Headhunter

"HeadHunter, Metal Gear meets Winback....with all the crappy bits taken out"

Headhunter, is a fantastic action/adventure/stealth game that hits the imaginary 'nail' on the head.
In it you play a crime fighting 'Headhunter' named Jack Wade, a rough, bearded, all-around bad ass.
Even though this game has been out for over a year now, it still competes with the newer games, and beats most of them, this truly is a blockbuster game that must be experienced to be believed.

Controls
The controls of Headhunter are easy to learn, but difficult to master (boy that's an overused line...).
Being a regular poster on the Headhunter board I've seen a lot of people coming in with problems with the camera, but after toying with the controls, a solution is easily found.
R1 is to aim, and when pressed, the camera is placed over Jack's shoulder, which is perfect for looking forward.
When you press the [] button you can rotate to aim at other targets, but at the same time, the camera rotates over Jack's shoulder, and using this method, you can look anywhere you want.
Other than this very minor niggle the controls are easy to learn, and after maybe 10 minutes of play they will all be second nature.
Score for controls: 8/10, would be 10 but is dragged down by the camera trouble.

Graphics
The graphics were very very good for the time of release, and even though they may not be top-notch now, they are still beautiful, clear and sharp.
The characters have loads of detail in them, as do the guns, which look very good.
The backgrounds are detailed, and the levels are well set out.
My favorite has to be the last level, and though I don't want to spoil anything, it's just the architecture is astounding, and really adds to the emotion of the game. Fantastic level designing.
Score for graphics: 9/10 Wonderful.

Sound and music
This is where Headhunter shines.
The music in this game is absolutely ear-smashingly fantastic.
In the stealthy sections, there is a low steady beat, slowly building up on your nerves, your heart beat speeding up, your adrenaline pumping, thinking ''Will the guard come over here?'' crouching behind a crate with a shotgun in hand.
Then suddenly you could be thrown into a gunfight, with heavy lead guitar, or synth backing, shooting your adrenaline through the roof after being built up for an hour.
Then you are dropped onto your crotch-rocket to go shooting through the downtown streets to a nerve-shattering, fast-beating track that makes you feel as though you are the star of a major budget Hollywood movie.
The footsteps echo, the gunshots ring out, the shell casings make a light 'ting' as they bounce by your feet and the voice acting is perfect...for a B-movie, which is exactly what this game is like, cheesy lines, bad acting, this is like an action Resident Evil-alike. Bad voice acting = comedy relief = excellent all-round game.
Score for sound and music: 10/10, what else?

Game play
Basic game play is like this, Ride bike to LEILA testing (more info later), get license, get upgraded weapons and equipment, go do level, get new license, ad infinitum.
To obtain better licenses, you need to pass a test at the LEILA testing facility.
Its a way of safely testing combat effectiveness and stealth...in V.R.
As you go for higher licenses, the tests get harder, and you get less time to do them in.
Once you finish a test, you can go and open a locker and get your weapons and equipment for the mission, a higher license allows you to open better lockers, and get better equipment.
The tests also require you to have a certain amount of skill points, which are gained by riding fast on your bike, the faster you go, the more points you get, and when you crash, you lose points.
The actual levels consist of sneaking around ala Metal Gear, collecting items to solve puzzles ala Resident Evil and getting into shootouts ala Syphon Filter.
There is no radar, so stealth is more realistic, and also
enemies are not near-sighted, they can and will see all the
way across a level/hallway/room.
Score for Game play: 9/10 It gets a bit repetitive, but each level has its own charm and something that causes it to be exiting and different from the last.

Story
Headhunter has an excellent story, although some may not like it, just like any other game, some like it, some don't.
The basic idea, without any spoilers is -
You play Jack Wade. After waking up strapped to a table in what looks like some sort of lab, you break out violently, not knowing how you got there, or why.
After getting through security you run for a while, before passing out in an alleyway.
You wake up in a hospital bed, not knowing how long you've been in a coma for.
On T.V. you watch Angela Stern, the daughter of the owner of the ACN walking away from a funeral, her father has been murdered.
Your old boss walks into your room, Chief Hawke.
He tells you that you used to be the old Number 1 Headhunter, the best in the business, but he has to let you go, for unknown reasons.
He suggests that you go to LEILA, get a new license and a gun, then try to find out why you were at the lab.
You see, you have retrograde amnesia, your memory should return, but even the doctors can't predict when, you just have to give it time.
Soon afterwards, Angela Stern enters, and asks you to track someone down for you, your first case as a Headhunter.
She wants you to investigate her fathers murder, she thinks that someone in the ACN is holding the investigation back and she needs someone outside.
The game starts here, get our license, and get back to work!
Score for story: 9/10 A bit cliche, but what isn't?

Replay
After completing the game, you have the option to make a save file called V2.
This game is slightly harder than the last game, all enemies take one more bullet to kill, are more accurate than before and use more intelligent tactics.
This may not sound like much, but when you complete this game, you get V3 and so on and so forth, and it gets harder every time.
So on V8 and above, the game is so much harder than before, it seems like a different game.
Also, in LEILA there are records, held by Hank Redwood, the new number 1 Headhunter, he used to be number 2 until you were fired.
If you beat his record, your name and time is taken down.
If you beat all of his records, on a total of 16 tests you can unlock the Star locker in a new game from your save file (V2).
This star locker contains all the weapons from the game, and infinite ammo, perfect for taking out souped-up guards.
Score for Replayability: 9/10 It gets harder each time for more challenge, and the records provide a meaty challenge to beat all of them. Excellent replaytability.

End score - 9/10
Excellent. Not without flaws, but an excellent game that every self-respecting gamer should at least try.

Buy or Rent?
I recommend buying, as its such a huge game that deserves to played again and again and again, but if your not interested in a bigger challenge the next time you play, just rent it, its possible to complete it in about 3 days.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/04/03, Updated 01/04/03