Headhunter

"Heaadhunter takes the cool parts from MGS and then adds motorbike mayhem!"

I thought I had missed this game in the shops and would have to shell out for an over priced copy off Ebay, but luckily on my travels I came across a brand new copy of Headhunter from an EB in the basement of a department store...how lucky!

Gameplay: 9/10
Let me start by saying, wow!!!. Playing this game is so fun. It is probably the closest thing you will ever get to metal gear solid and snake on the dreamcast. And although you may think it maybe borrowed a few ideas unfairly, I don't remember ever being able to ride a motorbike 200 mph through a jam-packed highway. This game takes the theme of MGS and expands the ideas with great success. Every now and then a picture of the start button appears at the bottom of the screen, this tells you that a new objective has been added to you mission, which can be viewed in the main menu. This is a good idea, which is constantly changing due to your actions and a helpful reminder if you are wandering around, not knowing what to do. I found the basic controls easy and fast to pick up, but Jack Wade (the main amnesiac character) has many other moves at his disposal, which have to be mastered. For instance when you hold the ''R'' trigger he draws his weapon, (like in many other survival horror games) press the ''A'' button and he will open fire. But the controls for his movement with the digital stick also change so when he is holding his gun up instead of running around in circles he strafes left right, or runs forward/back. A simple enough idea but it is executed well and adds to the sense that this is a polished title, which a lot of work has gone into. The only minor fault I see is the slightly high difficulty level. I do like a challenge, the challenge adds more to the realism. Unfortunately sometimes you will find yourself low on health and will have to go back looking for some life.

Sound: 9/10
Another great part of this game, the sound. It really takes you to all the locations of the game. The effects for all the weapons and explosions are ultra realistic. You could find yourself getting shot to pieces after alerting the guards because you wanted to hear the sweet sound of the shotgun. Even the sound you hear when throwing a small metal decoy shell can be heard crisply, which is great, even better if you happen to have a set of good quality speakers hooked in with your gaming set-up. I am also fond of the music, every section of the ever changing game has it's own track. I'm not too sure about the danger music, usually means you are going to get killed. Which brings me to the part about the enemy AI, it's good.... very good.... a little good when you find your self dead after missing a guys neck and throwing a decoy shell instead. I find that the enemies are very good at shooting, especially hitting you. Which is unrealistic seeing as they are common thugs and you are a trained Headhunter. So the enemies intelligence is a little too good, I can overlook that though, you just have to be even more careful-sneaking is the best solution in most problems.

Graphics: 9/10
The visuals really shine in Headhunter and just go to show that the dreamcast can handle large areas with complex textures. I would say the graphics are at a par with MGS 2 for PS2, which is saying something. Even small worthless objects or creatures are drawn in high resolution such as cans lying around on the floor. The detail is slightly higher in the cut scenes but they still go together well when combined with the main gameplay. Jack Wade's animation has been thought out well, he moves realistically; probably due to some excellent motion capture techniques. He also looks real because of the way his trousers crease and straighten as he runs. You wouldn't have though that important, but the small things make all the difference in this title.

Overall: 9/10
An excellently thought out and programmed game. From the word go the action is not stop and brilliantly fun, a game that I could not stop playing. The motorbike sections in Headhunter are sort of a relaxing break from all the heart pumping sneaking around, and provide a great mini game. It's amazing that a game of this quality could be released so near to the dreamcast's death.

Rent or Buy?
I think we both know the answer to that one! Buy, buy, buy! That is, if you can find it in a video game shop. If not then it is worth paying more for a copy on Ebay-it is that good. Also if you are in America, this is a must have import.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/17/02, Updated 09/17/02