There's something to be said about gameplay formula. Use it wisely to help progress a game series and you'll see nothing but signifcant success. Lean on it too much, however, and even the most hardcore of fans will be able to see the cracks in the pavement, revealing the formula's true age and lack of anything new. Rampage: Total Destruction manages to have it both ways. It has some changes that make the monster-bashing seem in a place all its own, but it's not really inventive enough to stray from what we've seen in previous releases, such as the arcade original or the sequel World Tour. And the changes we do see aren't strong enough to warrant falling in love with it all over again.

Here's the plot- grab a monster and bash the living hell out of cities. Repeat. That's the way it was with the first couple of games and that's the way it is here. Pipeworks had a big task ahead of them when Midway assigned it, as they had to stay true to what worked in previous games while still adding stuff that somehow made it adaptable for the likes of the Nintendo GameCube. They partially succeeded, but there are some flies in the ointment.

First off, there's the gameplay. Pipeworks opted to keep things mostly 2-D while presenting a 3-D environment, and somehow they had to have some kind of gameplay tactic to make the game "feel" 3-D. This is a mistake, as you sometimes find yourself wanting to climb up a building to begin crumbling its foundation and you instead keep walking into the background from time to time. Look, either make the game 2-D or make the game 3-D. For a set-up such as this, it really doesn't work, and I frustratingly had to try several times to climb up something as simple as a two-story number, all while taking gunfire from all sorts of military craft.

There's also something to be said about the monster design and animation. Sure, it's funny, but I can't help but think it's slightly outlandish for its own good. They don't look like the real comical terrors that were introduced in the first game, but rather big, rubbery monsters that are hamming it up as if they were extras in a Godzilla film. Halfway through, I swear, I was screaming out "God-zookey!" just for the corniness of it all. The graphics themselves are plainly designed, with cities that mostly look the same and the uninspired crumbling of buildings around you. Design could've used a major bump here, with more interesting creature design and things to diversify cities. Imagine knocking down the Tower in Seattle and using it to bat away at the Microsoft building. Pipeworks could've used something swift like that. (Well, OK, not Microsoft entirely- Midway doesn't want to piss off the Xbox medium.)

Past these big hang-ups, the game has loads of potential. The PS2 version of Rampage is stuck with a two-player format, while the GameCube has a major advantage, letting four jump into the fray. This makes it an utterly fun party game, with monsters swatting away at each other and eating up whatever they can, namely humans and other vehicles that might seem surprisingly tasty. A tank doesn't go down as easily as it looks, though, so be forewarned. There's 25 unlockable creatures in all, instead of just the basic Ralph, Lizzie, and George, so you can find a variety in different monsters to try out and unlock. And those looking for a piece of nostalgia will in fact find two, as both the original Rampage and Rampage World Tour are tucked away and can be accessed, and look pretty good for their emulations.

The game also features a hilarious over-the-top announcer that provides some good commentary, although repeition does set in over the course of a few cities. He drowns out the otherwise generic, lifeless music soundtrack, which could've been bumped up to the cheese factor. It's kinda like how Incog put together a great batch of 50's horror tunes for their bash-fest War of the Monsters years ago. Pipeworks just had to push, but instead they opted for the easy way out. Damn.

One major advantage to this product, though, is the $20 price tag. Midway was wise to put this on the market at such a reasonable price, as it'll appeal to parents and their kids that way. Fans of the series may also be tempted to make the jump, as it's easier to bash buildings at a budget price than full retail. But be forewarned- those who expect the full-on Rampage formula may be disappointed by the funky design, the lackluster presentation, or the gameplay problems that come into play. Remember, Midway priced NARC at this budget price a year ago, and who's playing it now?

Rampage: Total Destruction isn't all bad. Despite its flaws and minimal effort in some areas, it's still mindless bashing of cities that's a great stress reliever and ideal with a few drunk (or sober) friends over at the house. But this series is beginning to show its twenty-year age, and Midway really needs to do something to give it a boost for its next chapter somewhere down the road. Wow, that's a crazy thought- looking at a product that involves large, mutated creatures and chewing it out for its lack of effort.