditating or just working out like Raphael. Arcade Mode is like a whole different game and is just as fun as the campaign if not more so. There are amazing set pieces in each chapter and the entire thing just oozes with Turtle greatness (Donatello's gravity gauntlet is a great example ) Chapter 4 is my absolute favourite, me and my buddies kept on replaying that level online just because of how awesome it was. That's another thing: The Online is FANTASTIC! It's a lot of fun and sure, there are bugs in the game but there are glitches in literally every other game in existence. It doesn't take away from the entire experience, it enhances it. We had to restart Chapter 2 twice but we didn't even bring it up after we finished the game because it was just so darn fun! The checkpoint system works but if you're too annoyed, you at least have to give it credit for being challenging and having Drop-out/Drop-in multiplayer.

My favourite Online Moment was when The Kraang were marching in a line and me and the other Turtles took them out one by one in the line, undetected. Truly Satisfying!

In Conclusion, TMNT: Out of the Shadows is a near-perfect first attempt at adapting the New Ninja Turtles in game form. The fact that it's only 1.7 GB and 16 people individually put out this much effort into a $15 game is truly commendable. This is my favourite TMNT Game so far and I look forward to the future of TMNT Games, it's lookin' pretty bright!

(8.5/10) for 'TMNT: Out of the Shadows'. BOOYAKASHA!