The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay

"Made for a movie, but a good game in its own right, too"

I have to admit, when I first heard that they were dragging out Pitch Black, of all movies, for a sequel and a video-game prequel, I was quite skeptical. While I was somewhat impressed by the coverage I saw, I knew that as a tie-in for a movie that the game might suffer as a result. Thus, I approached this game with caution. Luckily, my fears were vanquished by this excellent FPS, who happens to also have Vin Disel along for the ride. Onto the facts:

Graphics 10/10

In a word: Flawless. I can not find a single reason to fault the graphics in this game. Everything is almost unbelievingly realistic; the weapon effects, enemy models, fellow inmate models, blood, lighting, the use of shadows, all is second to none. Also, I could not find a single second where the game did not run smoothly, and any jags and pop-ups were either not present or practically invisible. The environment is sparsely detailed, but since this is a prison on a desert planet it makes sense. The atmosphere is very gritty and full of graffiti and other little touches to remind you that you are in a prison. Basically, the Xbox's graphical prowess is undeniable here.

Sound 7/10
Okay, first off, forget the music. It's utterly forgettable generic FPS fare. You pretty much have two choices: The standard music, and the more pumped up version of the standard music that appears when you are in sticky situations. Now, it isn't particularly bad, mind you, but it barely registers at all. However, the other sounds are very good. The weapon effects are great, and when physically fighting you get a very neat sense of realism; it sounds like you are actually hitting human flesh instead of just some AI controlled nonperson. The voice acting is well done, the cast is varied and diverse, though I felt that there were too many people with Australian accents hanging around. Nonetheless, it's still a above-average effort.

Gameplay 8/10

Almost perfect. The game is a balanced mesh between straight-on gunfights and stealthy espionage. When you start the game, you are weaponless, and all those nifty assault rifles are off-limits, thanks to DNA encoding. However, you can acquire a variety of melee weapons, including metal knuckles, clubs, and any number of sharp objects, loosely termed as 'shivs'. You can use these the obvious way, or you can sneak up behind guards or prisoners and stealth kill them in a gruesome fashion. Actual fist-fighting is intuitive but still deep, you can use a number of different punches, and even chain combos together. As for weaponry, you will get a few guns, notably a pistol, a shotgun, a assault rifle(only after you enter your DNA into the mainframe, of course), and a tranquilizer gun. These weapons are pretty standard, though the tranq gun is somewhat interesting, and can be used quite deviously if you are imaginative. Still, you'll never find yourself bored when gunning down guards. Speaking of killing guards, don't forget stealth. There are very few fixed light sources, and with your two vision modes, one for stealth and another that uses Riddick's peculiar eyes to see in the dark, you can remove guards easily after a bit of practice.

There are no puzzles in the game, the only jobs you'll have to do is occasionally grab a key card or kill some guy. Some prisoners will have you carry out quests for them, but they are generally simplistic and can be completed easily. Your rewards are either the game's currency or cigarettes, which unlock all the secret stuff, though that generally is just game art or something else fairly small.

The storyline itself is a good setup for Pitch Black, it establishes Johns(the bounty hunter that chases Riddick all over the place) and Riddick's relationship, and explains Riddick's eyes, which allow him to see in the dark. The story does take a rather odd paranormal change of events, but it does make Riddick stand out as more than another hardened criminal who has A Change Of Heart.

Now, the bad. The game is far too easy. Physical fighting can be won either by steadily pounding away if the enemy blocks, or using stick-and-move tactics. Weapon fighting can easily be swayed in your favor by shooting a couple of lights. The AI of the guards is a little dumb; often I've seen enemies kill their friends in a attempt to off me, and other times they've brushed right past me in the dark with a flashlight on and didn't even take a second look. On the other hand, I have seen guards react to the slightest sound and use grenades and group tactics efficiently, so it evens out somewhat.

Also, the game is quite short; I beat the game in two days, and got more than halfway through a re-playthrough on a harder difficulty in one. 10 hours for 50 bucks is a little steep, don't you think?

In conclusion, the Chronicles of Riddick is sure to be a classic, and since there isn't much else to vie for attention on the Xbox right now, it should definitely be picked up by anyone(though I'd wait until they lower the price or try to get it used).

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/24/04