Headhunter: Redemption

""I am Jack's Bearded Revenge..."; A suitable reprisal, but Jack seems to be late for the party"

In the twenty years following the original Headhunter game, a lot sure has happened. It definitely isn't like it used to be in this here city: the Bloody Mary virus has spread, ravaging the whole of civilisation before a vaccine was discovered by Stern Corp; there has been mass disorder, calmed only by the existence of headhunters; and a quake has levelled the whole area, as if sent by God himself. Finally, order has now been restored, and the city split into two: Above, the new city built upon the ruins of the old city, and Below, a group of colonies to which misfits and criminals are sent to perform labour for Above. However, in a move sure to disappoint heads worldwide, Jack Wade is still doing his rounds to this day, courtesy of the government's choice to hire freelance headhunters instead of maintaining their own policing force. But enough with the introduction: is the game any good?

Headhunter plays like many other third-person shooters. Your character can collect a variety of weapons, including the usual pistols, rifles and shotguns. These are used to remove the heads of your opponents, possibly to keep as a trophy and show to your children later in life. Stealth may be used, though there certainly isn't an emphasis on it. You have the opportunity to press against walls or cover, creep up to a foe and give 'im the good ol' one-two, instantly killing him. In fact, that's pretty much all you can do, besides the obligatory rolling moves; most of the gun-fighting will consist of you taking cover, locking onto the enemy and pumping him full of future-lead.

Aiming in this game is interesting. Your character automatically aims through the IRIS system they are equipped with, yet the cross-hairs swing around from (and through) the target, until the aim stabilises. Therefore, to save on ammunition you must be aimed at an enemy for a short time, or else risk missing shots. You may aim by either directly aiming a gun or by scanning your foe from behind cover, ensuring you can avoid too much harm. Furthermore, recoil causes your aim to destabilize, especially when using heavy weapons, adding a sense of realism and requiring more skill. Theoretically, this system is sound, as skill- shooting as the cross-hairs move over your target, and utilizing cover- and luck are needed in equal measure.

Unfortunately, there is one fairly minor problem with the combat; one which befalls many third-person games, causing you to fall down endless chasms, run into many an enemy soldier, or die at the hands of the level boss for the hundredth time: a bad camera. Often will you find yourself rolling towards gunfire instead of the cover, and in a game this difficult, it doesn't help. Luckily, you can't just stumble into large drops, and the camera usually doesn't cause bother. Still, it is an issue which must be addressed, and it is hoped that Amuze will fix it in future installments (if, indeed, there are any future installments.)

Speaking of difficulty, this game is going to cost you in damaged controllers. Medipacks are in short supply throughout the duration of the game, and enemy soldiers will often attack before you can acknowledge their existence. Add to this the traps littered around much of the game and the frustrating puzzles, and you have yourself throwing expletives around at friend and family. Definitely not one for the kids, though it is hoped that you wouldn't have your kids playing this anyway. But wait, there's more! Until you get through the first half of the game, there is next to no advancement in the plot, and fighting gets tedious after the first level or two. Dull scenery to this point does no good to the mixture of tedium and difficulty, only serving to exemplify your frustration at the game.

Notice how I've been referring to your character simply as "your character," and not by name? That's because there are two main characters now: Jack Wade is joined by new, street-savvy Leeza X, whose father was killed by Jack long ago during a routine mission; you will hate her intensely, perhaps because you have to play as her for the majority of the first half. Her dialogue is cliche, and completely devoid of wit, making her attempts to seem cool just as transparent as her personality. Wade is the real hero and, thank Allah, we get the opportunity to play as him more when the action picks up half way through. He actually manages to act cool, and his quips never fail to make me giggle like a little girl.

What would characters be without a good story? Not much. Thankfully, the story in this game is enjoyable, providing many twists, though coming to an unsatisfying end. This can be overlooked, as the final section is breathtaking, as are many of the other later ones. Basically, without spoiling anything, Jack employs the service of Leeza as an assistant and, after a short mission in a weapons facility, manages to get Below on a mission despite Jack demanding she not go. What follows reveals a number of conspiracies, as Leeza unravels a string of deceit and discovers who is behind attacks by the Opposition, a terrorist group.

Music in the game is satisfactory, if nothing memorable, and sounds much the same. Two problems I would highlight are the repeated use of a very limited number of battle-taunts by the enemy and the propaganda/advertising which is played in the background both during battle and outside of it. I understand that Amuze simply wants to convey a certain message to the player, and often succeeds in satire and dark humour, but being bombarded with advertising for "The Below Job" begins to grate when you hear it every two seconds.

As for the graphics, they're so generic that I don't deem them worthy of much mention; characters look alright, but the surroundings are dull and far too often metallic, as opposed to the gritty appearance I had hoped for. Oh well, can't get everything we want.

"The Good..."

- Jack Wade is as tough as ever, spurting some great one-liners.
- Story is very involving throughout the second half, leaving you with just enough knowledge to endure and play on.
- Nifty aiming system, for good gameplay.
- Exceptional character development, especially Wade.

"The Bad..."

- Leeza X takes control most of the time, yet is such a contrived and dull character that the player feels nothing good for her.
- First half of the game is, to put it bluntly, crap.
- Generic graphics.
- Repetitive game-play.
- Forgettable music.

"And the Ugly"

- Inferior to the original Headhunter game.
- No motorbike levels!
- Hard as heck, yet not very long.

Thus, I shall appoint this game a score of 7. If your are a fan of the original, perhaps add an extra point to that score. A final piece of advice: I would advise you rent this game, as it is quite short and definitely not going to satisfy everybody's taste.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 09/02/04