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The Punisher on PS2 (2005)

The Punisher cover art

Average rating: 65%
2447112015151012
3.5 stars out of 5
from 285 members
 
Certificate: Certificate: TBC
Format: PS2
Released: 24/03/2005
Also Available on:  Also Available on: XBOX

Brief synopsis of The Punisher

Over the years many American super heroes have graced the published pages of the two most famous comic book stables in the States ? DC and Marvel. While it?s true that these characters have provided role models for generations of readers who grew up with them, sometimes their super-powers can distance them a little from your average Joe. If they?re not lucky enough to be bitten by a radioactive spider or kidnapped and modified in the name of some shadowy, Cold War military operation, they?re using themselves as the last resort test subject of their scientific research after the plug gets pulled on funding. Or they are simply an alien. Batman didn?t have any preternatural powers per se, unless you count being a billionaire playboy industrialist, but that alone is enough to prevent many of us identifying with him that closely. If there?s one chap who, muscles aside, can theoretically be seen as a physiological equal of a bog standard Homo Sapiens comic fan, it?s Marvel?s Punisher. When Frank Castle?s entire family was killed by mobsters, he went a little crazy. Crazy enough to devote the rest of his life to punishing organised criminals. Famously, back in the day at least, the most violent of Marvel?s comics, The Punisher didn?t - like DC?s Batman - shun conventional weapons in favour of ingenious gadgets developed at his moneyed leisure. Regular guns, bombs and fists were good enough for him, and good enough to inspire two action movies, one in 1990 and one in 2004. Funnily enough, this is just the sort of weaponry that delights many a video gamer these days, so surely it wasn't going to be long before somebody brought the franchise to a console near you. In this case, it?s THQ who present us with this title, developed by Volition. As you'd imagine it's a suitably violent romp, played in the third person to best show off its eponymous protagonist beefcake. You can, as you?d expect, build up a huge and frightening arsenal just like the hard-drinking, slum-dwelling Castle, but the game?s real unique feature comes in the form of an interrogation and torture function. You can grab any perp, and subject them to shocking and degrading routines, squeezing any information you can out of them before leaving them for dead. Skull emblems denote the malefactors most likely to ?assist? you. And there are over a hundred of these ?hot spots?, often situated conveniently close to a vat of acid or industrial drill? With a script penned by Garth Ennis and Jimmy Palmiotti, including all the most infamous villains from the comic books, this game looks set to delight Marvel fans and video nasty aficionados alike.

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Members' Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 5 starsI'm bored. Even mindless violence seems boring now.

A customer from here and there , 06/08/2006

That is what you will say after you have played this game. It may seem twisted, the government may WANT to ban it, but frankly, if you're in the mood just to have some overblown, claret filled fun, then this is the game for you. Imagine the scene. A kitchen. Dotted around the room are several drug dealing, old lady mugging men, all of which wish to do you harm. A man, your character, strides through the door, he dives, his trenchcoat billowing behind him, behind a counter. He whips out two shotguns and stands up. He quickly unloads four shots into the nearest enemys, before dropping one of the guns and charging towards one of attackers and plunging a concealed knife into his throat. He twirls round, grabbing another as a human shield, and grimly walks forward firing shots over the hostages shoulder. With all of them dead, bar the hostage, he moves slowly towards a deep fat fryer, and plunges the mans head in the boiling liquid.Thats a dozen less criminals in the world, you think, before leaving the room, trench coat billowing behind you. That is just one way to do it. Nuff said.

  5 out of 5 people found this review helpful

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Rated - 3 starsa good idea let down by boring gameplay

dawn greenwood-o'sullivan from wales , 09/07/2006

found the controls responsive and intuitive. The actual gameplay was repetative and easy. Graphics were great no real room for improvement. The story was a bit boring. Also not many bonus features.

  2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

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Rated - 5 starsgreat game! dont listen to the people who think it's bad

A customer from Chelmsford, Essex, England , 07/01/2007

honestly, its a great game just a bit unlike the film though.

A1 game 5 stars+

add me on curryrulez@hotmail.co.uk (msn) if u want 2 chat about the game.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

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* * * This review contains spoilers * * *

Rated - 5 starsMarvel strikes back :)

Cookiemaster2008 from Telford , 18/06/2008

So you love marvel comics?. You love mindless violence?. And you love shooting drug dealers with an armory of over 15 weapons?. Get this game :). This game seems to be repetetive. But thats only because you suck at it. Follow frank castle, as he progresses through his past memory of fighting the Gnucci's. The russians, and finally his escape from rikers prison where he faces his arch nemesis Jigsaw. You end up eventually breaking free from rykers. But even after you complete a mission. Unlocking certain colored skulls depending on your status, will unlock Challenge mode, and Punish mode. 2 more game types which keep you on this game for hours. If you like constant bullets flying everywhere, and marvel. This is a great game for you to buy :)

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

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Most Recent Reviews

* * * This review contains spoilers * * *

Rated - 5 starsMarvel strikes back :)

Cookiemaster2008 from Telford , 18/06/2008

So you love marvel comics?. You love mindless violence?. And you love shooting drug dealers with an armory of over 15 weapons?. Get this game :). This game seems to be repetetive. But thats only because you suck at it. Follow frank castle, as he progresses through his past memory of fighting the Gnucci's. The russians, and finally his escape from rikers prison where he faces his arch nemesis Jigsaw. You end up eventually breaking free from rykers. But even after you complete a mission. Unlocking certain colored skulls depending on your status, will unlock Challenge mode, and Punish mode. 2 more game types which keep you on this game for hours. If you like constant bullets flying everywhere, and marvel. This is a great game for you to buy :)

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

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Rated - 3 starsa good idea let down by boring gameplay

dawn greenwood-o'sullivan from wales , 09/07/2006

found the controls responsive and intuitive. The actual gameplay was repetative and easy. Graphics were great no real room for improvement. The story was a bit boring. Also not many bonus features.

  2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

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