Painfully frustrating.. yet incredibly rewarding, but not enough to put me over on this one...
The difficulty level of this game is off the charts... not hard like Ninja Gaiden Black is hard.. but pulling my toenails off with plyers would have been at times less painfull that some of the boards of this game.
Furiously frustrating are some of the boards in difficulty... and the fact that the men helping you are flippin idiots does not help. Most of the time the "help" is just in the way. At least 2-3 times per checkpoint do you have a few of these mongeloids in your way so you cant pass through a door or hallway. On top of that... there is WAAYYYYYY too much time between checkpoints...inpiring you to chuck your controller at the tv in a furious rage of verbal and physical abuse... oddly enough... once I did complete the game there was an incredible level of satisfaction from completing it. A sense of real accomplishment. Had the game been "easier" with more checkpoints would it have been a more fun or fullfilling game... I don't think so. I think if it had been easier with more checkpoints no one would have cared.... sure the game play would have been fun, but it would not have made you want to run out to get part 2, or 3 for that matter. However, I like to play a game to enjoy the experience and have a sense of accomplishment... but more than that I want it to be FUN. The frustration factor of this game took alot of the FUN away and replaced it with a determination to just "get revenge on that $%@$#%ing nazi that capped me just before the checkpoint" The game is deceptively short/long... oxymoronic huh? There are not as many levels as I would have liked, but because each level took so freggin long to complete it feels like it is a looong game. Overall, the gameplay is engaging and the controls are good. No complaints on that part. The game is "fairly" linear... but with a good choice of weapons at your disposal there is a personalization of your play style that can be entered into the mix. I also enjoyed the mix of being a foot soldier, in a tank, in a turrett... etc, there was a good mix up. The graphics are great, and the sound is really good in helping you keep track of what is goin on in the game. Niether are "stellar" by any means, but by the same token I wouldn't say they suck.
I would recommend this game to folks who enjoy difficult and challenging games. If you are prone to chucking your controller in spaztic fits of rage, then either 1) buy at least 4-5 more controllers 2) look into picking up Katamari Damacy instead. You can pick this up for 5-10 bucks at most stores now which is a definate bargin.. don't pay more than that for this title.
This game reminds me of a t-shirt I once saw that said "Either you ROCK, or you SUCK." If held to these standards I would have to give this one a SUCK. However in a world that is not so black and white.. this game would be the MOST middle shade of grey....