Standard movie tie-in
If there is one thing that is certain whenever a supposedly blockbuster movie gets released, it's that the licensed game won't be far behind. Taking the usual tie-in style of platformer that has been used in pretty much every similar game, from Batman to Total Recall, Judge Dredd follows the movie pretty closely, with the tough law enforcer being sent to Aspen penal colony for a crime he didn't commit. Promptly escaping, he sets out to prove his innocence, which basically means blasting his way through every punk and perp who stands in his way. The game continues after the movie's climax, with some extra levels inspired by the comics and which see Dredd battling against the Dark Judges. The game is pretty much as you'd expect from a tie-in, with plenty of run and gun action, but there are a couple of neat-ish twists to mix things up. One of these is the option to arrest perps instead of killing them, but in all honesty such additions don't make a lot of difference and most players are likely just to exercise their trigger fingers a bit more. Visually, the game scores fairly well, with some nicely detailed environments that evoke the feel of the comics and some chunky sprites, although the scrolling is a bit awkward. Judge Dredd certainly isn't the worst movie tie-in ever released, with that dubious honour going to either E.T. or Home Alone, but it is far from the best. If you are looking for a bit of undemanding platforming action, then this will keep you amused, but the iconic law enforcement legend is still waiting for the game that truly deserves his name.
