Developed by Clover Studios - the console geniuses behind Okami and Viewtiful Joe - this ambitious brawler boasts one of the best pedigrees in modern gaming. But as the finished product is one of the most offensively poor titles to ever trouble a PlayStation, God Hand is an embarrassment for Clover and a crushing disappointment for everyone else.
A no-frills, Streets Of Rage-style arcade brawler, God Hand thrusts players into a relentless series of old-school skirmishes that require little in the way of skill or imagination, and instead reward anyone with the steely constitution to pound the attack buttons until their thumbs are raw and blistered.
And it gets worse. While many a rubbish game has been salvaged through stellar production values, the legions of enemies youll meet in this dull slugathon are cheesy and shoddily designed; and although the grotty urban environments are significantly more interesting than the boring fighters, its still frustrating to see walls and buildings pop in and out of existence as you trudge along, making God Hand feel more like a first-generation PSOne title than one of the PS2s swansongs.
Essentially a homage to 1990s brawlers gone horribly wrong, God Hand is also plagued by terrible acting, a lifeless story, shameful repetition and one of the worst in-game cameras in console history. Steer well clear.