Been a while since I have created a thread... a long time I think :)

Anyway...

Last Thursday, I rented MadWorld out for a week ($15AU). I heard it was 'short', so I figured I would do this - and then if I really loved it, and hadn't had enough - I would buy it later.

First impressions were not good. Game switches to 576i (PAL) - urrgh. Doesn't bother me too much, and in some ways this can look better (higher vertical res) - but whatever.

The start of the game lacks polish. Interfaces, startup, title screen - all incredibly bland/empty, very much an after thought. Serious lack of options as well - I actually lol'd at the video "align your screen" option (does anyway use these anymore? The Wii system has one built-in - why bother?).

Now, get into the game. The graphics are very stylised - no question. But I also find them "ugly". I realise with this generic "B&W" scheme, the game could never actually "wow" me with graphics - ever.

Then I hear my Wii start to churn - seems that *all* the cutscenes are streamed from disk (maybe poly streams, or just the audio in the background) - my Wii is a 'little' old (almost launch), and it doesn't like streaming a lot.

...

The game managed to confuse me with the story - sort of realise later on what is happening, but firstly you get (cheap) storyboards telling you that part of a city has been cutoff... and next I'm thrust into this ultra-violent 'game'(?). Also has the usual conspiracy edge to it.

I start playing the tutorial/introduction. The controls are pretty good - its a simplified fighting game, with lots of environmental context options (pick up sign, etc). Its all pretty static, and 'fixed' though - you can't grab a sign when you are near it, only when in the right spot and "Press 'A'" shows up on the screen. Same goes for virtually everything in the game - I found this to be one of the biggest flaws, the game just isn't smart enough when it comes to your context in the world.

Next thing I realise: the game is violent. Not slightly violent, but *ultraviolent*. Its almost certainly the most violent game I have ever played, and I instantly realise I could never purchase this for my house (we have kids around all the time, etc). I could never play this with my wife around. It also 'glorifies' violence, which I think is the real problem (and is really the core concept of the game as well).

Anyway... I am enjoying myself (towards the end of the tutorial). Its *fun* to play - at least at this stage, and this is Madworld's saving grace. It has a number of negatives, but is ultimately a FUN game. (if it wasn't, it would be a real 'bin' title).

...then - the game hangs on me. Suspect it has something to do with a slow streaming load - but sloppy dev either way. Games *never* crash on my Wii. Unplug the power to the Wii, start up again... play through the demo again.

...

I played for 2-3hrs (maybe longer), and got to the 2nd city (level 4 or 5 - boss for Chinatown).

The game is getting very repetitive - and it comes down almost completely to trying to get "violent combos". It becomes a bit of a chore, with some of the game elements starting to distract. I found the camera a little close - making it hard to see people coming behind me. Turning quite rapidly turns the camera, almost too fast.

Also - because the ENTIRE game is in B&W (& red...) enemies struggle to stand out - nor can you easily differentiate which are which. In the end, it didn't matter too much - I treated most of them equally.

I also got lost a lot: a weapon or special would open up in a level, a cutscene would show me where it is - but I struggled to find it. A marker on the mini-map, or even an arrow or 3D marker would have been nice. There is a mini-map, with some markers on it - but sometimes this confused me more than anything else.

...

I could talk about the game in general - but there have been plenty of threads about MadWorld, what it is, how it plays, etc.

I just wanted to say that its not the mega-impressive title I was expecting. Its solid, its fun - but it also lacks polish (in places), it glorifies violence - and its technically flawed in places. Very much feels like it needs a sequel (maybe in colour this time..).

For me its a 6 or 6.5, and it deserves the sales it is getting at the moment. I won't be buying it, and I doubt I could recommend it to anyone I know.

Some of those things are why I haven't bought it...(nor played, can't rent here) the shortness being a major downer.

I have heard it is similar in some ways to No More Heroes, which would be a good thing if it weren't so short.

I won't say much, but next time u get an item look at the mini map before, then when the cut scene finishes, look at it again... U will notice a mark that wasn't there. So THERe really is a marker for that in the game ;)

Finally someone who doesn't praise this game to heaven. It's not a bad game, but I hate it when sony and microsoft fanboys use this game as an example of why the wii can't sell good 3rd party dev games. It just doesn't deserve awesome sales.

THANK YOU.

Do you live in Belgium lol? It's also illegal to rent games here

They did have a marker on the minimap, the marker would even change color if you were on the same level of the map as the item in question

Map navigation did get troublesome in some maps (notably Chinatown and that Area 66), but generally it wasn't that bad.

Oh Hell no, take it back it's awesome.

No, I don't think it's illegal, in fact my local blockbuster did have some PS3/X360/PS2 games to rent (and I have rented N64 and GC there before). Wii games never became available, and now it seems there are no PS360 ones either, though still a smattering of PS2.......... Instead they sell games, but usually more expensive than many other places.

@TWRoO:

That's kind of odd, in my local blockbusters, games are increasing the shelf space. Before the start of this generation, there were two shelves dedicated to gaming. Nowadays, it's about a third of the store.

Well, I asked someone in moviemax why they don't rent games out anymore and they said that it was against the law or something. You used to be able to rent games, but now not anymore(in belgium).