Overall Rating

Daredevil - story1One of Marvel's lesser-known superheroes, Daredevil takes center stage in a big-screen blockbuster with Ben Affleck in the title role. Coinciding with the action movie's release is the usual Game Boy Advance tie-in. On this episode of "Extended Play," we see if the Man Without Fear can conquer the videogaming world.

Devil inside

Blinded by a childhood accident involving a toxic substance, Matt Murdock's other senses were super-enhanced in the process, which will come in handy during his future role as the crime-fighting Daredevil. Throughout 23 levels of punching and kicking, you control Daredevil as he faces off against generic enemies like thugs and ninjas, as well as boss characters such as Elektra, Bullseye, and Kingpin. Fighting your way through each level is difficult enough to pose a challenge, but not so hard that playing becomes a chore. Collision detection is noticeably weak, especially during boss battles.

Daredevil - story2Daredevil essentially moves and acts like Spider-Man, minus the web-slinging abilities. What sets him apart is his "radar sense," activated by the L button. Once enabled, the background turns black-and-white, and you're able to see hidden objects and power-ups. Some boss characters can turn invisible, so you're also able to use this power to see them. Radar sense is limited, so it must be used conservatively.

The game contains 40 secrets, ranging from extra costumes to character bios, that are unlocked by defeating certain bosses and collecting items. Regrettably, the game uses a password system, so you'll have to write down an 11-character code to save your progress and unlocked items.

The blind leading the blind

"Daredevil" diverges from the dark, gritty look of its cinematic inspiration, instead going for a disappointing comic book-style appearance, complete with dialog balloons and visualized sound effects like "SNAP!" and "BAM!" The mostly urban-themed environments are depicted with bright colors, and though the characters are relatively large, they are not as well-defined as the backgrounds. The soundtrack consists of the usual digitized electronic music that's the norm for the Game Boy Advance, with some common punching and kicking sound effects.

Dare to be different

"Daredevil" had potential, but the result is merely an uninspired, generic movie tie-in that doesn't excel in any particular area and stumbles when it comes to meaningful gameplay. With more visual polish, a stronger connection to the movie, and tighter controls, "Daredevil" would be easier to recommend. As it stands, it's a straightforward beat 'em up that will have some appeal to younger gamers as decent time-filler. "Extended Play" gives it two out of five stars.