Deadly Creatures (Wii)

Deadly Creatures, eh? Now this certainly has been an interesting adventure.



Deadly creatures follows a scorpion and a tarantula as they go through the wastes of the sonoran desert. You'll be adventuring through cactus, bramble field, hollow log, and so on and so forth. You'll be battling other arachnids and insects, such as tarantula hawks and gila monsters.



The controls are quite good, for a motion based beat 'em up. Start a combo with A, then swing the wiimote to branch out. Left for a swipe, up for a downwards jab, you get the idea. The nunchuk keeps it simple with the analog stick moving, the C button aiming attacks and Z for jumping. Or, if you're playing the scorpion, blocking. The controls are precise enough to battle any other critters you'll find along the way. There's a few motion-base finishers to be performed. They're a little annoying to actually get them to work, but when they work, they're spectacular.



Now the graphics were a spectacle for the wii. It's quite amazing, showing off some great lighting and shadow effects. You'll see the individual little hairs on the tarantula's leg and also on other bugs. The framerate keeps up very well with the graphics, I've yet to see it actually drop.



Plot-wise, the game is simple. A pair of men are digging for some gold that was left in the area during the american civil war.
Billy Bob Thornton and Dennis Hopper do a good job in voicing them. It's nothing too engaging, but it's just enough to keep you going.



The gameplay is where the game shines. It's fun stuff ripping through other nasties and trudging through the bleak desert wastes. You get a variety of attacks, such as a web shot, sting, venom bite, and the game hands them to you at a good pace. Get bored of one move, and you'll have another ready for you.



The length is the only disappointment. The game is 10 chapters long with each being about 20-30 minutes long. There's a few unlockable art galleries to go collect (or, go back for) which are given by collecting grubs scattered throughout the levels, and that's about it.



All in all, deadly creatures is a fun adventure which is a good addition to the actually GOOD third-party wii games. That makes three. Pick it up if you've got a spare bit of cash and looking for a fun time with the desert kingdom.



Graphics - 8.0
They definitely stand out as some of the finest I've seen on the wii.

Gameplay - 8.0
The gameplay is as fun as the graphics are good, with some great battles to be had.

Control - 7.5
When it works, it works. During the finishers, they can be a little tricky.

Value - 7.5
Like I keep saying, deadly creatures is a fun time. It's a tad short, however...

Overall - 7.8



-leo