Worryingly Average Single Player Exp. But A Winning Multiplayer Experience Makes This A Fun [If Short] Game To Play
For me the campaign in single player mode lacks any charm, and is probably best avoided if possible, however I will concede, that should you have a buddy with you, the campaign in co-operative mode can be quite enjoyable. This was actually the reason I bought the game (used of course), I had noticed that my PS3 games collection lacked any titles that offered a local co-op experience, and after searching several stores 'Kane & Lynch' was the only title to come up trumps.
That night, my friend and I sat down in front of the TV with a few beers and the controllers at hand and proceeded to break ourselves into the game.
Admittedly the graphics are FAR from stunning, in fact the character models appear (to me me at least) of Playstation 2 quality, and some of the environmental textures leave a lot to be desired. That said, there are some good looking locations, one of the most impressive levels to my mind is set in a very heavily populated night club, the number of characters on screen is surprising.
Plot however is pretty weak, very basic and overly familiar, and certainly isn't the reason you're playing the game. I won't go into it here, suffice it to say it follows a very tired revenge based story, with our protagonist being the traditional anti-hero with troubled past.
Despite all these negatives, the game itself is fun to play. There are copius amounts of joy to be had in shooting mercenaries to the ground. I remember reading in the Gamespot review that the 'Duck-&-Cover' mechanic was difficult to use, and while it isn't done in the same way as games like 'Uncharted' or the more recent 'Grand Theft Auto IV', it still works, and is fairly easy to adjust to. In fact, the controls were responsive and easy to use after overcoming the initial learning curve.
Other than the obvious campaign mode, 'Kane & Lynch' also boasts an online multiplayer mode named 'Fragile Alliance'. This is the game's ONLY online option, it is quite an interesting mode to play. The goal is to finish a several round match with the most money. Each round begins with all of the players as armed, balaclava-clad robbers. Conflict is created with the presence of AI controlled police officers and security guards. The round is won by having all surviving players escaping to the getaway vehicle, where any money collected is split beteween the players. However the game allows you to turn your back on your fellow team-mates, killing them to keep all the money for your avaricious self. It's this moral option that keeps excitement present. However it's disappointing that this is the only mode on offer, even a basic Deathmatch/Team Deathmatch/CTF would've been nice.
So in summary, even though the game does have problems, and is definately no classic, there IS still fun to be found in the multiplayer options, but probably not enough to keep you playing for more than a week. For most, this is probably more a rental title, however, search your local bargain bins and used game stores, you'll probably find it at a reasonable price.