You know the holidays are approaching when a number of platform games start flooding the market and confusing the consumer. Which one or ones do I choose? What kind of platform game do I want? One with mindless running around and finding things or one that has a solid storyline and intuitive gameplay. If you want the latter of the two then perhaps you should steer clear of Dr. Muto. The developers have tried to take other successful formulas and mix them together in an attempt to create something different. The result is a game that is un-original and quite a bore to play.

Dr. Muto has accidentally destroyed his home planet with an experiment that has horribly gone wrong. With the assistance of his egotistical super computer, AL, Muto will have to scour the universe in search of the 17 parts for the Genitor 9000, which he must create in order to rebuild his home planet.

The visual outing here is competent enough with varied textures and colorful landscapes. The level designs are good, as are the character models. There is a nice little feature on the DVD that takes you through the art concepts and design for the game. The art department had some good ideas but it all looks awfully familiar to me, you could say similar to the MDK series from Bioware. Nothing in particular jumps out at you to say this a next generation platformer but by the same token we have been subjected to worse. The games sound effects and score accompany the setting and action quite well. Most impressive is the voice work. Midway hired the very talented Wally Fields to perform many of the voices in the game. Most noticeable is the voice of AL, which is either the same, or very close to the computer A.I. found in MDK.

The gameplay is simple, perhaps too simple. Basically take Dr. Muto around each level finding different things and accomplishing objectives. Midway tried to implement a morphing feature that allows the Dr. to transform into different animals in order to gain access to certain areas in a level. While it was a good idea in theory, it did not translate well to the final product because when you morph the gameplay remains the same. Thus, what was the point in having the morph feature in the first place? To try and hide a generally weak primary game? It is a shame really because I really think the developers came to the concept board with great ideas but they did not translate into the final product many of them had initially envisioned. Dr. Muto has a variety of weapons and gadgets that he can employ as he makes his way through the game. Their effect works fine but there is nothing here we have not seen before. In the end the entire game feels too much like Biowares MDK games, especially in MDK when you control the Doctor.

Midway has done extremely well this year with most of its releases. Unfortunately in every stable there is a weakness and Dr. Muto is it. Nevertheless, gamers who enjoy platformers should give this a rental as it does have some funny moments but for the masses they would be better off looking at Sly Cooper and Ratchet and Clank this holiday season.