Ghost Rider - hands on

Oh, the strikes going against Ghost Rider. It's a game based on a movie based on a comic that stars an obscure, demonic hero. The movie's being released in the February dumping grounds, stars an aging Nicholas Cage as a rebellious acrobat biker (what casting!) and will have to find a way to make Cage's face melting into a fiery skull a serious, dramatic affair. How in all the hells of creation could this game stand a chance? By copying one of the most vicious action games of our time, God of War.

While there will no eyeball bursting or limb-fencing in Ghost Rider, there's still an abundance of over-the-top assaults. You begin with a relatively modest move list (square square triangle kind of stuff) but the more demon underlings you vaporize, the more soul points you acquire. As you might have already guessed, these points can be spent to unlock and power up moves taken from an extremely deep list. Somersault chain combos, flaming uppercuts, shoulder tackles, helicopter spins and hellacious pile drivers are all a part of Rider's repertoire, each carrying some kind of cool visual effect with it. The Rider's chains fling about much like Kratos' do in God of War - they look so similar that we'd say anyone watching Ghost Rider from across the room could mistake it for the next Grecian massacre.

This extensive flow of beatings serves two purposes: a means to vent your earthly frustrations and to further power up Ghost Rider. Every punch you land, every bat you pound into ash serves to make you stronger.

Brett Elston

A fomer Executive Editor at GamesRadar, Brett also contributed content to many other Future gaming publications including Nintendo Power, PC Gamer and Official Xbox Magazine. Brett has worked at Capcom in several senior roles, is an experienced podcaster, and now works as a Senior Manager of Content Communications at PlayStation SIE.