E3 06: Ghost Rider Hands-On

LOS ANGELES--The latest Marvel Comics property to head to the big screen will be Ghost Rider, with a cast that includes such totally insane actors as Nicolas Cage, Peter Fonda, Sam Elliott, Donal Logue, and Eva Mendes. Obviously, the film is a live-action version of the popular comic about a hell-blazing motorcyclist superhero with a flaming skull for a head and a penchant for vengeance. Coming alongside the film will be Ghost Rider for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Xbox. The game is basically a third-person action game with some driving sequences along for the ride, and it's currently on display at publisher 2K Games' E3 2006 booth. We went there to get a look at how Ghost Rider is coming together.

The game itself appears to be more specifically based on the comic book version of Ghost Rider than the live-action film. There was little evidence of any film influence, celebrity voice actors, or anything of that nature. So for those who prefer their comic-book games purely based on the comic book, and not a film-license version, Ghost Rider ought to be more up your alley.

Two demo levels were available in the version of Ghost Rider that was available for play. The first level was a third-person level where we got to see what Ghost Rider's brand of on-foot action is all about. To sum it up quickly, Ghost Rider feels like a light version of God of War. Your primary weapon is the flaming chains attached to each of Ghost Rider's arms, and with combinations of the weak and strong attack buttons, you can pull off various whipping attack combos with those chains. The game appears to basically be a beat-'em-up, as most of the levels we played simply revolved around beating all the various demonic clowns, bats, and other similar creatures to death until we could move on to the next room area. Occasional lever-pulling and destructible objects aside, the combat seemed very straightforward without too many wrinkles or specifically unique components.

The second level was a driving mission where Ghost Rider had to drive his trusty motorcycle down a hellish highway while enemies popped in and attacked from all sides. Combat wise, we could fire off a burst shot that fired straight ahead, or whip our chains on either side of us if any enemies came up alongside the bike. Basic speed boosts and braking mechanics applied, though we could also jump the bike in certain spots, as well as power down to slide underneath certain obstacles. Powering down was probably the coolest thing about the demo, as there's just something viscerally satisfying about sliding sideways underneath a crashed tanker truck.

Generally speaking, the demo of Ghost Rider seemed simple and rather rough around the edges. But with the game only halfway done, and its release still a year off, there's certainly plenty more to be done with this one. We'll bring you more on Ghost Rider soon.