Beware of freaks bearing gifts! This newest beast in the Evil Dead series comes bundled with a free copy of cult '80s horror flick Evil Dead 2 on DVD for a meagre 30 smackers.
Problem is, diehard fans of the series no doubt already own the movie, and us proper gamers don't give a flip about some crummy old DVD that'll just end up propping up a wobbly table leg anyway.
You're most likely reading this because you've taken a quick goosey gander at the wild hack 'n' slash action in the screenshots and are thinking you might like some of that. But beware!
Although A Fistful Of Boomstick is technically solid, playing it is a whole different story. Once you load it up you might as well stick your brain on autopilot and set your thumbs to rapid fire, because this is basically a mindless and unrewarding button-basher.
Cheap And Nasty Granted it's a budget title, but with the likes of Silent Hill 2 and CODE: Veronica X on Platinum at 20 each, Boomstick has no chance of competing with its peers when it comes to horror or suspense. So instead it tries to grab attention by upping the pace, and mixing adventure elements of a survival horror game with heaps of killing action, humour and gore. Unfortunately, the hero's cheesy one-liners and the claret-spilling action will only appeal to fans with overactive thumbs and tiny minds. But it's Boomstick's survival horror elements that are most embarrassing.
For starters, the plot moves along like one of those crappy wind-up toys. It's dull and predictable. There are no real twists and turns, and no surprises. Nothing to keep you hooked. And the puzzles are a joke, but not in a funny way. You're either spoon fed or simply stumble upon the solutions to all of the one-dimensional brainteasers that litter the adventure.
This low-grade bloody romp doesn't have the stylish pizzazz of a top hack 'n' slash adventure like Maximo or the twisted intelligence of a Silent Hill game. What it does give you is the thrill of splattering gallons of guts and masses of body parts all over your TV screen with very little effort or skill. Which is great, if that floats your boat.
Michael Cooper
// Overview
Verdict
So repetitive and brainless that only hardcore fans of the movie and true horror nuts will warm to its cold-blooded gameplay.
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