Counter Force review

Dec 10, 2007

Shooter enthusiasts, look away. Budget gamers, avert your eyes. Gundam fans... haven't you been hurt enough already? This laughable attempt at laser-guided thrills ain't what you're looking for. Years from now, its epic awfulness may be the stuff of legend and we'll be able to share in a hearty chuckle at Counter Force's expense. Its presentation is a fascinating blend of generic and ugly. The soundtrack features a mercilessly wailing guitar of God-like electro-cheese, seemingly ripped from the bed of a Double Dare Physical Challenge. Names like Dynamus and the two-headed dragon, Dracaena... it's all here to mock and we're looking forward to it. Someday...

For now, it's too close. We still feel its sting and you're in danger of dropping bills on it, so we must treat Counter Force with the utmost sincerity: The game is an absolute mess. Enemies are indistiguishable, and zip about spastically, unrestrained by design or anything resembling physics. Aiming with the Remote almost works well. The thing is, we can't confirm the success of our lock-ons and such because, frankly, we couldn't see 'em.

No matter what galactic conflict the three presented paragraphs of plot would imply, you're real beef is going to be with yourself and the camera. Each of the three forgettable mechs magnetically hover directly in your field of view. You can't decipher jack nor shit with the default, behind-the-back perspective, and the equally busted top-down view (activated anytime by hitting 1) fares only slightly better. To bad you can't use it during the stunted and disorienting boss battles. Simply wave your wrist and hope for the best... then prepare to be let down.