Robots Will Do Until The Incredibles II

• Graphics: 6/10
• Sound: 7/10
• Gameplay: 6/10
• Replay Value: 6/10
• Overall: 7/10

While considerably better than last year's movie tie-in game, this one still needs some work to join the superhero videogame hall of justice.

Cashing in off of the Pixar blockbuster, The Incredibles, THQ put out a game last year based on the film that was less than super. With no discernable sequel in sight, developer Heavy Iron gets a little creative and makes a sequel of sorts in, The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer, picking up where the film ends and sending you on an adventure to battle the mole-like villain known as The Underminer. For those of you who haven't sat, or had to sit, through the DVD 150 times, the film ends with this super villain's appearance threatening our heroes with mayhem and destruction.

Well before you get to wrapped up in what could be, you should know that while Mrs. Incredible and the kids stay topside to fend off some menacing drills, Mr. Incredible and his crime-fighting bud Frozone, head underground to take on the Underminer and his incessant army of robots.

It's to the game's benefit that the developers shied away from simply churning out another spin-off, opting for a new story and limiting the action to two characters instead of four. Unlike ensemble superhero games where you would want to mix things up a bit, this game works better with just two main heroes.

Underminer plays fairly straightforward as an action/platformer with simple controls and the ability to switch between characters on the fly and the option to take on the story in co-op mode. As a single player you can give simple commands to your superhero pal during certain situations which require specific character skills. For example Frozone may need to make an ice bridge to defeat some foes across a chasm or Mr. Incredible might have to lift a really heavy door. Icons to indicate this will be colored blue and red meaning either character can perform the task. Clearly the cooperative mode is more fun since teamwork is a key element in the game and, for the most part, the A.I. partner is sorely lacking in smarts.

However you choose to play, you'll quickly discover the strengths and weaknesses of each character. Mr. Incredible makes button mashing easy as he is primarily super-strong and can smash and throw stuff, while Frozone can freeze and smash things and make ice bridges. Both characters also have "super moves" which allow for an exaggerated version of their abilities and offers a good way to clear out an overwhelming attack of robots.

If you've noticed the word robots used more than once, it's because other than the main villain, you and your cohort will battle several variations of robots, robot bosses and robotic machines that are pretty much robots without arms and legs. This entire wacky robot smashing/mild puzzle solving fun is presented in bright, easy-on-the-eyes-colors aimed as pleasing the younger gamers. Sadly Samuel L. Jackson and Crag T. Nelson did not do the voice work for their characters in the game and the sound alikes, while entertaining, don't do justice to their videogame counterparts. Also strangely absent is any hint of a soundtrack at al,l with background music that much like the voice acting is not very memorable

The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer is a short, simple, entertaining action/adventure that is sure to please young and old fans of the film serving a pseudo-remedy for no apparent film sequel with a clever expansion of this very marketable superhero franchise.