Rise to Honor

"Rise to Honor: Proof of Video Games as Art"

Remember that judge in Missouri who ruled that games are not protected free speech because they don’t qualify as art? Probably not, because the decision was so stupid it was overturned soon after in a court of appeals. But just in case you still need it proved to you that games are a valid form of expression, pick up a copy of Rise to Honor.

To illustrate this point, I’ll relate a recent experience. Having basically exhausted all my new games, I decided to replay through one. After flipping through several technically perfect games, which I would myself score very highly on every level, I finally popped in Rise to Honor, a game that is certainly not perfect, yet I picked it above all the others.

The game does have it’s faults, and it seems like it was released just a bit too soon, but this was definitely no rush job. But despite the fact that not all the refinements are in place, there’s just something about this game that makes it great. It has soul. The developers had a great love for Hong Kong cinema, and you can feel this in every single moment of the game. See, this is art, the transferring of emotion through an abstract medium.

Now, a big hurdle to really enjoying this game, is you have to like Hong Kong cinema. Just about every level is an homage to a classic HK movie. Not only that, all the classic elements are here, the hundreds of faceless thugs, the moves feel very Jet Li (thanks to all that mo-cap work), and every single locale, animation, and sound screams Hong Kong cinema. So, if the idea of a shootout in a chapel gets you excited, run out and buy this game right now.

Graphics 7/10
The graphics serve their purpose to draw you in and feel like you’re watching a classic kung fu flick, but they could’ve stood to be cleaned up a bit. The textures are muddy, and the picture seems to have a very washed out look, especially during the day. Jet Li and the other main characters look great, but the enemies have very little variety in their looks. Some of this comes from the films that inspired the game, but when you’re surrounded by four enemies all wearing the same silver puffy jacket and green pants, it starts to draw you out.

Sound 6/10
The sound is pretty much wholly unremarkable, it does its job and doesn’t really stand out. The sounds are authentic enough, but they don’t really wow me that much. The one sound effect that did impress me though, was the sound of blade hitting flesh, which creates an effect that is very pleasing on the ear. The voices were done well for the most part, but I noticed one case where when the language changed, so did the actress. It was a fairly minor, but stood out like a sore thumb against an otherwise perfect presentation.

Control 10/10
The controls are pretty unfriendly when you first pick them up, but by the time you master them, they work perfectly. In fact, the integral part in mastering the game comes in mastering the controls. You’re actually meant to struggle at first. It’s almost like an RPG, as you begin to get a grip on the controls, it will have a noticeable effect on your effectiveness in game.

Gameplay 10/10
This is sort of a fake category, because everything I have to say about gameplay I’ve said when I talked about controls. The gameplay relies entirely on the fun and ease of the controls (at least once you’ve gotten used to them). I’ve only included it here because it seems odd to have a game review without a gameplay score. However I would like to add that with a few tweaks, the shooting engine could be used as a standalone game. Targeting with the right analog stick is such a great idea, I’m surprised nobody’s used it before (well, besides Mark of Kri, but that’s not a shooting game so it doesn’t really count).

Presentation 10/10
As mentioned earlier, this game captures the essence of Hong Kong cinema, and I’ve already said all I need to on that subject. The game maintains a very movie like presentation, in terms of pacing, action, story. A nice touch is that the main menu is set up like a DVD menu, with play, scene select, even special features.

Replay Value 10/10
No matter how many times you go through this game, it continues to remain fun. It’s like popping in your favorite DVD for a couple hours of entertainment. Rise to Honor is the perfect way to waste an afternoon.

Overall Score 9/10
Despite a few technical flaws, Rise to Honor is extremely well crafted, with a loving attention to detail, chock full of homage to Hong Kong cinema, and the developers clearly tried very hard just to create the best gameplay experience possible. Will you like it? If you are a fan of Hong Kong cinema, then I can recommend it to you without hesitation. If not, it’s still worth a look, as this is a fun, fun game.

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