Man, 2008 was a weird time for the PlayStation 2. While the PS3 and Xbox 360 were busy fighting for the future, the trusty old PS2 was still getting these massive, ambitious movie tie-ins that probably had no business running on hardware from 2000. The Incredible Hulk—the one based on the Edward Norton flick—is the perfect example of this "last hurrah" energy. Honestly, most people remember Ultimate Destruction from 2005 as the gold standard, and they aren't wrong. But there’s a specific, chaotic charm to the 2008 PS2 version that usually gets buried under a mountain of "it’s just a movie game" complaints.
It’s an open-world Manhattan. On a PS2. Think about that for a second.
🔗 Read more: Why Senran Kagura Skirting Shadows and Portrait of Girls Still Matters Today
The Ghost of Ultimate Destruction
If you’ve ever played a Hulk game, you’ve probably heard people rave about The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction. That game, developed by Radical Entertainment, basically wrote the blueprint for how a superhero should feel in a sandbox. When SEGA picked up the Marvel license for the 2008 MCU-adjacent films, they handed the reins to Edge of Reality.
The result? A game that feels like it’s wearing its older brother's hand-me-down clothes.
The PS2 version of The Incredible Hulk is basically a "demake" of the next-gen versions. It tries to give you that same free-roaming Manhattan experience, but everything is dialed back. You can feel the console's processor screaming for mercy. It’s got this thick, blue fog—kind of like Silent Hill but with more tanks and less existential dread—to hide the fact that the draw distance is about ten feet.
But here’s the thing: they actually kept the building destruction.
🔗 Read more: Oblivion Remastered: What Most People Get Wrong About Those Leaks
In Ultimate Destruction, you could wreck things, but the 2008 game let you literally level skyscrapers. On the PS2, this looks... well, it looks like a bunch of grey Lego bricks collapsing into the floor, but the satisfaction is still there. You're this massive green engine of rage, and the world actually reacts to you. Sorta.
Why the Gameplay Feels "Off" (But Still Works)
Hulk feels heavy. That’s the first thing you notice. In the next-gen versions, he’s a bit more fluid, but on the PS2, he has this weight to him that makes every jump feel like a commitment. You’ve got your basic light and heavy attacks, and of course, the iconic Thunderclap.
The Rage Meter Problem
One of the weirdest design choices was the shift from the "Critical Mass" system to a standard Rage Meter. In previous games, you felt like you were building up to a big explosion of power. Here, it’s a bit more of a grind. You have to smash a lot of taxis—and I mean a lot—to fill that meter up so you can heal or use a super move.
- Combat: It’s mostly button-mashing. You’ll find yourself doing the same XXY combo until your thumb goes numb.
- The Enclave: Instead of just fighting the Army, you’re up against this high-tech shadow organization. It adds some variety, but the foot soldiers are basically gnats.
- Boss Fights: This is where the game stumbles. The fights with Abomination or the U-Foes (who are randomly in the game, which is cool for comic fans) often turn into "hit him, run away, build rage, repeat."
The voice acting is actually pretty legit, though. You’ve got Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, and Tim Roth reprising their roles. Though, if I’m being honest, Norton sounds like he’d rather be anywhere else. It’s that classic "I’m in a recording booth for a video game" whisper-delivery. Tim Roth, on the other hand, seems to be having a blast being a jerk.
The Technical "Jank" Factor
We have to talk about the glitches. The PS2 version is notorious for freezing. It’s not a "maybe it will happen," it’s a "when will it happen." When the screen gets crowded with Hulkbusters and exploding helicopters, the frame rate drops into the single digits. It becomes a slideshow of green and grey.
👉 See also: Jeff Grubb Giant Bomb: Why the Move to Independence Saved the Site
Yet, there is something weirdly impressive about it. Edge of Reality managed to cram a fully destructible New York City onto a console with 32MB of RAM.
There are also a ton of unlockables that make the grind worth it. You can play as Grey Hulk, Maestro, or even Ironclad. Getting these usually involves completing "Feats," which are basically in-game achievements. Some are easy, like "jump a certain distance," while others require you to find every single collectible hidden in the smog-filled city.
Is It Actually Worth Playing Today?
If you're a purist, you're going to stick with Ultimate Destruction. It’s a better-designed game. Period.
But if you’re a fan of the 2008 movie or just want to see what the PS2 was capable of at the very end of its life, The Incredible Hulk is a fascinating relic. It’s a bridge between the old-school brawlers and the modern open-world superhero epics like Spider-Man on PS5.
It’s messy. It’s buggy. The sound sometimes cuts out for no reason. But when you’re standing on top of the Empire State Building—which you can actually climb—and you see a helicopter coming your way, there’s still that primal "Hulk Smash" thrill that never really gets old.
How to get the most out of it now:
- Check your expectations: This is a 2008 port of a 360 game running on 2000 hardware. It’s going to be blurry.
- Save often: Seriously. The freezing is real. Don't lose an hour of progress because you blew up one too many gas stations.
- Focus on the Feats: The game is short. The real "meat" is in unlocking the different Hulk skins.
- Use the environment: Don't just punch. Pick up a car, smash it into "Steel Fists," and then go to town. It’s the most efficient way to play.
If you're looking for a trip down memory lane, grab a copy. Just don't expect it to look like the movie. Or even a PS3 game. It's its own weird, green thing.
Actionable Insight: If you're looking to play this today, try to find the Xbox 360 or PS3 version for a more stable experience. However, if you're a collector or a PS2 die-hard, make sure you use a Component cable (not the yellow RCA jack) to get the clearest possible image through all that "New York Fog." You'll need every pixel you can get.