The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay - Developer's Cut

"Beautiful"

When you first think of a game based off a movie it usuall doesn't turn out well. Here it does, because it contains all the great things game should have, graphics, proper camera positions, unfound bug/glitches, great sound quality, and most important of all great gameplay!

Gameplay 9/10
To start off the gameplay is awesome, best shooter/stealth game I ever played. It has several weapons that you can use, ranging from your own fists to Machine guns. But what makes the so unique is the stealth action, not Splinter Cell-esque style but a sort of fast paced duck-and-cover-and-lean-over-the-wall stle stealh. Of course the stealth portion is an option, if you want you could go in guns-ablazing but it would also require a lot of strategy. The A.I is extremely intelligent, if you are caught and you attempt to hide behind a big humongous box they will stand behind it and wait for you to come out. This is also a good time to use your own intelligence against the enemy, you can climb on top of the box and maybe(and usually) their will be something to climb onto or over. It really does feel like a movie.

The ingame interface is perfect, their is nothing on the screen when nothing is going on. Not until you start taking hits can you see your health bars. The gun you carry usually shows the ammo on its little display screen ala Doom 3 style. Of course on to one of the most important aspects of the game, eyeshine. This is a mode Riddick can go into whenever he wants(when he obtains it in a certain point ingame)that allows him to seen in the dark. It's not cheapy see-in-the-dark mode either, it's a little like splintercells NVG's but different. Everything is purple and bright bright white, you can't look into the light with eyeshine, it will all appear so bright. It is really awesome in those Pitch Black darkness moments where all guards can't see anything except with their flashlights, this is pretty much what you can imagine is the stealth aspect of the game.

The shooting is fun and easy, fighting is a blast, stealth is even cooler. Although it's not the main aspect of the game you will be required to fight with your bare hands and sometimes with a knife or bat. The fighting system is suprisingly fun, what is interesting is that you actually stay in First-Person perspective while fighting. You would consider this to be a big mistake but it's not, you can punch/stab/batter/etc.. people easily and can block, it kind of feels like you're boxing as you have to move around and hit/block at the right time. It really is a very good option added when you have no ammo and want to go in fighting or if you want you can conduct some stealhness and attack people from the back with a shiv.

Controls 10/10
Walking is easy, jumping is simple, climbing is great. Moving around areas is simple, the controls match Splinter Cell's almost perfectly. Jumping feels exactly the same except you can't see yourself doing it unless you count your shadow. Climbing is the only time when you see yourself in a 3rd person perspective besides cutscenes. Controls can also be configured anyway you like if you don't like them already.

Graphics 10/10
Amazing, the faces, interfaces on environments, everything looks the way it should. Better than Doom 3 if you ask me. Nothing to complain about here, it has the best lighting and graphics I have ever seen.

Replayability 7/10
The only reason to really play the game again would be because of the commentary mode where the director of the game talks while you play. Also maybe to unlock art conecept from the game and movie.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/28/05