Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

 Xbox 360
Metascore
38

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 28
  3. Negative: 17 out of 28
  1. GamingTrend
    Sep 6, 2013
    48
    If Turtles are your thing, you might want to put aside the concerns for the bugs and pull down the demo from Xbox Live. It is more than playable, just don’t expect to have a smooth ride. On the other hand, the story is light but so is the source material – it would have been nice to see episodic content come out for an otherwise compelling realization of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
  2. 4P.de
    Sep 13, 2013
    45
    In theory this could be an entertaining coop brawler. But it lacks in technical quality, variety and esprit. “Kowabunga” alone doesn’t cut it.
  3. Official Xbox Magazine
    Sep 9, 2013
    45
    Despite the brevity and repetition, plenty of bugs plague these turtles. From low-level quirks like characters getting caught on objects in the environment, to high-level issues like A.I. partners abandoning us or a hacking minigame causing freezes, the amount of glitches in Out of the Shadows is pretty alarming.
  5. Machinima
    Sep 7, 2013
    45
    Out of the Shadows has all the trimmings of a fantastic brawler, but none of it works as it should. For every highlight the game showcases there are multiple failures: shoddy controls, a complicated combat system, and far too many glitches.
  6. Eurogamer Spain
    Sep 12, 2013
    40
    It may have a few good ideas, but all of them are poorly executed.
  7. ZTGD
    Sep 4, 2013
    35
    Aside from about fifteen minutes of nostalgia and the title screen, there really is no need to play this game unless you are some kind of sadist. It pains me to say this, but Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time is still the last great TMNT game.
  8. The Digital Fix
    Sep 9, 2013
    30
    What we are left with is a dull, broken button-masher of a campaign, a risible, barely playable multiplayer game, and a couch co-op which puts most players on a level playing field with Mr. Magoo.
  9. Gamereactor Sweden
    Sep 6, 2013
    30
    Activision is wasting good potential with this unfinished mess of a Turtles game. It isn't even worth the time of trying out the demo.
  10. GameSpot
    Sep 4, 2013
    30
    Game-breaking glitches and a poor camera make TMNT: Out of the Shadows a bruised and battered shell of what it could have been.
  11. XGN
    Sep 4, 2013
    30
    How can such a bad game be part of the Summer of Arcade? Those games need to be special. This Turtles game is definitely not.
  12. God is a Geek
    Sep 2, 2013
    30
    Inexcusable glitches, unresponsive controls, broken combat, bizarre gameplay design (hacking games, really?), unfair enemies and completely unnecessary loading times make for a monumental disappointment.
  13. EGM
    Sep 4, 2013
    25
    There seem to be the beginnings of some good ideas in TMNT: Out of the Shadows, but none of them are properly fleshed out. Instead, these shortcomings are simply covered up with more half-followed-through mechanics, resulting in a mess of a game.
  14. GameTrailers
    Aug 31, 2013
    24
    To be a turtle trapped in a game this bad is a truly wretched fate...The game barely functions on a basic level.
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  15. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Oct 9, 2013
    20
    Avoid like you would a corpse flower. [Nov 2013, p.95]
    All this publication's reviews
  16. Game Informer
    Aug 30, 2013
    20
    Terrible, and offers nothing as a video game or even as a piece of nostalgia. The ugly turtle models didn’t bring back any memories of the fun cartoon of my youth, and the gameplay is among the most unenjoyable experiences I’ve had during my time as a gamer. There is no circumstance under which anyone should play this train wreck of a game.
  17. Gameblog.fr
    Aug 28, 2013
    20
    Ninja Turtles are back from hell with their new TV show. But if the expectations for a well-crafted game were high, everything went wrong. Graphics, animations, bugs... the game reminded us of the poorest hours of the bad videogame age. Turtles fans, keep your memories from Turtles in Time on Super NES, it's clearly another dimension.
  18. Polygon
    Sep 4, 2013
    10
    Bugs like this render the game almost unplayable. With patience and no small amount of luck, it is possible to progress in the game, but it's simply not worth it.

Awards & Rankings

34
#34 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2013
4
#4 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2013

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
5.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 178 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 69 out of 178
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 178
  3. Negative: 77 out of 178
  1. TheRedboy
    Aug 29, 2013
    10
    You really have to give this game a chance to appreciate it. The camera gets pretty rough at times, and there's a few weird issues withYou really have to give this game a chance to appreciate it. The camera gets pretty rough at times, and there's a few weird issues with movement. These issues are made up for with the combat. I doubt the people trashing it played it enough to actually see the strongest point of the game. Once you get through the campaign you open up the other modes of play that are all straight fighting. It really changes when you develop each turtles skills too.

    It's easily worth $15. Give it a shot.    … Full Review »
  2. spidersoma
    Aug 29, 2013
    3
    I have been a Turtles fan since childhood and seen a lot of creative artistic license taken with the appearance of the Turtles, but this isI have been a Turtles fan since childhood and seen a lot of creative artistic license taken with the appearance of the Turtles, but this is the ugliest and clunkiest one yet. Out of the Shadows follows a very unoriginal storyline, but who cares: it's the Turtles, and I just want to hack-and-slash my way to the end.

    Unfortunately, even just hacking and slashing is proven difficult due to the unresponsive controls. Your Turtles here are very large and bulky, and their movements feel slow and awkward. What this means in a combo-heavy game is that you are going to have a hard time performing combos along with blocks. Additionally, the game requires you to switch around between the four Turtles if you aren't using XBOX Live, and this system is also very slow to respond. Think Batman: Arkham City combat, but with a much clunkier feel to it. Even the original TMNT game for the NES felt more responsive than this.

    Lastly, the game isn't joking about being out of the shadows. The levels are so dark that it's often hard to tell your Turtle brothers apart from the Ninjas, and the environments look lazy, as if lazy art was covered up with dark shadows and colours.

    Major bummer.    … Full Review »
  3. drslumber
    Aug 28, 2013
    0
    The Turtles are back.... But not as you may remember them. I don't know what happened to the turtles, but they don't look anything likeThe Turtles are back.... But not as you may remember them. I don't know what happened to the turtles, but they don't look anything like they used to. They look like a group of turtle-inbred freaks.

    The whole game is dark and gritty. There is no atmosphere in the game. The music does not suit the turtles. You start the game, and feel how unresponsive the controls are. The game is slow, and the action is not satisfying at all. So much for the ninja part of the game. Where ninjas are fast and smooth, here its like your actually trying to control something that just ate 10 pizzas.

    The game is awfully short, and the action is not something you would come back for.

    Im very disappointed as the trailers looked promising.

    This is turtles for the new generation or something. But not for the generation that wants Nostalgia.    … Full Review »
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