Terminator Salvation [Mobile Game-ENG][2009][iPhone/iPod]

May 8, 2009 - Gameloft's Terminator Salvation is a gorgeous action game for the iPhone that, like Assassin's Creed before, proves that few developers are ambitious when it comes to treating the device like a hardcore gaming rig. That said, this game needed more time in the studio. Perhaps rushed to get in front of the movie, which debuts later this month, Terminator Salvation seems incomplete in places due to missions that appear undercooked and story elements that make no sense.

Where Terminator Salvation really succeeds is in evoking the spirit and atmosphere of not just the upcoming movie, but previous films too. Several of Skynet's supposedly unstoppable robots are on the march, from the traditional T-600 skeletons to the massive Hunter-Killers that always struck me as terrifying because they don't necessarily have a future-aesthetic. They look like they were designed only for killing. All of these machines look great in the game -- even the Harvester, which figures heavily into the plot of the movie, which is mercifully not spoiled in Gameloft's game, but at the expense of a coherent story. The environments are exceptionally well done as well. Crumbling freeways, abandoned desert facilities, and coastal cities left in ruin -- all of the locations look both uniformly fantastic and appropriately dreadful.

You are John Connor in most of the game's missions, determined to strike a blow at the heart of Skynet. For a handful of moments, you also take the role of Marcus Wright, a new character for the movie that figures into what I am suspecting is one of the main plot twists. Each character has access to different weapons. Wright has a deadly shotgun that is great for blowing the heads off terminators at close range as well as hunting these little spider-like robots. Connor has a machine gun but can also pick up a grenade launcher and an electric pulse rifle. You use these weapons to target incoming machines.

A solid headshot is an instant kill, which results in a pleasing explosion of sparks. Some terminators are carved in half with body shots. These crawl along the ground, determined to carry out their prime directive: kill humans. You can then rush up and smash metal skulls under your boots with a satisfying crunch. Moments like these are when the game really comes to life.

There are multiple control options. The on-foot controls that worked best for me were the default settings. A virtual stick on the left moves your hero and a gun button on the right fires. To aim, you move your cursor around the screen with your finger. In most areas of the game, this was completely serviceable. Where the game stumbles is in the auto-cover mechanic. When you slide up to a barricade or a wall, you are supposed to automatically go into a cover position so you can aim while avoiding incoming fire. I'd put the success rate of auto-cover at about 80-percent; that remaining 20 elicited some real colorful language from me. Still, there are some very exciting shooting scenes with terminators coming from all angles and engaging in gun play with these killing machines is a bit of a thrill.

The driving controls are a touch troubling, too. Again, there are multiple options, but the default setting worked the best. Steering a truck through a broken city requires using a lever on the left to accelerate and brake. You steer by moving your finger around the screen, which doubles as aiming. Having to reach for a fire button while racing next to some tanks is clunky. Far worse is a motorcycle scene on a long bridge. This sequence should not even be in the game; it feels absolutely unfinished. You must race other motorcycles while avoiding mines and returning fire. The timing feels off. And here is also where the game seemed to seize up a little, even with visuals that are decidedly less detailed than other stages.

Occasionally, you must play a minigame to hack terminals. You must roll a marble through green gates to open the goal while avoiding red gates when they are illuminated. It's a fine little game -- except that it needs to be played with you looking straight down at the iPhone. There is no way to calibrate the controls, so if you're playing in bed at 1AM (ahem), this minigame is difficult to manipulate.

The length of the game is unfortunate. I beat Terminator Salvation in just 82 minutes. That is entirely too short for a $9.99 price tag. Yes, this unlocks a special extreme mode where you can play as a terminator. At first, it seems cool. You have a powerful weapon and cannot take cover against juiced up enemies. But the territory is exactly the same and even the dialog keeps calling you John Connor.

You can also unlock art by spending microchips collected from fallen robots during the course of the game. I do like little stuff like this -- I think it's a nice addition for hardcore fans.

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