Welcome to the world of Van Helsing a world in which all manner of creatures of the night exist. Take the lead role of Van Helsing as he mounts his one man crusade against all manner of evils in this action adventure based on the movie of the same name.

Gameplay:

Van Helsing is a 3rd person action adventure title similar to Devil May Cry on the PS2 where the camera remains uncontrollable by the player but switches automatically as you move across the screen. This I assume is to create a more cinematic where players can focus on the games action rather than being director at the same time. The games emphasis is on all out fighting and shooting whilst following the movie story and solving some minor puzzles. Action comes in the form of dispatching foes with bladed weapons such as twin tojo blades which allow Van to slice up foes in close quarter combat. Van is able to perform various combo moves such as launching enemies into the air and then jumping to continue the combo. More moves being purchased between stages. Van also comes equipped with a grapple hook which not only helps Van reach seemingly inaccessible areas but allows him to hook enemies and draw them towards him enabling Van to perform another combo. Van is also able to perform finishing moves which can kill enemies in one hit however Van must keep a hit counter active to build up these finishing moves.

Van also has a variety of firearms available such as a crossbow or pistols which are handy for when van can’t get close to enemies such as winged beasts or those that counter attack when Van tries to use his blades. The player has to decide which weapons work best against the various enemies. Some weapons have an alternative firing mode for dispatching tough opponents however this mode relies on a bar which depletes very fast in use. The fighting is very fluid and intense despite the severe lack of moves. However Van does look good as he darts across the screen taking foes apart from all sides. Experimenting with combos is fun but again rather limited which leaves the player to strive to clear rooms with the maximum hit ratio (not always easy as some enemies remain off screen).

The enemies themselves come in two forms and these are your regular re-spawning foes which populate the entire game and will reappear if you clear an area move on and then return. Each enemy killed drops collectable orbs (cash or health) which Van can use to purchase extra moves, upgrades and rejuvenation items. Secondly are your boss battles which range from a wide cast of classic horror types such as Werewolf man, Dr Jekyll, Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster and many more. These battles are wild clashes where Van must use all his evasive moves to fight these adversaries (although hammering the fire button can work in some cases).

After each stage is completed a score card is displayed showing various stats which the player can try and improve on. These stats are viewable from the main menu which adds some incentive to play levels over and over. Your stats are also viewable via Xbox Live which has a score board set up so players can see how they compare to other gamers around the globe. A nice feature all the same.

Graphics

With games such as Chronicles of Riddick also from publishers Vivendi pushing the boundaries when it comes to visuals on Xbox , multiplatform games such as Van Helsing that look very poor in comparison really have no place at all where no extra effort is spared for Xbox owners. On a plus side the character designs especially for the bosses are very good and true to their forms seen in the movie. Even Van himself looks the part. However some of the regular enemies are less detailed and less impressive. One major gripe is the lack of blood which although sounding sadistic in my opinion is a requirement for a game with such horror content. What, Dracula ditches blood for goats milk? Never! At least give players or parents the option to turn blood on or off maybe even green.

Sound:

The sound in Van Helsing is typical Hollywood orchestral score accompanied with some reasonable voice acting. The clashing of blade on foul beasts is prominent throughout as is the monotone firing of guns over and over. Overall the sound is nothing spectacular but good enough to convey the story and create the right amount of tension when required.

Longevity:

With no multiplayer support the game relies on its scoreboard and “unlock-ables” to keep players interest. The scoreboards being displayed over LIVE being a cool feature for those who want to prove themselves and the offline score for those wishing to improve. The game does feature secret areas to explore as well as some bonus missions unlocked by gathering Easter eggs. Whether these and the other bonuses o offer are enough depends on how much you liked the movie I guess or in particular how much you like the game.

Overall:

Van Helsing is a decent game overall yet nothing truly spectacular. The story in general is very good as are the characters themselves. However the lack of any real atmosphere and spookiness makes for a pretty lacklustre experience which means not all players are going to warm to the game. I would recommend a rental of this game as I’m sure most players will get some fun out of it for a weekend. That said if you loved the movie then you would probably like the game and therefore I would suggest you rush out and buy it so you can bring a piece of the movie experience home with you.