Van Helsing battles other infamous monsters in gaming world
By Stephen Ryan
CNN Headline News
(CNN) -- "Van Helsing" isn't just a hot new movie, it's also a video game based on the same super-hero storyline. It's got an imaginative arsenal, a famous cast, and challenging play.
Although the game is set at the turn of the 19th century, during Van Helsing's adulthood, the storyline begins well before that. As a child, Van Helsing was found on the Vatican steps suffering from amnesia. The priests took him under their wing and inducted him into an ancient secret society of monster hunters. As an adult, Van Helsing sets out on a quest to rediscover his past. His hunt for clues takes him to Transylvania to battle Dracula. As first time players soon discover, there's no time for sightseeing along the way.
While working his way toward Dracula, Van Helsing duels with several other infamous monsters. The cast includes Mr. Hyde, The Wolf Man and The Frankenstein Monster. He also has to take on several types of spirits, gargoyles, banshees and vampire bats. In order to defeat this surly lot, he must incorporate his early 19th-century arsenal.
Van Helsing packs heat, and a whole lot more. He embarks carrying dual pistols as his primary weapon and Tojo Blades as his secondary. Tojos are handheld buzz saws that essentially butcher enemies daring to engage in "hand-to-tojo" combat.
Wanna upgrade to a different weapon, perhaps one that helps earn "Van Helsing" a teen rating for blood, gore and violence? No problem! Van Helsing picks up "power glyphs" along the way, which allow him to buy better weaponry including a shotgun, crossbow, Gatling gun, and elephant gun. There also is a lightning gun, which shoots pulses of electricity that explode upon impact.
All of "Van Helsing's" logistics may sound like a lot to absorb, but the developer, Vivendi Universal, eases you into the game. One of my favorite features is its tutorial sessions, which is especially helpful for gamers who don't like to read the instructions.
Given that Van Helsing has mastered a lifetime's knowledge of combination moves, weaponry, and melee attacks, us commoners need the abridged version. The game automatically walks you through key controller sequences at the beginning of the first couple of missions. Take advantage of these tutorials or you could miss out on some important tactics, such as Van Helsing's grappling hook abilities.
Another of "Van Helsing's" attributes is its cinematography during play, but it takes a while to get used to. Essentially, you control Van Helsing via the toggle stick, from a third person perspective. However, differing from many other games, "Van Helsing" automatically cuts to abstract camera vantage points while moving the character through each scene. I found this refreshing given that it seems to delve outside the box.
Overall, "Van Helsing" was challenging. I recommend it to gamers who enjoy standard super-hero based titles, but also are looking for a new spin visually and control wise.
