Jumper: Griffin's Story review

After burning through the brief and deplorable Xbox 360 version of Jumper: Griffin's Story, we wondered if the cel-shaded Wii iteration could be any worse (or any longer, for that matter). The answer to both queries is "no"- the full campaign still weighs in at about two hours in length, but the rest of the beat-'em-up experience doesn't fall quite as flat on its face for one obvious reason: it doesn't try as hard.

In place of the orientation-based combat system seen in the Xbox 360 title is a two-button light/heavy attack scheme that takes out all of the strategy and makes the game a pure, mindless button masher. Curiously enough, such a dramatic change is barely felt, though it does result in a slightly more haphazard experience. By flicking around the analog stick and mashing the buttons, you'll teleport around your enemies, delivering blows and wreaking absolute havoc on the in-game camera. Developer Brash luckily left out motion controls for the Wii port, though the rest of the Wii Remote/Nunchuk control changes (some good, some annoying) are a wash compared to the PS2 version.

Griffin's non-combat teleportation skill gets a bit more play in these versions, but the limited view and wonky camera make it an unnecessary replacement for a simple jump ability, while the more chaotic action makes it easier to accidentally drop off when battling henchmen on platforms and suspended walkways. A few additional weapons are also available (such as grenades and an underpowered flamethrower), but sadly, the "kill scenes" from the 360 game have been dramatically scaled down.