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This game is like that bowl of fruit sitting on the table. Looks pretty good, has a nice
shine...there are mutant scorpions. But then you find out, “Oh, it’s plastic. The fruit
is plastic.” Then you throw up, because—appearance be damned—organic polymers aren’t quite
as palatable as Georgia peaches.
Now, to
be fair, this game isn’t going to make you throw up unless you try to eat the cartridge.
But when you have a name like Battle of Giants: Mutant Insects, you back yourself into a corner.
Battle of Giants: Mutant Insects should be awesome.
Turns out it’s just plastic.
Released to the Nintendo DS in 2010, Mutant Insects is actually the third release in Ubisoft’s
Battle of Giants series. In the first game, it was dinosaurs. In the second, it was dragons.
And for this game, the battle is waged by giant mutated insects in a barren, post-apocalyptic
world.
Sounds like something out of a campy B-movie from the 1950s, and if you’re into film
history and generally old media like I am, you’ll be excited by that title. You’ll
expect this awesome tribute to retro horror wrapped around an enjoyable video game. But
what you get...is a game that misses its presentational opportunity, along with any unique presentational
opportunity, and falls just short of enjoyable.
But you know, you can put the specifics of my expectations aside. Not important. The
real issue with this game isn’t that it doesn’t capture the spirit of Attack Of
The 50 Foot Woman. It doesn’t capture any spirit. You’d expect a world where humans
are dead and giant insects are the bosses to be a lot more exciting.
It’s not. It’s empty and barren...in a bad way.
The battles work, but they’re just as dull. You encounter bugs, you swipe the touch screen
to attack and defend, you can upgrade your insect. Then you wander around and repeat
the process...then, you take this game out of your Nintendo DS. Battle of Giants: Mutant
Insects is a simple game that should appeal to younger players, but that’s about it.
And that’s a real shame.