G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun I could have with a game if I stopped worrying about everything it didn't do, and just enjoyed what it did. Even with its problems Rise of Cobra is an entertaining, and fun experience for fans of the subject matter.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is a typical movie tie-in game and will likely appeal to kids or the kid within. If you are after a few hour of mindless distraction, there are far worse ways of spending it then on this game but the missed opportunity inherent in this G.I. Joe game is truly unfortunate.

With all the gameplay problems in The Rise of Cobra and its oddly missing online co-op play, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra falls into the rental category rather than a full out purchase. Until the price drops, I’d hold up for a movie ticket, or a few good hours of watching old Joe cartoons.

Slow-witted camera, idiotic targeting system and abysmal vehicle sections. [Oct 2009, p.82]

So while G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra provides momentary thrills, it's little more than an overpriced and shallow romp through drab looking levels full of idiotic bad guys.

The co-op functionality and the vast array of collectibles are nice additions on the surface, but being unable to play with friends online and not unlocking anything substantial keeps the experience lackluster.

As a fan of G.I. Joe, I expect a videogame version to make me feel like a Real American Hero. This didn't come close. The gameplay is unexciting and the visuals uninspired.

I personally would have preferred a classic “Joe” title, since nostalgia seems to be in these days, but for what’s it’s worth, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra video game is exactly what you would expect from a film to game translation, nothing more, nothing less.

While I wasn't expecting too much from G.I. Joe as a whole, I walked away with the impression that, while it wasn't absolutely horrible, it really didn't leave much of a lasting impression either.

There are one or two thrills to be had by fans of the old GI Joe cartoon, but that’s about all that can be said for Rise of Cobra, which is unfortunate because as campy as GI Joe is there’s a lot of potential for a good game.

Unfortunately the game has not become the game it could have been. The only thing that earns a satisfactory is the sound and that's all. Maybe, if the game ever makes it's way to 30 euro's and you're looking for a fun co-op, this one is recommended.

With annoying camera, repetitive gameplay, and brain-dead AI team mates, this is the perfect Christmas gift for someone you dislike.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra fails to deliver the goods on any conceivable level, and it’s simply because the production is mediocre in terms of both technicals and gameplay.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is full of things that make you go "hmm." Why do midlevel checkpoints update your score but not save your game, forcing you to restart from the beginning if both characters die? If you're going to steal from Gears of War, why steal the slow-walking, earpiece-cradling mission updates?

It’s messy, it’s stale, and traces of it will linger with you for days. And the worst part of it all? You paid for this garbage.

The most enjoyable part of the game would have to be the unlockable Public Service Announcements from the old cartoon show. But chances are, you could save the cash and look them up online. And, trust us, you would be very well served by saving that cash.

Overall, this game is a very basic shoot-‘em-up that lacks any sort of cerebral engagement, and hence feels very lightweight and far too easy to play.

An awful game based on a mediocre action-movie. Gets dull very soon and has too many glitches.

The movie was pretty cool, the game is the total opposite of it. Poor graphics, bad audio and ridiculous bad gameplay. At every point the game is failing. One of the baddest games of the year.

Those patient enough to suffer through the initial gameplay inadequacies are rewarded with horrible, low-quality cutscenes, a “special” Accelerator Suit ability that often drains during said cutscenes, unreachable power-ups that hover just out of grasp, the worst vehicle controls I’ve used in years, and voice overacting that makes the guy who says “killing spree” in Unreal Tournament sound understated.

There's nothing redeeming about this game other than some decent surround-sound effects and the closing credits.

The Rise of Cobra's biggest problems aren't in the way it uses the license -- the problems are that, on anything but the lowest difficulty setting, the game is unnecessarily unforgiving and uses a completely counter-intuitive health regeneration system.

A pointed lesson to other designers that including co-op, especially local co-op, is a great value-add to even an otherwise totally worthless game.

Despite the fact that the game is based on a bad movie, Double Helix have managed to create a game that's even worse. The graphics and controls go head to head to see who's the worst, but to be honest they both equally awful.

There isn't much left to say about G.I. Joe. G.I. Joe is a dash of good in a landfill of bad. The one caveat is that if you play with a friend, it is possible to have fun but it won't solve any of the flagrant flaw.

It seems like this has been churned out to make a quick buck on the back of the film. [Issue#183, p.77]

Every little thing about it, from the bland presentation to the dead-simple gameplay, conspires to make the final product incredibly lame. It has the depth of a bad downloadable game with the price tag of a full-on retail release. It's the worst of both worlds. And now you know.

G. I. JOE.: The Rise of Cobra is simply a game to avoid.

Who am I kidding? I’ve tried, but this game is just rubbish. Utter crap. Another steaming pile of movie-based compost to throw on the pile. Avoid this game like your brain depended on it.

Between the camera and targeting woes, generally clunky gameplay, and a complete inability to capture the essence of what makes the G.I. Joe franchise fun and exciting in the first place—the game is a complete failure.