BloodRayne

"Leather, blades, and sex, a masochist's dream"

Introduction: BloodRayne is very gifted vampire who has been employed by the United States to take down the Nazi regime and its occult experiments.

Gameplay: I was pleasantly surprised by this game. Albeit that this game is not too difficult, it is still very fun to play. The controls are for the most part smooth, and the camera problems are really minimal. Collision detection is a little lacking, but as stereotypical as some of the premises of this game may be, it integrates a lot of concepts and fast moving action to make it a very fun, fast-paced game. Some of these concepts include the bullet time, different types of sight, and a rage mode. Subscore- 8.

Story: This game does not take itself too seriously, and that is essential in this case because it revisits the idea of evil Nazis. However, there are some varied and interesting enemies, and the things that keep the plot moving along are from boring. This may not have the twists and turns of Halo, but its story fits the context very well. Subscore- 7.

Graphics: The graphics are what we have come to expect from games on the Xbox-- simply not fulfilling the potential of the system. That said, there are interesting, varied environments with good character models. The colors are dreary, but no so dark as to drown out what is going on. This game is very graphic, and the ability to dismember may be a little graphical treat for you realism buffs out there. All in all, I have to say I am pleased with the graphics despite the lack of fulfilling the xbox's potential, but it is all we can expect from a multi-platform game. Subscore- 7.

Sound: This is where the game takes a hit. The action sequences have decent scripted dialogue, but the voice-overs of BloodRayne herself become very repetitive, and it is hard to believe that she could make such calm, un-emphasized comments while flipping through the air and gunning down baddies. The effects are certainly not lacking though. You will most likely come away not remembering the sound because there is nothing to remember. There is nothing awful about it, and there is nothing substantial about it. So, with this mediocre performance coupled with the tiring voice-overs we have to give it a 6. Subscore- 6.

Playtime/Replayability: This game is just about right on playtime. It doesn't go on forever and it doesn't end in a New York Minute-- thanks to Mr. Payne for the expression. It will most likely take as long as it took you to beat Halo the first time, and it all depends on how much you look to explore. So, while Halo ran about 10 hours for me the first time, so will this game for you if you explore the possibilities a little bit. Now to the issue of replayability, or lack thereof. The only real replayability lies in the pure fun of the action. If you tire of that quickly, you may not even make it through the game. If you do have the desire to play it again, it will probably only be once. Subscore- 7.

Final Recommendation: I would recommend this game, but I would strongly advise you to heed my previous comments. If this game doesn't sound like it is for you, you may not want to buy it. Yet, I would consider this a rent title for just about anyone, and I wouldn't go beyond that unless you really think this game sounds like it is for you.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 10/22/03