Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this game is based on the Iron Man movie and that it contains some violence, but no blood or gore. Iron Man enemies involve soldiers, tanks, and other heavily-armored vehicles. Explosions litter the landscape, but you won't see any blood. Character Tony Stark is known to drink in his comic book persona, so don't be surprised if the occasional reference pops up.
Families can talk about games linked to blockbuster films. Is it better to stick to the film's story or create a plot independent of the movie? Which comic book characters would you like to see in a video game?
Common Sense Review
With the summer movie season kicking off, it's time to cue gaming's movie tie-ins. The first on the list is IRON MAN, based on the movie of the same name. The game's story picks up in the Middle East, where multimillionaire Tony Stark is finishing up a prototype of the first Iron Man suit. After using his crude creation to escape a pack of militants, Stark dons an updated version of the armor and sets to destroy all the weaponry created by his international corporation.
Controlling Iron Man is complicated, especially when flying. A half-pull of the left trigger sets him in hover mode, while a full press lets you gain altitude. The shoulder button, meanwhile, allows him to fly. Iron Man comes armed with a handful of attacks, including beams from his chest and hands, as well as heat-seeking missiles. If you prefer to take the fight up close, you can punch or even pull apart big vehicles. As you complete missions, you'll earn armor upgrades that improve your speed and arsenal.
At times, manipulating this 'one-man army' is gratifying. Catching and tossing back missiles is an especially fun moment. But the satisfaction is short-lived between boring missions and sub par visuals. The star of the game looks menacing, but the environments and enemies are bland. When you learn the auto-lock feature, targeting enemies becomes way too easy. Computer intelligence is questionable at best. Near the end of one battle against a heavily-armored helicopter, the vehicle made zero effort to dodge attacks or even turn to target the player. Iron Man will entertain briefly, but you're better off tossing this game in the pile of disappointing movie tie-ins.
Comic book fans should check out Marvel Ultimate Alliance or X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse.
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ViolenceIron Man attacks soldiers, tanks, helicopters and other heavy vehicles. When soldiers are killed, no blood is shown. |
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LanguageStark says 'ass' a couple of times. |
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Social BehaviorIron Man attempts to rid the world of the destructive weapons he once created. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoAn occasional reference to drinking pops up in the dialogue. |
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