TMNT: Out of the Shadows... and into our hearts

30 Years ago, a pizza-loving mutant reptile wasn't a thing. Hard to believe I know, it was a dark time for us all. Luckily, the late 80's happened, and with it, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Now cemented in pop culture history, the Turtles have since graced nearly every form of media imaginable. First through a series of comics, then moving into TV and film, the Turtles quickly endeared themselves to legions of tiny ninjas everywhere.

Growing in popularity shortly after the "rebirth" of the games industry, it was only a matter of time before the Turtles began invading arcades and living rooms with games of their own, some surprisingly good. At first it seemed it was a perfect fit, but that didn't last long. Today, most agree Konami's "Turtles in Time" (1992) marked the last respectable outing for our shell-kicking friends.

Cue Red Fly Studio, a relatively unknown developer aiming to breathe new life into the iconic franchise with TMNT: Out of the Shadows - a downloadable title coming to PSN, XBLA, and PC this summer. If the recently released Pre-Alpha footage is any indication, they're on the right track.

A quick gander and it's obvious Red Fly has licensed Unreal Engine 3 to help with the heavy lifting, but that's a good thing. Even in its early state, the visuals are confident - hot on the heels of the finer UE3 offerings. Environments, while a bit empty, are otherwise realistically detailed with excellent lighting effects and convincing texture work. OoS manages to convey a gritty modern-day New York, showcased by 2 locations so far; the first, a dirty, sun baked alley complete with uneven footing and the obligatory dumpster;  the second, a dank industrial facility of some sort, sporting an assortment of crumbling brick walls and slippery catwalks suspended over a concrete battleground.

This setting reportedly takes place in the same world inhabited by the excellent Nickelodeon TV show, but interestingly, it doesn't carry over the same aesthetic. Instead Red Fly has taken complete creative liberty with the overall look, creating what they call a “hyper realistic 3D style”. This is immediately apparent in their depiction of New York, but on the Turtles? Not so much. They more closely resemble an odd combination of 2007’s TMNT with the rumored look of Michael Bay's upcoming live action reboot. Not a huge fan, personally, but awkward Turtles not withstanding, OoS is still quite the looker.

Regardless, the real highlight is the combat. Relatively realistic martial arts aided by stylized flourishes give it a slick, yet grounded feel. Holding down modifiers can apply additional variations to the standard attacks, while special attacks are performed with the right stick.  Attacks are unlocked through experience, presumably earned through combat. These stellar animations flow smoothly, effortlessly moving from enemy to enemy and seamlessly alternating between solo and team attacks. The combat does a great job of effectively depicting the trademark Turtle shenanigans.

The brothers can swap out mid-combo, but the charm really springs to life when the Turtles combine their assaults into team attacks, like the signature shell crunch. These attacks do a great job of imparting the characteristically playful combat, a necessity given the core mechanic of team interaction. There is co-op (2 player local, 4 player online), but even when playing alone, the Turtles fight as team, controlled by AI or easily accessible via the d-pad.

Wishbone Crunch on 2.. Hut Hut!

That's not to say the Turtles can't hold their own. Each Turtle has a distinct fighting style with a unique set a moves. Raph, for example, plays like a close range brawler, executing grapples and overpowering enemies, in contrast to Donnie, who approaches battles from a distance, relying on his bo to keep enemies at range. Each fights with a unique pacing fundamentally different from the next, impressively fusing the combat with their individual personalities.

This well thought out combat combines with modern visuals and slick animations to contribute to what is shaping up to be the best Turtle game in decades. It's easy to be skeptical though, there are still a lot of unanswered questions, and the Turtles aren't exactly known for quality games. But In the meantime, I say...

Sources: Joystiq, IGN, Gamesbeat