Games don\u2019t come any more broken than Attack of the Movies 3D<\/em> for the Xbox 360. This budget on-rails light gun shooter was clearly designed for the Wii\u2019s point-and-shoot motion controls first, with the 360 version slapped together as an afterthought. Until Project Natal comes along later this year, the Xbox 360 simply is not equipped for a proper light gun style shooter, and this game proves that many times over.<\/p>\n

Attack of the Movies 3D<\/em> has you pointing and shooting through six different film settings modeled after common B movie themes, such as insect infestations, zombie invasions, deep sea shark encounters, and more. The idea behind the game is actually pretty neat, and there are some redeeming qualities buried beneath a broken control scheme I\u2019ll rip into more thoroughly in a second, including four-player co-op support, a variety of weapon power-ups, and a cheesy spirit that succeeds in being so generic and clich\u00e9 that it\u2019s actually kind of charming. In that regard, it reminds me of Earth Defense Force 2017<\/em>.<\/p>\n

But what could\u2019ve been a fun game is ruined by a broken control scheme that, for me, rendered the game unplayable. I\u2019m usually not one to review a game without completing it, but in this case the game\u2019s flaws inhibited my ability to do so, so I have no other choice but to take it to task.<\/p>\n

The game is presented like any other light gun shooter, with stages that pull you along on rails and ask that you aim at the screen and shoot any hazardous objects or beings that jump out at you. This is where the game falls apart, because to aim at enemies you have to tilt the analog sticks to move the targeting reticule into position, and this control system simply doesn\u2019t work.<\/p>\n

You are constantly at odds with an automatic snap-back mechanic that fights to pull your crosshairs back to the center of the screen, crippling your ability to line up shots with the speed and precision that is often needed to pick off foes before they lob off a projectile attack or suddenly leap at the screen out of nowhere. Even on the easiest difficulty setting, I found it impossible to complete one single stage, and I tried over and over again until I failed for well over the twentieth time and finally called it quits.<\/p>\n

Further proof that this port was cobbled together without care came to light when I searched around for alternate settings, only to discover that the developers failed to provide sensitivity adjusters or configurable control options of any kind. So the twitchy mess of a control scheme can\u2019t be tweaked whatsoever. I know this is a budget game, but come on, there is no excuse for leaving out such basic options.<\/p>\n

The game\u2019s other failure is its 3D gimmick. Yup, Attack of the Movies 3D<\/em> is yet another cash-in attempt on the current 3D fad, packaged with a set of four 3D glasses so you and a few other players and\/or bystanders can see all the nasty bugs, robots, zombies and sharks popping off the screen. At least that\u2019s the idea\u2026<\/p>\n

In execution, the 3D effect falls flat. It is a lame attempt to mask the muddy, chunky graphics, and to my eye the game didn\u2019t look any different than when I played in 2D mode without the glasses. On the contrary, playing in 3D with glasses on only made the experience more disorienting and uncontrollable. To be completely honest, though, I\u2019ve never understood the point of 3D, so I probably wouldn\u2019t have liked it even if the effect was presented perfectly.<\/p>\n

So there you have it. Attack of the Movies 3D<\/em> was a failure at the point of conception. Bringing a light gun shooter to a platform without a proper light gun peripheral was just plain silly, and the move smacks of a money grab. It\u2019s as if the publisher said \u201cHey, it\u2019d be a cinch to put this on the Xbox 360 too, so let\u2019s just have it ported over and try to squeeze out a few extra bucks!\u201d<\/p>\n

On the Wii, I think this game is probably good, cheesy, get-yo-popcorn-ready fun, but on the 360 without a suitable method of control it is a total waste of time and money.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Pros:<\/strong>
\n+ Cheesy B movie style<\/p>\n

Cons:<\/strong>
\n– Broken controls
\n– No control configuration options whatsoever
\n– Lousy 3D effect<\/p>\n

Game Info:<\/strong>
\nPlatform: Reviewed on Xbox 360, also available on Wii
\nPublisher: Majesco
\nDeveloper: Panic Button
\nRelease Date: 5\/18\/2010
\nGenre: On-rails Shooter
\nESRB Rating: Teen
\nPlayers: 1-4
\nSource: Review copy provided by publisher<\/p>\n

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