Hellboy: The Science of Evil

Even as the story and gameplay falter, it's hard to argue with the joy of smashing open walls and hunting down demonic threats. [July 2008, p.84]

Hellboy is not only for fans of the spawn of hell. Although it can become quite monotonous, the gamer himself can get active by learning new combos. For people who run riot for the multiplayer Hellboy can offer a second player, namely the characters Liz Sherman or Abe Sapien.

Completely average. [Nov 2008, p.102]

The focus on a comic book landscape instead of a celluloid one doesn’t save Ron Perlman’s work from being murdered by the simplest of mistakes.

All in all, Hellboy: Science of Evil is a pretty intolerable game.

A monotonous button-masher, the splashes of other gameplay styles aren’t well executed and we can only recommend this to the true Hellboy fan.

Its gameplay consists of bland beat-em-up action and imprecise gun control. The in-game visuals vary between good (up close) and bad (zoomed out) and the co-op options are limited and confusing.

And I never thought another game could make "DMC"'s plot actually look less confusing. All attitude and little substance, Hellboy has his charms, but I can't recommend you do more than rent it.

The dull, repetitive gameplay is what hurts it the most, leaving some merely average visuals to pick up the pieces.

As far as licensed games go, it isn't too offensive, but it could have been so much more.

A one-trick pony, and that trick's been done better elsewhere. Giddy up and get outa here. [Oct 2008, p.78]

Science of Evil is ultimately a God of War rip-off, but that's not the problem. Rather, very basic game-design flaws keep it from moving ahead of the licensed-game pack. Interesting characters, excellent animation and art direction, and all of the Ron Perlman in the world can't save this one from mediocrity.

Getting to the little bit of original story just isn't worth the hours of tedious combat, frustrating level design, and finger-numbing R2-spamming. [July 2008, p.83]

The graphics are fair, but like the fighting, they grow redundant too quickly, and the story couldn't get the game noticed even if it were drunk, topless, and the only woman in a bar full of sailors.

Frustrating. [Sept 2008, p.104]

This lacks imagination, with infernally basic playability. Avoid. [Oct 2008, p.76]

Despite not being a movie conversion, The Science of Evil suffers from the problems that usually affect this unlucky genre. It has a good co-op element, but the repetitive gameplay, the poor graphics, and a problematic camera are only a few examples from a journey to hell that not even the fans would like to take. [Sept 2008]

Even Hellboy fans will not find much fun in this title thanks to the dreadfully uninspired game design. If you really must play it, at least wait until it's circulating the bargain bin.

That its online component is limited to a linear and moderately laggy co-op mode - and therefore feels even more ponderous than the single-player game - does little to spirit this comic book tie-in from gaming purgatory. [July 2008, p.80]

It is difficult to recommend Helboy Science of Evil to anyone. The common players will find serious difficulties in digesting such a non sense button smasher, whereas hardcore Hack and Slash users know that there are dozens of proposals superior in quality. The absence of argument and charisma in the characters will dislike even to the fans of Mignola´s work.

If you're the biggest Hellboy fan in the world, do not spend $60 on this game; if you're Ron Perlman, do not play the free copy I hope they sent you; and if you're Hellboy, seek vengeance on the people who did this to you.