Linkin Park Recharge - Wastelands Review

In terms of tie-ins, I doubt anyone would expect Linkin Park to be combined with a post-apocalyptic 3rd person shooter. That's exactly what Linkin Park Recharge - Wastelands offers though, with the prospect of track unlocks from the latest Linkin Park album to seal the deal.

Soon into playing Linkin Park Recharge - Wastelands, it's apparent that this is a game best played in short doses. It's a fairly formulaic experience and too long a session reminds one of how relatively unexciting the game actually is. Play one mission at a time though, and it's a quite fun if mindless way to spend some time.

Controls are soon mastered. Dragging a finger around dictates movement, while tapping on an enemy causes one to fire at it. Certain energy points can be absorbed by holding a finger to the device with a similar move enabling one to absorb the shields of particularly strong foes. It's the kind of thing that's easy to figure out although I'd strongly recommend mastering the 'thrust' (activated by swiping) as it's invaluable when trying to dodge enemy fire. Elemental attacks activated through buttons on the bottom of the screen also prove handy further on in the game, often making all the difference.

Missions are fairly short with objectives generally related to either absorbing a certain number of energy points, taking out a set number of enemies, or saving captured humans. At times the landscapes are kind of bland, but then the fun stems more from completing objectives and acquiring new equipment.

Much like Diablo-esque games, a lot of satisfaction stems from gaining new items - with such things regularly acquired after each mission. It's simply done but fun to see one's character develop over time.

Simplicity is evidently the key here as Linkin Park Recharge - Wastelands never really makes any brave steps forward. It's fun, sure, but as said before, extended sessions ensure that the veil of enjoyment gives way to the realization it's kind of basic. Still, as a short burst of fun every now and then Linkin Park Recharge - Wastelands scratches the itch.