The Terminator: Dawn of Fate

"This Game Should Be Terminated"

Intro:
I thought ''Dawn of Fate'' would be a good game, as I enjoy the Terminator series. I come to play it, and I'm sorry to say, I was pretty dissapointed. Usually, most games that have been known for their superb 2D graphics have been transported into the world of 3D successfully. Unfortunatley, this one makes T2: The Arcade Game look good.

Gameplay:
The controls are messed up, seriously. I mean, it's easy to control your character when you aren't fighting, but, if you're more biased to Grand Theft Auto or other games such as that, you'd be pressing wrong buttons right, left, and center. Usually, when I fight a terminator, I try to fire my gun, but, instead, I press X and release the useless sword thing. Or, you'd have to complete a certain task, but you screw up a button combo and you end up falling to your death. You catch a break if you have to fire from a mounted gun, but, then, aiming gets difficult. Because controls are a major factor in games, this one in particular loses points for that.

Story:
This game is a prequel to the first Terminator movie. You must fight Skynet, attempt to save Sarah Connor... blah, blah. It's all the same. The storyline's actually pretty good, as you can learn things about the players. Plus, a cool thing is halfway through the game, when a *certain* person is discovered betraying his fellow man.... I ain't giving away anything special, don't worry.

Graphics/Sound:
I personally loved the ability to roam around in LA, after the nuclear war. Everything from the movies have been ported into this game, and I actually liked the scenery. The sound is allright; guns sound like guns, metal clanking sounds like metal clanking... a little too futuristic, though. Also, a note: if you see a pathway that you'd like to take, most likely, it's probably just a part of a backround. I spent ten minutes once trying to get down a blocked path when I realized that it was SUPPOSED to be blocked.

Replay:
It's a hard game to finish. You might have trouble yourself trying to get certain levels finished, as I did with numerous ones. If you DO get the game finished, just be lucky you got through it the first time, and, if you feel strong enough, go for another romp around Los Angeles, circa 2027 AD.

Jasonlives' Final Words:
It's rentable, but don't buy it unless you plan on starting a dust collection.

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 09/24/03