So, I played Terminator: Salvation! OH GOOD FOR YOU! AND HOW WAS IT?!?!?!?! Well...

User Rating: 5.5 | Terminator Salvation PS3
By Bwags | Review Date:
Between the summer months of May and August, gamers are subjected to an endless amount of movie tie-in shovel ware, aimed at making a quick buck alongside the movie. The geniuses in suits hope that we, the consumers, will pay $60+ bucks and gobble up their watered down, poorly made games in hopes of draining every ounce of story out of the franchise. Recently, gamers have broken the trend, and protested (at least with their pocket books) these quick cash in disasters, in hopes of one day getting a movie licensed game they can be proud of; unfortunately, Terminator: Salvation is not that game, but it is, at least, a step in the right direction.

Presentation: 7
Although Terminator: Salvation bears the same name as the movie, the game is actually a PREQUEL to the events of the movie. You play John Connor as a young recruit, and the game follows his rise to eventual leader of the Resistance. Through the 9 (yes 9!) missions you play in the game, John and his crew encounter only 4 variations of machine, meet some generically scripted, similarly designed characters, but the adventure through the futuristic L.A. is so short, you will never feel any attachment to the characters or the game itself.

Graphics: 6
The grim, dilapidated L.A. is well represented in the short time you will spend with it, although the scenes underground and in the Skynet warehouse are a little too dark for my tastes. The characters are well animated at best, but special recognition goes to the machines, who are beautifully detailed, and offer all the flickering and exploding upon destruction.

Sound: 4
The sound effects were spot on, but nothing to brag about. The machines romped around to their own buzzing and mechanical nuances, and firefights were chaotic and engaging. Voice acting was honest, but points are taken off for not having Mr. Bale voicing the lead character. The music…well…was there music?

Gameplay: 5
Terminator: Salvation is a 3rd person shooter that uses a surprisingly good cover technique. Players will use the traditional X button to enter cover, and when you prepare to shift to different location, a semi circle pops up, allowing you to choose which position to move to next by manipulating the right analog stick. This basic cover, flank, and shoot gameplay will carry you thru the entire game, with the exception of a few EXTREMELY frustrating on-rails segments, which are likely to reduce you to tears, and your controller to dust.

Reviewers Tilt: 5.5
Terminator: Salvation is a crap game wrapped in a great package. On one hand, some of the visuals are breathtaking, and the tightened controls made for a good game. On the other side, repetitive, easy gameplay doesn't do much to empower the player to want more. After you figure out how to destroy each enemy (HINT – wasps take automatic, spiders take shells, and T-600's take explosives) the game can easily be finished within 5 hours. Terminator takes a step in the right direction, but few will find Salvation its short lifespan.

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