Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit

?What the world needs now is another mech combat game like I need a hole in my head.?

Murakumo is a special mech unit charged with protecting the city from wanton destruction by giant robots. While the plot is unavoidably tired and worn out, Murakumo tries to set itself apart by being a mech pursuit game, which means you chase rogue mechs through indistinguishable cityscapes for 20 levels. The result is a series of uninspiring levels that all look and play alike.

But the problems don?t stop there. The controls are surprisingly cumbersome for a twitch game in which precision is crucial. Steering and aiming is a nightmare, and certain weapons border on unusable. Customization is nonexistent, though you can choose which of five specialized mechs you want to take out on each mission. Backstory elements are delivered through a bland ?Reports? menu that consists of a text box and a couple of still images. And incredulously enough, in this age of Xbox Live, there?s no multiplayer mode!

There?s a debilitating lack of variety in Murakumo?s missions, too. ?Rescue the news helicopter? means chase yet another rogue mech through the city and then watch a cut-scene in which the helicopter is actually rescued. The cut-scenes are the best part of the game, though the soundtrack and voice acting are bland. The intro cinematics are thrilling with a polished romp through a city under attack. Unfortunately, it turns out to be a false promise when the chips are down. Stick with Zone of the Enders or MechAssault if you want a giant robot fix.

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