This is a review of the computer edition. No, I was not referring to the movie, in case you were wondering... this being licensed, it is obviously going to be reminiscent of that. It changes plot details, and two characters are noticeably entirely devoid from this, nevertheless, this is a fine companion to the theatrically released effort, and neither of them are necessary to enjoy or appreciate the other one. What I am talking about, in the summary, is that this is, as is clear to anyone who's tried both, rather similar to the new Prince of Persia trilogy, by the same company, with the leading man now having been given the appearance of one of four man-sized Mutant Turtles, perhaps in an odd twist on the old and popular Western fairy tale notion. There are no puzzles, however, and the emphasis is placed on speed, and the cool maneuvering, with scaling walls(think The Matrix), swinging on poles, climbing and using ledges to get around. This is much more of a platform title, with a classic arcade flavor to it. The feeling of this being the result of them just slapping a green skinned model on the heir to the throne of aforementioned franchise honestly isn't that strong, and hey, they're all entertaining. In this, you are rewarded for how fast you are, how many coins you get(they aren't used for anything, you are merely graded on them, like the others I mention here), how flawlessly you fight(all of the combat takes place in designated spots), and how well you work with the three brothers. It all adds up to gaining access to Challenges, of which there is one per mission(and you may replay anything you've completed at any time, and try to improve your performance), as well as collecting shells, which grant unlock-ables, including artwork, videos, and other goodies. The martial arts system is simple, though it is still great. It isn't unlike that of The Sands of Time and The Two Towers. Instead of defending, you can dodge. There is a main combo that you can utilize, achieved by continuous strikes, and each member of the quartet(who are all voiced by the same people as in the film, as the only ones of this) have different attacks, with unique qualities, with them exceeding the others in strength, range, speed or balance, depending on which you use. Usually, you can pick which of them you control, and you can even have two engage in a powerful, combined blow, individual to each of them... those entail all of them being available, of course, which, in the appropriate areas(not all allow the others, some only one, specific to that portion) only requires you to do well in the ninja ways, and the others will join Leonardo along the way(provided you don't slip up and set their enthusiasm back), in the order of most to least excited about the prospect of them as a team going out and battling crime. They also have an ability each, that add to how well they can all get around, meanwhile, these aren't used as often as they could be. This could be due to the length. This is fairly short. If one was so inclined, one could finish it the same day they started. The re-playability is reasonable, with the bonuses providing cause to go back and do better. This is also relatively easy, and without difficulty settings, this isn't going to be that complicated for experience. This does take skill, reflexes and patience, and in return it is exciting, awesome and utterly addictive. It's accessible, as well, with only few keys(and no mouse, outside of the menus, making this ideal for consoles) to memorize and functions that aren't hard to activate. Level design is excellent, and you are seldom, if not quite never, unaware of where you're supposed to go. You'll find yourself atop New York sky-scrapers, and down in the very depths of the city's sewers during this. The environments can also have rather particular lighting, and the time of day as well as the weather are also incorporated, and without any of it coming off as rushed or incomplete. The fire effect is really the only that is unsatisfactory as far as the sights go. I found no bugs or glitches in this. The graphics are gorgeous, and everything is kept in the style and look of the new flick, and this captures the humor and the action of it, well. This is not too mature for kids, but it isn't childish and stupid, either, so if you have the spirit, you can try this. The story-telling is well-done, almost entirely kept in comic book panels, with pans and other dynamic exploring of them. There are a few in-engine "cut-scenes". And there are several clips from the animated feature, as well. The camera largely follows you, and while it isn't your average over-the-shoulder 3rd person view, you may still not affect it, other than proceeding forward. There are a couple of points where it works against you. The audio is top-notch, with energetic and fitting music, rock and score, and everything sounds right. The acting ranges, albeit it is never outright poor. The saving is automatic, based upon checkpoints, and whenever you complete a full segment. Six slots are dedicated to it, each its own profile. The Bosses tend to be predictable, once you know one, the rest aren't exactly mysteries, to an extent. They're still well-done(and one is a magnificent and definitely welcome surprise) and only the very last one would I consider using the word "tedious" about(and that one is nice, and a worthy ending). There is no language, and nothing otherwise objectionable in this, the violence is in no way explicit, no blood or gore, PG or thereabouts all the way. I recommend this to any fan of fast-paced adventure video-games of recent times, the Teenage Ninjas, the concept and/or the cinema version of this, of the same year. 7/10
