[Review] Captain America: Super Soldier

[Spring*]

When you think of the supplies a soldier might need in a war, a gun would probably be the first thing that pops into your head. But if you're already infused with super serum, such a pedestrian trinket serves little purpose. In Captain America: Super Soldier, you rush headlong into battle carrying only your handy shield, though that's more than enough to get the job done. Of course, your versatile armament is no ordinary shield. Like an indestructible boomerang, it returns to your hands after it smashes someone in the face from 20 yards away, and those pesky bullets that vanilla commandos attempt to kill you with are effortlessly deflected by it. And it's in this fast-paced combat that Super Soldier thrives. Unfortunately, the other aspects are not nearly as well defined. Bland storytelling, drab visual design, and a dearth of thrilling moments extinguish the magic of your heroic forays. But Captain America: Super Soldier manages to rise above its problems to deliver an enjoyable though thoroughly predictable adventure.

Your feet and fists both make quick work of the baddies that surround you, but it's the dynamic shield that brings much-needed diversity into the mix. Long-range attackers have no qualms peppering you with bullets while their melee-focused comrades close in around you, though their puny assassination attempts are laughable when you're holding your trusty shield. Easy-to-grasp visual cues clue you in on an imminent strike, and tapping block right before it pierces your flesh sends wayward bullets careening right back to the dastardly sniper.

Outside of combat, there are paint-by-numbers platforming sections, which convey that you are, in fact, a super hero, though the fun Captain America must be having is far from contagious. These jumping challenges pay homage to the Uncharted series, replacing the skill of successful leaping with gravity-defying spectacle. You can only jump at specified points, and every subsequent leap ensures you grab directly onto the next hold without any fear of falling.

The final pillar holding this adventure aloft is the exploration. Levels comprise interconnected corridors that form one giant whole. It's not quite an open world because you need to continue on a preset path most of the time, but there are opportunities to backtrack. Although the freedom of being able to explore is satisfying, it's too easy to get lost. You can call up a map at any time, but it's poorly detailed, which means you often have to rely on guesswork to get to your next objective. Along the way, there are plenty of collectibles to sniff out.