A glance at new games: 'Hulk' and 'Prizefighter'

"The Incredible Hulk"

Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PC, PS2, DS

Genre: Action

Publisher: Sega

ESRB Rating: T, for Teen

Grade: 1.5 stars (out of 5)

What would you say are the odds that a movie-licensed game would be a successful effort for gamers? Three-to-one? Eleven-to-one? A gazillion-to-one?

With "The Incredible Hulk," unfortunately, it's closer to the gazillion end.

At first, it's enjoyable. Here's a classic character of comic-book lore who loves to smash and destroy everything. And sure enough, the game lets you do exactly that. Want to toss a bus into the side of a building? Try it out. Feel like ripping a taxi in half and beating up pedestrians with it? All systems go.

But beyond that, you'll find a thin gameplay that has little to offer beyond the pure thrills of smashing and bashing everything in sight.

The story is drab, and most of the missions you will partake in revolve around protecting a regular human while annihilating all comers. It gets highly repetitive before long and the game never builds to a crescendo of any kind.

Graphically, the game is just mediocre all the way around. Sure, Hulk himself is muscular, green and cool, but everything else is bland, to say the least. New York City doesn't look good at all when you're jumping from rooftop to rooftop (your primary means of travel), and down on the ground level it's amazing you don't get lost since every street looks the same.

"The Incredible Hulk" just doesn't stay incredible for very long. You may find yourself wondering if you need a strong dose of gamma rays to get worked up enough to find some enjoyment here. This game is best rented, so you can have fun crushing stuff for a couple hours and then be done with it.

"Don King Presents: Prizefighter"

Platforms: Xbox 360, Wii, DS

Genre: Sports

Publisher: 2K Sports

ESRB Rating: T, for Teen

Grade: 1.5 stars

As a major boxing enthusiast, I approached "Prizefighter" with expectations that were perhaps too high. Though never a big fan of Don King himself, I cannot ignore his lasting imprint on the sport and his handling of some of the biggest names in boxing history.

Sadly, though, there's not much that makes you feel like King had much to do with the game's creation. He shows up sporadically, but mostly what you'll find is a game that lacks punch -- literally and figuratively.

The controls are among the most complex I've seen in years. And considering that "Prizefighter" is a sports game where precious seconds and quick reactions are crucial, it's a shame to see it so poorly handled. Punches are hardly ever thrown when you want them to be, and the impact when they do connect doesn't seem damaging at all.

The career mode is the main thrust. You'll create a budding pugilist and ascend the ranks. Lots of current and classic boxers are included, but many of the classic fighters have to be unlocked.

Mini-games help you improve your attributes, but there are distractions that you think could be fun but might actually hurt your boxer in the long term.

EA's "Fight Night" franchise has been the reigning champ of boxing games for years. 2K has made great inroads in supplanting EA with its improved NBA franchise and others. But the title will not be knocked from EA, even with Don King being involved.

(E-mail Chris Campbell at game_on_games(at)mac.com)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)