Ratings likely to fall as more play and review. Here's Why...
I must say, this game has inspired me to write my first review. Before I continue I must say, if the game was any good, it would not have done so. I'll start by setting a rubric
Cutscenes- .5/1 its obvious in certain cutscene sequences that when the developers want to, they can deliver quite the visual impact and do a fairly decent job of conveying a particular feeling to the viewer. However, many of the cutscenes seen during missions have rather weak transitions that leaves me feeling as though I missed something
Graphics- 1/1 I'm being slightly generous here. Close ups that should be rendered in fine detail and have a crisp feel are left instead blurred and dull. However this may be due in part to my lack of HDTV
Gameplay 3/5- Most of time spent is spent in actual gameplay, and it was one of the biggest dissapointments that I felt when playing this highly anticipated title.
Grabbing a gun after disguising yourself as a soldier and shooting the nearest cluster of enemies leaves me unsatisfied. Each soldier falls over like a sack of feathers as though lacking substance.
On top of that, if the weapons were meant to be a significant part of combat, their inclusion was not very well designed. All that it takes to clear a group of soldiers is a quick pass over with the analog stick while holding down the X button. There is no cover feature, which I can't say I honestly expected, but really the firearm combat in the game just is not... "solid". The entire combat system really feels hackneyed.
Hype 0/2- For all the hype that this game recieved, from my point of view...it deserved none. As far as I am now concerned, anything with the studio name southpeak(made two worlds) or radical is not worth the buy.
Replayability 0/1- The frustrations from the first playthrough of a screen cluttered with ineffective gunfire and choppers blocking out the sky while hunters packhunt you through a crowded urban setting is likely to deter any with to play the game again.
As a side note, I'd just like to say that the lack of transition left me feeling as though I was not actually a part of the city itself. There was a definite disconnect from my point of view.
I reiterate. All written in this review is subjectively based on my own opinion. This review is meant only to aid one considering purchase. While I regret my own waste of $60, anyone interested should at least rent it before buying, or discarding it as an option.