Avengers Initiative is an intriguing title, that sums up a lot of issues around Windows Phone gaming. A point and click adventure where you can play The Hulk or Captain America, exploring a graphically rich world and engaging in rather simplistic combat, aided by some in app purchases. It's all a bit uninspiring, and it's been done better in other titles.... such as Chaos Rings, which does this far better than America's finest.

The adventure is dressed up with typically overblown heroic storylines:

In the wake of The Pulse, The Vault, a top-secret S.H.I.E.L.D. facility in the Rocky Mountains, has busted open, releasing all of the super-powered criminals and monsters imprisoned there. Aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, Nick Fury recruits a reluctant HULK to round up all the monsters he can while S.H.I.E.L.D. can assemble the rest of THE AVENGERS to figure out who opened the doors to The Vault -- and why.

But this doesn't hide the flaws of the game... because it is not much of a game once you realise that it's a glorified form of rock/paper/scissors in combat. You'll decide what sort of attack to make on your opponent, and after carrying it out you'll let your opponent have a go. And if you want to get a bit of an advantage, there are some in-app purchases you can make.

Which is all very civilised but this is supposed to be The Hulk!!!

There's also the delay involved. The Avengers Initiative arrived on iOS and Android late in 2012. Eleven months later and its release on Windows Phone feels more like a contractual obligation than a desire to give gamers the best game possible.

Unfortunately there's no trial version, so the $4.99/£3.99 purchase option is the only way to try out the game. I'm a big fan of Windows Phone having trial versions for almost every single app in the store, so to have such a noted title missing this feature is a disappointment.

Neither is this an XBox Live title. It feels like it should be, given the status of The Avengers in the modern world, so I wonder why it wasn't given that status? It's not like the Xbox Live release schedule is jam packed at the moment

If you're ready to head into the Marvel Universe, head over to the Windows Phone Store and get started. I'm heading back to Mega City 1 and Judge Dredd...