Full Throttle

"Say it with me. Best. PC. Game. Ever."

Introduction
Full Throttle. Definitely one of LucasArt's best. This interactive PC game stars Roy Conrad, Mark Hamill, Hamilton Camp, and Kath Soucie. It's one of those few games that have little, if any, flaws in it, and definately marks my favorite PC game ever.

Gameplay - 8/10
The controls are vastly different than from most other games you have played. The reason this section isn't a 10 is because many players usually have a difficult time getting used to the click-and-play style. Still, the controls are not hard to get accustomed too. To make your character walk somewhere, you need to move your mouse pointer to your destined area. Press and hold the Left mouse button to bring up the action interface, which include the Eyes, Mouth, Fist, and Foot, which do various different things throughout the game. The Right mouse button brings up your item inventory; there which you can select the appropriate item for your use in a certain event or crisis.

Story - 10/10
The main villain, Adrian Ripburger, kills the founder of Corley Motors: Malcom Corley, the last great motorcycle maker in the country. You take control of Ben, leader of the Polecats, who is wrongly accused of a murder he did not commit. Now his gang is in jail, and he has to save them. Not only that, but he has to save Corley Motors and give Ripburger the boot.
Fortunately, the story isn't complicated at all, and once you view a particular cutscene, you will immediately know what is going on.

Graphics - 9/10
Well, it's a PC game. And, with a PC game, you can't exactly expect state-of-the-art graphics. Still, LucasArts have impressed me when I watched a few of the cinema segments. For a PC game, the game designers definately had a lot of time on their hands. Which is a good thing, of course.
Of course, there is always something negative about graphics, and Full Throttle is no exception. Usually, it is difficult to see something from far away (say, for example, when Ben arrives at Uncle Pete's Mink Ranch. Objects look more like a jumble of three-colored pixels than a motorcycle. Oh well....

Sound - 10/10
So many areas in the sound department - the voices, sound effects, and music. The voices are well recorded - they don't sound like something made in a car or airplane. Which is, of course, all the better for someone who is trying to listen to what Ben is saying. The sound effects are rather lovely, see, which range from a jet engine whistle to a Bengal tiger (!) and from military tank to a hair dryer (yes, a hair dryer). Also, the Gone Jackals' lyrics are fantasically superb. If it wasn't for this music, Full Throttle would have been really boring.

Replayablility - 6/10
The only downturn of the game. Although you'd hardly notice it, it would usually be tedious to play through the entire game over again, especially if you already know what to do. Still, the game seems to have new things to discover, especially the ''conversation'' between Ben and Todd Newland, who (hilariously) makes smart-arsed comments about bikers and their larger-than-life egos.

Conclusion
Full Throttle was simply awesome. I can't think of a better adventure PC game than this. If you like crime-and-punishment elements, not-so-cringe-worthy sound, or a fun game, then play Full Throttle. You won't regret it.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 05/07/03, Updated 05/07/03