Apparently the world needs another brain-lite, top-down (Gauntlet or Diablo-style) cookie cutter hack 'n' slash, strafe 'n' spray game. Hence, Monster Madness for Xbox 360, a wholly underwhelming showcase for mighty Xbox 360 in that its chock full of highly animated graphics -- character, landscapes, explosions, architecture galore and enemies by the truckload -- but none of it looking particularly detailed in the supposed "HD-era" of things.

That said, it's not a total wash as derivative schlock goes; there is the requisite glut of monsters to maim as you wander about suburban neighborhoods looking for baubles and upgrading your weapons to maim monsters more meaningfully in a large scale, checkpoint by checkpoint adventure. And the game does have a certain, over-the-top comic-bookish charm to it all, complete with stereotypical high-schoolers saving the world from horrendous hordes of horror movie hyperbole.

However, controls are sloppy -- who ever heard of jumping with a right thumbstick click? Don't they have a button for that? --, camera work unwieldy, and it all gets boring quickly as a single player experience as games like this are meant to be played in two- three- or foursomes -- which you can do, but everybody has to come over to your house to do it. The online, Xbox Live multiplayer mode of Monster Madness is not the same thing; it's a completely separate afterthought component for up to 16 players having at it with those same sluggish controls -- are you all gluttons for irritants? -- with variations on a theme set in comparatively small, delineated arenas which are, thus, completely devoid of the meaningful wanderings that hack 'n' slash games are celebrated for -- or in this case, tolerated for.

A game best rented and played with a buddy or three, each with their own six pack to ward of control and camera frustrations. Otherwise, Monster Madness is maddening alright.