Trust your movie-game tie in instincts and approach with low expectations and you'll find it has some fun to offer
User Rating: 7.5 | Disney Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End PS3
With expectations lowered, POTC:AWE is an enjoyable game. Don't get me wrong, its not a bad game.. but its not a great one either. The bad points first, the combat rivals the Dynasty Warriors series for simplicity and button mashing boredom. Seeing as the game centers on the combat, this is a bit of a problem, but the 'special moves' (hold R2 and choose from one of the on screen prompts once you've filled your guage up by attacking normally) and 'Jackanisms' offer some respite from the mashing of X. The ability to grab enemies and throw them elsewhere, particularly off cliffs or ledges is enjoyably violent, and you're rewarded with gold coins for it, as you are for the special moves. The combat is repetitive and often dull, but taken in small pinches it remains satisfying. Problems do arise however in the form of targeting problems, all too often as you try to land a killing blow to a particularly tough character as you're close to dying, one of his weak cronies gets in the way and you automatically begin slashing away at them instead. These frantic scraps are hectic enough, but when the game insists on repeatedly throwing other characters to control at you so you often have to look after 3 characters it becomes infuriating. These sections generally work around a templete of one or two 'boss' type characters that take a fair bit of perseverance and a special move to defeat, and only once they are defeated do the endless stream of cronies stop respawning. Its pointless to attack any of the cronies until you've killed the boss character, as they'll just keep streaming in and slashing the 3 characters you are forced to juggle with to stay alive. If one dies, thats it, game over. Nevertheless, the fighting is fun. The learning curve is put together well enough to make sure the fights never become too challenging, and though frustration arises from the situations detailed (and EVERY level has those moments), anyone who can be bothered to just keep hammering that X button will get through in about 3 tries maximum. The graphics are pretty, if not as incredible as some games already have become on PS3. There's nice lighting effects, and, thankfully for an often sea based game, the water is well handled. Rain looks especially impressive on the first level, as it runs along the cobblestones. The characters all look remarkably life like and the animation is nice (if sometimes a little cumbersome). The main problem looks-wise is a rather shoddy frame-rate, it runs smoothly throughout, but every now and then- and not always due to heavy graphical power needed- the frame rate becomes flickbook-esque. The sound is good, the films' (contrary to the name, POTC:AWE spans both the POTC sequels storylines) score used effectively and responsively to the action. The sound effects are atmospheric and work well in an understated way. Dialogue is indistinguishable from the real deal, and the comments from your oppenents are impressive.. albeit repetitive. There's a lot to be said for the cinematic duel sequences, which are essentially the real boss fights of the game. focusing on a simple Up, Down or Lunge forward system you either have to defend or attack using the right analogue stick and those 3 directions. Building up a guage through successful defences and hitting X also creates a counter move. The game's simplicity really works in its favour in these sections, as the camera is allowed to roam far more cinematically and involvingly, and impressive animations are really shown off. The use of PS3's SIXAXIS controller's tilt function is sparingly placed into sections where you have to traverse precarious bridges, and thankfully these are never too hard as a tap of R2 as you lose your footing stabs your sword into the bridge or plank and saves you from a death. This does take the tension away, but it saves frustration arising from the tilt function, so it never really feels like an annoying novelty, more a token part of the game that adds a bit of variety to the gameplay. The main story lasts around 8 hours, and thankfully features cutscenes only using the in-game graphics, so they are tailored to the levels instead of the levels being tailored so much to film cutscenes, or indeed just having the usual out-of-place, annoying film clips between levels. Once the story mode is completed (the last level being long, frustrating, but ultimately one of the better examples of the totally linear gameplay), there are multiplayer options to enjoy- timed runs through levels with a co-op partner, and duels are playable; and they are effective enough but the same criticisms of the single player game apply here too- but it is less frustrating without having to juggle multiple characters. The game has plenty to unlock and its pretty safe to say you will have to return to the singleplayer to unlock everything.. its just unlikely you'll want to, as previously mentioned, this game is best in short bursts. Don't expect anything brilliant or innovative and there's plenty to enjoy in a mercifully brief game. Pick it up in your bargain bin if you can. 
