Knowing is half the battle
I grew up in the generation of G.I. Joe and Transformers. These were my daily rituals after school and I still love them to this day. As far as video games are concerned they both suffered during that time, but at least Transformers has gotten its fair share of decent games in the newer generations. With G.I. Joe it seems almost criminal that it has not received the same attention. The characters and setting are ripe for game integration. Well developer IguanaBee and publisher GameMill Entertainment have finally answered the call. G.I. Joe Operation Blackout is a third-person shooter featuring a variety of the characters from the series. The question remains: does it make up for all those years without a game?
On the surface this game is perfect. It is a third-person shooter with various characters, each featuring unique abilities. It has split-screen co-op and even a PVP mode that can be played locally with friends. The lack of online hurts, but I get it. This is not a full-priced game, but it still sucks. The campaign switches back and forth between G.I. Joe and Cobra operatives, with each one featuring two characters. In solo you choose one, while co-op each person gets a choice.
MSRP: $39.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $19.99
The story is actually a solid representation presented in still comic book style cut scenes. They managed to get sound-alikes for most of the actors and it felt like an extended episode. So far, so good. Problems crop up when I started to play it though, and it only falls downhill from there.
For starters the controls are just not good. Aiming feels familiar, but it has a certain lag to it that does not work. There is a lock-on mechanic, but all the enemies strafe back and forth so it feels useless most of the time. I played without it most of the time, but even then the speed of the cursor just feels off. I could never line up shots correctly and spent more time shooting at air than anything else. This wouldn’t be an issue except that ammo is limited (yes somehow lasers are limited) and the difficulty is definitely hard early on.
It is a combination of these things that make playing the game a chore. After a while I got a rhythm down, but it never felt great. Some simple aiming mechanic adjustments would go a long way, or just a simple lock-on that stayed locked until I let go and pulled the trigger again. The campaign is lengthy and there are a ton of collectibles to achieve, but I never found the missions enjoyable as I was constantly fighting with the controls.
The multiplayer is decent even if it is limited. Sadly the same problems from the campaign arise here as well. There are a couple characters such as Roadblock that require less aiming skill and carry a ton of armor. So picking those will ensure victory 90% of the time. It just wasn’t as fun as it should be.
Operation Blackout nails the nostalgia. Everything about this package is incredible for fans of G.I. Joe. The problem is the game play itself. The shooting is not fun and for a game that revolves around that, it is hard to ignore. I kept playing wanting to love this game and simply could not. I hope the developers tweak and fix these issues as this game is begging me to love it. As it stands though it is a disappointing trip down memory lane. Now if you will excuse me I am going to go back to playing it in hopes that I can find enjoyment in nostalgia.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
