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The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay (Developer's Cut) Review
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| Author |
Andy Wade |
| Overall |
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9.0 |
| Gameplay |
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9.0 |
| Replay |
 |
7.0 |
| Graphics |
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9.5 |
| Audio |
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10.0 |
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Gameplay - TCoR: Escape From Butcher Bay
Gameplay in TCoR is a solid combination of tried and true FPS action and some innovative elements that keep things fresh and exciting. The camera will switch to a third person perspective when Riddick is climbing ladders, pulling himself up onto ledges and climbing across ceiling rungs hand over hand. Also, when you look down, you are able to see your own body, which is a nice touch of realism, as opposed to the standard "disembodied face" perspective in most FPS's. These moments let you see your character cinematically and give him more of an identity in the game. You are not just some faceless space marine, you are always aware that you are Riddick.
This is not a game where you simply blast everything that moves. TCoR is populated with a large cast of characters you can interact with, do side missions for, or just eavesdrop on. The characters will wander around and have conversations with each other when they cross paths, and these dialogues are often genuinely humourous and flavorful. When you talk to someone, you will often be given a few dialogue choices, in a style reminiscent of simple RPGs. Characters will have tasks for you to complete in exchange for money, cigarettes, or other favors that may advance the plot. There are camera/gun turrets in many of the areas of the game, and fighting and carrying weapons is forbidden by the guards, so you will have to be careful where you pick fights, and know when to conceal your weapon. Much of the fighting you will do is hand to hand or with various shivs or clubs you find or buy off other characters. Melee combat is generally minimal and simplified in most FPS games, but in TCoR, brutal, close up violence is the heart of the game's combat system, and it's surprisingly well implemented. You can perform different attacks by using directional buttons as you strike, and it's possible to pull off multi-hit combos not unlike a fighting game. You can also block when you need to recover from an attack, and if you time it correctly, you can catch your opponent's thrust with one hand, then go in for a deadly throat attack with the other. Riddick can also grab a guard's gun and force him to shoot himself in the chin. Fighting in TCoR is visceral, brutal, and grimly satisfying.
There is also a stealth element in the game. You can hide behind a box while a guard walks past, sneak out behind him and cut his throat, then drag the body back into the shadows where it won't draw suspicion. The AI is smart and realistic, and not frustratingly super-aware as in some stealth heavy games. Suspicious guards will stalk about, using their flashlights to search dark corners, but they won't autmatically know your exact position. Sneaking is often an option, but it's not always necessary to get through a particular area.
TCoR is not all brawling and stealthing about, however. There is a healthy amount of traditional blasting as well. You will find your token shotgun, pistol, and machinegun, and plenty of opportunity to use them. The game's console roots are evident here as some of the weapons' fire is not as precise as in other PC shooters. The shooting sequences are still quite entertaining and frantic, though pretty standard and unremarkable compared to current games in the genre.
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