There have been many greatTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesadaptations over the years, from the morestory-focused 2003 seriesto thebeautiful and dynamic-shifting Rise of the TMNT. There aren’t many bad ones (we don’t talk about We Wish You A Turtle Christmas), but when last year’s Mutant Mayhem was revealed and put the focus on the ‘Teenage’ part of the title, I was certain it’d join Michael Bay’s god awful live-action films in infamy.
Imagine my surprise when Seth Rogen’s puberty-laden take on the ninja reptiles ended up being one of my all-time favourites for its sharp humour, emotional weight, and heartfelt modern take on each of the four brothers. I’ve been looking forward to jumping back into the world of Mutant Mayhem ever since, but I’ll be honest and say I didn’t expect that much fromMutants Unleashedeither.
On the surface, Mutants Unleashed looked like your bog-standard movie tie-in game, a genre that we claim to miss until we actually sit down and play them, realising immediately why they’re not as common anymore.But my perception changed when I played it at Gamescom a few months agoand discovered that it’s a surprisingly ambitious brawler. While the final game can be a little rough around the edges, this Turtle nerd is very happy to say that it mostly lives up to its unique premise.
From The Screen To The Ri…Game
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutants Unleashed picks up right where Mutant Mayhem left off, which saw the Turtles being accepted into society and even starting high school. The brothers don’t have much time to settle in, however, as curfews are quickly put in place due to random acts of violence and vandalism after a wave of mutant newbies arrive in New York City.
Without a doubt, the strongest element of Mutants Unleashed is its plot and how it expands the world of the movie. The dialogue and teenage mannerisms of every character from the Turtles themselves to April have been ripped straight from Mutant Mayhem’s script (rizz and all), which makes the brothers a joy to reunite with across the cutscene-heavy 15-hour campaign. Mutants Unleashed justgetsthis iteration of the Turtles and has a clear reverence for why they work so well compared to every other version of the TMNT.
It helps that the voice actors behind the Turtles are all back in action for the game. That being said, even the characters who have new VAs are represented wonderfully.
The story itself also goes in some surprisingly mature directions and deals with mutant prejudice, acceptance, and growing up in similar ways to the movie. The new characters, such as Cammy and the brothers’ new batch of human friends, are also wonderfully written and feel at home with the rest of the crew. Add to that how perfectly the game replicates Mutant Mayhem’s squiggly designs and pop-punk aesthetic despite its lower budget, and it feels like an authentic next chapter I wasn’t expecting from a tie-in.
Turtle May Cry
I was impressed with how much Mutants Unleashed looked, sounded, and felt the part, but what really matters is how it plays. MU surprises here once again, as it splits itself between more traditional 3D brawler segments reminiscent of the PS2 era of TMNT games (mixed in with some liteDevil May Cryelements) and social sections that take a lot of clear inspiration fromPersona, of all places.
The meat and potatoes (or pizza and ooze, I guess) of Mutants Unleashed is its beat ‘em up gameplay, which has the Turtles making their way through linear levels with basic platforming and beating the snot out of whatever mutants come their way. Each Turtle has their own skill tree with a long list of unique combos and skills that make them all feel more distinct from one another.
Although ambitious in many ways (such as how the mutant enemies evolve over time with new adaptations that make them more difficult), Mutants Unleashed’s combat and movement are its weakest elements overall. Even though I found a favourite in Donnie, none of the Turtles feel all that satisfying to control, and the combat is clunky and often has too much going on for its easily beatable enemies. Combine that with often repeated levels and a surprising amount of glitches, and pummeling mutants gets old long before the story ends.
you’re able to also spend the time between story missions doing pizza deliveries or fighting mutants to lower the chance of them evolving. Simple side missions, but it’s nice that there’s more than combat and platforming.
Shin Mutant Tensei
On the other hand, Mutants Unleashed’s Persona sections are an absolute highlight. In between story missions, the Turtles can explore set locations on a map and spend either the day or night with a friend to advance their quest. Each storyline delves into the human side of the TMNT, such as Raph dealing with his anger by going to a swimming pool, Leonardo learning how to be a better leader by coaching softball, and Splinter teaching the brothers about love through ‘80s movies.
These side stories delve deeper into their characters than the main story ever does. One of my favourite moments is when Raph becomes friends with a disabled swimmer and they both talk about what it’s like when people pretend they’re not staring and judging. Each story has moments like this that highlight why this more human group of Turtles has become so beloved.
Mutants Unleashed’s social links are so good that I not only had trouble picking which one I wanted to see next but often thought that the whole package might have been better as a visual novel of sorts. MU’s handle on its story and characters is so strong that it sucked me right back into the world of Mutant Mayhem and reminded me why I fell in love with it in the first place.
Despite its combat and platforming only being serviceable and the overall package needing a bit more polish, Mutants Unleashed still managed to be a turtle surprise because of how much love and understanding it has for the source material.It may not reach the same gameplay heights of Shredder’s Revenge or Splintered Fate, but it has one of the best tales to tell of any TMNT game.
