Men in Black II: Alien Escape

Men in Black II: Alien Escape arrived on the Game Boy Color in 2002 as a game adaptation of the eponymous film sequel, prepared for the handheld by studio Runecraft. The player takes on the role of a secret agent of the MIB organisation and moves through the streets of New York and secret bases from a top-down view, shooting escaped aliens and completing smaller tasks matching scenes from the film, from chases to infiltrating enemy hideouts. The film's light-hearted, self-aware tone is also carried over into the text messages between missions, which comment on the agent's actions with the same exaggeration typical of the whole series, so the player is entertained even between firefights by small nods to the film's script.

The gameplay rests on a simple but brisk run-and-gun formula complemented by collecting special weapons and gadgets typical of the film series, such as neuralizers or futuristic blasters. Individual levels alternate settings and pace, so fast firefights blend with calmer sections focused on exploration and finding the way forward. The graphics use the GBC's colour capabilities to distinguish the urban setting from the sterile alien locations, and the accompanying music tries to evoke the light-hearted, action-packed tone of the film.

As a film licence from the early 2000s, the title aimed primarily at a younger audience and fans of the series, so period reviews focused mainly on how faithfully a short handheld game could capture the atmosphere of an action sci-fi blockbuster. Men in Black II: Alien Escape on GBC today represents a solid, if undemanding, example of what film tie-in shooters looked like at the turn of the millennium, before more ambitious titles gradually replaced the genre on handhelds. Fans of the series will appreciate above all the sheer number of small references to the film woven throughout the game, from the opening screen right up to the final mission.