Common Sense Media Review
By Christopher Healy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Great visuals and smooth controls in solid action game.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
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Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters
What's It About?
GREEN LANTERN: RISE OF THE MANHUNTERS, while set in the universe of the Green Lantern film (and featuring the same star, Ryan Reynolds, as the hero, Hal Jordan), is separate from the story told in the movie. In the game's plot, Hal Jordan, who has just joined the intergalactic peacekeeping organization, the Green Lantern Corps, is witness to an attack on the Corps' homeworld by an army of robotic assassins. These robots, the Manhunters, were the forerunners of the Corps, but turned evil. Hal and a few of his colleagues must defend the universe from the rogue Manhunters and figure out if a traitor among the Corps is behind the attacks. A second player can jump in at any time to take on the role of Sinestro, Hal's fellow Green Lantern.
Is It Any Good?
In terms of its overall look, gameplay, and storyline, Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters is an exceptionally good movie tie-in game. The graphics are fantastic (and, with special glasses included, can be viewed in 3-D on any HDTV); the controls work incredibly smoothly; and there's a great deal of suspense and mystery worked into the plot. Part of the draw of the Green Lantern character has always been the diversity of his powers –- he can use his ring to create anything. And while you're obviously limited within the confines of the game, you're given a pretty broad array of powers to choose from. You'll earn more as you play, and can cycle between them at any time. Rise of the Manhunters isn't a truly spectacular game -- the developers could have worked more variety into the missions (far too many involve shutting down teleportation gates) and the robot goons are not the most compelling villains – but it's a very good game. And frankly, that's far more than we usually expect from a movie tie-in.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in the game. As a superhero story that will inherently appeal to younger audiences, do you think there is too much violence in the game? Or is intense fighting something to be expected of the genre?
Families can also talk about the nature of cooperative play. Does playing a video game side-by-side with a friend or family member help you to relate to that person better? Can it cause problems? In what ways can co-op gaming help build a spirit of cooperation and teamwork offline?
Game Details
- Platforms : PlayStation 3 , Xbox 360
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Warner Bros. Games
- Release date : June 7, 2011
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Superheroes
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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