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GB Review: Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PS3)

Shiva Stella — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 18:17:44 -0600

Ratchet & Clank: meet Gorgeous on your new PS3.

Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction is yet another beautiful, action-packed, humorous adventure for PlayStation fans, boasting numerous gadgets, guns, and lots of alien things to shoot at. Its minigames have been adjusted to feature sixaxis support and Insomniac has even tossed in dancing pirates, but despite how gorgeous the game looks or how well the gameplay mechanics function, we've been down this road before - five times, six if you happened to splurge on the PSP version.

While I've always had a soft spot for our furry hero and his robotic pal, I'm afraid that Tools of Destruction has done it for me. This is the same experience, the same gameplay, lackluster plot, annoying save system, and patch-work minigames that I've been through since the franchise's inception. In summation, I am all Ratchet'ed out. If you were looking for a new, refreshing direction for the series' PlayStation 3 debut, this isn't it.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Tools of Destruction offers yet another instance in which I'm forced to scratch my head and wonder if I've been immersed in the industry so long that I'm now out of the touch with the average gamer. It's one of Sony's (and Insomniac's) flagship titles, and people seem to love it. In a sense I understand their infatuation: it's classic R&C humor, the same simplistic gameplay mechanics at work (collect this statue, turn that bolt, slaughter these boxes, etc), those same breathtaking visuals now transplanted to the PlayStation 3, and so on. I doubt that anyone could effectively argue that the title isn't playable, enjoyable, or a success ("success" being defined here as a complete single-player experience that doesn't feel pushed out the door), it's just that it's the same game.

At this point I've collected a trillion bolts, played a hundred rounds of "beat this minigame to open a door", and explored who-knows how many planets while popping virtual caps into aliens/robots/alien robots. I've made the bad guys dance; I've turned them into various creatures and whacked them to death with a wrench. I've grind-booted my way across giant chasms, been swept up in weapons-upgrade options, and watched my last plot item presented as a fake commercial. I have done it all, and then I completed Tools of Destruction and did it again, this time in HD glory. The real question isn't whether the game is worth your time but whether you'd like to pay $59.99 for the privilege of doing the same stuff in 720p - though Ratchet does look fly.

But enough negativity; Tools of Destruction, similar to every R&C game on the market, shares the franchise's ups as well as downs. The visuals are amazing and showcase just what the PlayStation 3 can do when a developer is willing to spend the time and tap the system's resources. Even with fifty pirates dancing a groovitron jig while Ratchet pummels them with his grenade-gun and other torturous devices, the framerate keeps up with the action, down to the detailing in Ratchet's fur as he sets his enemies ablaze. The game's unique presentation, another hallmark of the series, is just as fun and spoofy as ever, making grand use of holovids (think "upgraded" infobots) for plot progression; cutscenes are quick and entertaining, with the same high-quality voice performances from a cast you know and love.

I hate you, little metal ball.

The simplistic gameplay is almost enough to make you feel nostalgic. The title is easy to play through and very direct, a bonus for kiddies who hate sitting through an hour's worth of cinematics to find out what's going on. There are the same mechanics that series veterans will instantly recognize: five version upgrades for weaponry, fun devices that turn enemies into cutesy penguins (nothing makes you appreciate the benefits of being a superior species than whacking a penguin into space), weapon upgrades via vendors, armor shopping (those lombaxes always did have a sense of style), and minigames that now utilize the sixaxis controller's tilt feature. While rolling a ball around to connect circuits, gliding through hoops, shaking that pirate booty, and steering tornadoes toward foes all spruce up the gameplay, they also severely distract from it, reminding the player that she's not saving the galaxy but trying to maneuver a stupid ball so she can save the galaxy. I applaud Insomniac for actually trying to capitalize on the motion sensor technology, but the bulk of this attempt was frustrating and annoying.

While we're on the topic, apparently some people have it in their heads that frustrating and challenging equate to the same thing. If you've been reading up on Tools then you've probably concluded that it's a breeze "until the end" - when Insomniac introduces a million enhanced robots that no longer die in one or two shots. It's at this point when gamers begin to "appreciate" the outdated save-anywhere system, which, if you've been through a Ratchet game before, you already know is a lie. I complained five years ago in a review of the original R&C that enabling me to save-anywhere is bloody pointless if I have to load up from the start of a planet; giving me a taxi or a teleport to certain sections of a level doesn't cut it. This is the next-generation of PlayStation hardware and Insomniac still won't let me save-anywhere and load-up from where I saved - why the hell not?

The checkpoint system isn't much better. Ideally as you progress from one area to the next you trigger a checkpoint such that, if you die, you don't have to re-complete the same segments over and over. The checkpoint system here doesn't operate this way; when Ratchet clears an area and, say, approaches a boss or some other physical feat that you're going to die at, it's back two-three segments for you so you can re-work your way to a specific area just to do it all over again. About the time you reach your breaking point is when you realize that you can't save and call it for the day because you'll be loading up at the start of the level. I think this is where I lost another piece of my soul.

The real disappointment in Tools of Destruction is that it's the same content we've been through before, and while it's still good it's hardly great. Because you've done all this stuff several games ago there's simply little to no motivation for you to go through it again; there's no pull here, and you don't even remember there's a storyline until the last two-three planets. What the franchise needs is not a million bolts, boxes, aliens, or weapon upgrades but a new direction, a fresh take for our old and tired comedic duo, preferably one that doesn't detract from the experience with trivial minigames and sixaxis-controlled tornadoes that drive me crazy.

Okay, Insomniac: you've proven what you can do with the power of the PlayStation 3 - now let's see if you can take that engine and those beautiful visuals and make a great game out of it.

Publisher: SCEA
Developer: Insomniac Games
Release: Oct 23, 2007
MSRP: $59.99
Everyone 10+

GB Review: Assassin's Creed (360)

Shiva Stella — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:52:04 -0600

Assassin's Creed: a veritable leap of faith?

Ubisoft Montreal's Assassin's Creed is one of the most ambitious, interactive, seamless, and intriguing titles in the next-generation lineup to date, boasting absolutely stunning visuals, superb voice acting, amazing historical thrills with a firm basis in an accurate presentation of this alternative past, and a curious storyline that will pull you in if you know what you're looking for. The game is beautiful and enjoyable, an experience you won't forget, and a gem for anyone with an appreciation of this era of history or gameplay style.

However, ambitious and astounding as it is, there are elements that feel forced, gameplay that becomes redundant, and bits of the plot that fail to make sense to the average player. The combat does become a chore (especially toward the end), a save-anywhere option is missing, and some variety is sorely needed (how come a third of all the civilians I save say exactly the same thing, be it in a different accent?), but while the gameplay does have its faults it's still impressive and well-done as far as mechanics go, plus you play an assassin - that's an automatic bonus in cool points. If Ubisoft Montreal had made some adjustments - switched up the missions, tossed in some variety in investigation objectives, upped the enemy AI some, and freshened the combat - this would have been a stellar title for the general public.

As it stands, its amazing qualities are somewhat overshadowed by gameplay design that failed to implement everything Assassin's Creed exceeds at as well as it should have, and while a five star game isn't perfect this failure knocks it down a notch. For those who appreciate its finer details, however, the game is worth its weight in gold and will be something you return to over the years and look back on and say, "I played that game and loved every minute of it" with pride.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

There are two things that game critics hate when it comes to writing actual reviews, these being RPGs (devastating time-suckers) and really amazing games (trust me when I say that reviewing a piece of crap is always easier than something so good it inspires you and tugs at your heart). There is also a secret third item that critics hate to pin-down to a definite numerical figure, and this is the open-ended, highly ambitious interactive experience. Anything that doesn't amount to a functioning targeting system, an online mode, or saving the world from invading aliens/nuclear bombs is a lot more subtle and difficult to translate into a mathematical recommendation. I'm going to be blunt: Creed is not like the vast majority of games on the market, no matter the genre, and I think that explains at least some of the outlier scores (both negative and positive).

But I am not here to lecture on the reviewer's standard rating system or explain every intricacy and every moment of Creed that reminded me of why I'm a gamer or what I'm looking for (or not) in a game. I am here to address what I enjoyed and what I didn't quite so much, what the game excels at and what Ubisoft should have spent more time on, delays or not.

A sword and you. Classic.

And I'm going to start with the title's amazingly beautiful visual experience. Creed's presentation is superb and its graphics will boggle your mind; every fine aspect, from the movement of Altair's robe in the wind as he rests atop the highest steeple to the whole of a city that is viewable from a distance as the player trots up on horseback, Creed astounds. The lighting is amazing and you can clearly see the patchwork of light filtering through a lattice structure casting shadows upon a wall. Horses are perfectly mimicked and feel more realistic than any animal I've encountered in any of my virtual wanderings. Buildings are rendered incredibly sharp with every decorative item - from window bars and other convenient climbing protrusions to gorgeous mosaics and the golden sheen of the Dome of the Rock - catching the eye and inviting the player to explore.

Character models are next-generation quality, with every texture and style of pattern viewable in each person's clothing in impressive detail. Character movements are, dare I say it, natural, and this amounts to a seamless quality that almost convinces the player that he's walking the streets of a real world. Characters step aside for Altair as he gently pushes them away, drop objects they're carrying if he walks by carelessly, reacquaint Altair with the ground if he runs through too many civilians, or take no notice of him at all as he slyly slips through a large crowd, terminates a target, and inconspicuously melts into another batch of civilians before the body even hits the ground. This is the sheer genius of Creed, this smooth interaction that pulls the player into an assassin's life rather than having her assume a character's mere role.

The acoustic elements add to this inviting ambiance just as impressively, marked by your horse's hoof beats as you gallop across the countryside, the clatter of soldiers in their mess of gear, the bustling of the local marketplace, and so on. Creed's voice acting is what you'd expect from a big-budget title, with some very entertaining and intriguing performances from the primary cast, all nicely accented and featuring correct, realistic pronunciation. The linguistics might not seem like much, but they're vital for convincing the player that Altair's world is a living, breathing, and distinctly different thing, for which I give Ubisoft credit. It would have been even more persuading if civilians didn't quip the same lines all the time.

My friend, I think it's time you step away.

The immersion continues as the player explores the environs of Damascus, Acre, Masayaf, Jerusalem, and their surrounding grasslands, cliff-sides, small ruins and villages. While walking amongst the people is always a "socially acceptable" option, it's much faster and much more fun to take to the rooftops, where you can climb said amazingly detailed buildings, leap across giant chasms, dispatch foes away from the throng beneath your feet, and speedily maneuver from ledge to ledge, ladder to pole, synagogue to haystack at your leisure. The actual height of these obstacles is magnificent and damn near awe-inspiring as you activate view points and the camera spins around your perch. This life-like and free maneuvering off the ground is another aspect of the game's genius that invites the player to spend hours investigating every inch of Altair's world.

As much fun as exploring and rooftop-leaping are, the bulk of the gameplay is centered around performing successful assassinations, but these target assassinations can't be triggered without completing investigations first. Investigations are comprised of eavesdropping, pick-pocketing, killing the targets of fellow (lazy) assassins, interrogating propagandists, and collecting flags (the locked content is only reachable via collecting the flags of various cities/sects and killing knights templar). This is where part of that redundancy seeps through and breaks some of the game's immersion, as the investigation objectives become more like a chore to unlock the whole picture than a fun and varied assignment that progresses the plot. Ubisoft should have spent some time on increasing the mission variety and implementing that seamless interaction that makes Altair's universe so appealing; it's as if the team abandoned the natural feeling of the gameplay by having you routinely collect flags and pick-pocket letters. The only objectives that get interesting are the target assassinations, which - while entertaining and great fun - can't mask the redundancy of the typical mission. The "bonus" objectives - save the civilian and get to the view point - are nice inclusions - nice being that they're entirely optional - but don't add to the gameplay experience at all. They're just as redundant and will be skipped by players rushing through, making the core missions more difficult and frustrating.

Combat is another double-edged blade for Creed. The system is functional and beautiful in its bloody, seamless presentation if you perform the correct maneuvers at the right time, again convincing you that you've stepped into Altair's world and are fending off bad guys harassing harmless old men and damsels, but it gets repetitive when civilians scurrying from the scene attract the attention of additional guards who join the fray. Counter-killing foes, grabbing and pushing them into their allies, or exchanging swipes and blocking maneuvers is a treat, but it can be slow and tiresome when you're surrounded by ten guards with five more on the way and all you want to do is scale a building and hide in a bush. Or rather, a haystack/shady retreat/bench/group of scholars, as these are your only hiding or blending options. Again, the repetitiveness breaks the immersion level; Ubisoft Montreal definitely needed to increase hiding spots as well as variety between them.

The enemy AI, though appropriate and again, functional for the basic gameplay mechanics, also could have used some improvement. It's a tad unrealistic and less challenging when Altair can dispatch a civilian and stand there in blend mode while guard after guard approaches the body and speculates before meeting his doom. Again and again. At some point there should be a guard who determines that he is definitely not approaching the giant heap of bodies without significant backup. Maybe he's perpetually off-duty?

As an aside, elements of the gameplay that tend to frustrate players (those redundancy issues again) become more upsetting due to the lack of a save-anywhere system. You're entirely at the mercy of checkpoints and the good doctors who pull you from the animus (usually right when all you'd rather do is play). A save-anywhere system is sorely needed as well as an option to skip the dialogue you've heard before (as when you fail an informer's mission and have to hear the full assassin song and dance before you're told what you already know, again). Some gamers are also questioning why Altair and anyone else can't swim (there you go, Michael Smith).

I could write countless paragraphs on Creed's historical accuracy, twisting storyline, or all the amazing little subtle details that made me unable to put it down from beginning to end, or warn against rushing through it - this is a game in which your level of enjoyment directly correlates to time you're willing to spend doing things other than the primary missions. I could also go on and on about Ubisoft's failure to fully incorporate everything the game does well (and what it does well it does astoundingly so) into the actual gameplay mechanics, or remind you that there are portions that needed some additional work. Instead I'll end with a simple summation. Assassin's Creed is a rewarding, thought-provoking, amazing experience, fun in aspects utilized to their full potential, but the redundancy, the lack of variety in some of the smallest aspects, and forced segments may push some gamers away. If you're on the fence, spend some time with Altair and he'll "persuade" you that Creed is one of the most unique games you'll play all year, even with some caveats. Here's hoping Ubisoft hears the criticism and corrects the issues for the next one.

Also available on: PS3 | 360 | DS
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Release: Nov 14, 2007
MSRP: $59.99
Mature
Winner of GameBump's Best Action Game of 2007

Edit: if you've played through and are just as confused by the ending as the rest of us were, here's a detailed explanation.

GB Review: Folklore (PS3)

Shiva Stella — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:54:51 -0600

Journey into the land of the folks.

Folklore is quite the charming game, boasting some astounding visuals, lovely music, a mystical atmosphere that pulls the gamer into the story, and unique creatures to collect and utilize against each other in exquisitely detailed worlds, however even the most gorgeous CGI and intriguing voice acting performances can't mask Folklore's obvious flaws. Poor pacing becomes a primary issue, followed by annoyingly long boss battles, the occasionally frustrating soul-sucking mechanism, repetitive gameplay, lots of backtracking (I thought we were done with that in the 90's), a boring plot, and lots of other little features that collectively keep Game Republic's latest project from reaching the quality gamers expect from a PS3-exclusive. Still, if you own the system it's a definite rental - just only a worthwhile buy if you're into RPGs, anime, Japanese-style (as opposed to western) games, or all of the above. And liking Pokemon totally helps, too.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

When reviewing a title like Folklore it's always best to start at the beginning, and the game opens with beautiful cinematics introducing the two playable characters: Ellen, a girl with a "mysterious" past, and Keats, a writer for an occult magazine. The two venture to a small village called Dooulin, where a murder mystery that began nearly two decades ago resurfaces before their eyes. At this point the story should sound familiar - Ellen, with the help of a scarecrow, embarks on a quest to rediscover her tragic past while Keats, aided by... the Invisible Man... (I'm sure there's a metaphor here that I'm not getting) seeks to learn the history of the village and how Ellen fits into the picture. Along the way some other people die, and to complicate matters there's a war going on in the realm of the dead (the netherworld) between two powerful factions, and of course each faction picks a pawn to utilize against the other. As plots go this one isn't too bad, but it does get irritating, cliche, and overly dramatic, quick.

If you played the demo and couldn't stand the comic-book style cutscenes then you might as well stop reading now, because they're here and can't be skipped (but you can fast-forward through them - how convenient). What's worse about the comic-book style and regular cutscenes is that they often severely break up the flow of gameplay; one of Folklore's most frustrating faults is this pacing issue and it is both vivid and reinforced at multiple points. Most of your progression involves running around and talking to people, and while some of that is perfectly reasonable it eventually exists only to detract from the gameplay. You can visit so and so, talk, make your way to visit someone else, get interrupted with another talk, finally reach your destination for yet a third talk, then head to the local pub for a "quest" check (that's another talk) before going back to rest to wait for night and heading out to enter the netherworld. En route be prepared for one-two more speeches, then a lovely cutscene of your character entering the netherworld, another talk at the entrance, and then maybe 45 minutes to an hour's worth of actual gameplay. This is the thing about Folklore: it looks swell, it sounds wonderful, it intrigues you from the start and all you'll really want to do is get down to the gameplay and actually play the game without interruption after interruption, but you can't, and a game that won't let you enjoy it the way you want to isn't worth your time.

One of those annoying boss battles. Can you guess the fatal flaw?!

While we're on the subject of pacing I should mention a few other things that eventually overwhelmed and confounded me. The first concerns a matter of loading screens - I am of the opinion that next-generation titles shouldn't have them, but I don't count off points because they do. I do, however, count off points when they are so frequent. Every time you enter/leave an area, that's a load, and the vast majority of these areas are small, traversed in less than 10 seconds if need be. Folks (the game's monsters/creatures that used to be humans... and then dead humans... ) can actually hit your character and move him back into the previous area (that's a load), so it's a load back inside to fight the same bad guys again (more on this in a minute). The frequent loading screens aren't too bad in and of themselves, but paired with the game's already poor pacing they slow the gameplay to a crawl.

Boss battles, which Game Republic is known for implementing in the traditional "find the fatal flaw (which I'll tell you before you start the fight)" manner, are presented in much the same way here. Unfortunately they can get to be incredibly long and tiresome, with whether your survive or not determined by a monster knocking you back or standing there and letting you hit it at a vital moment. In Folklore boss fights are more frustrating than challenging, which is a pity considering that these are what players are aiming for when they explore a realm.

One of Folklore's most irritating features is that it's extremely repetitive. After you complete an area with Ellen you're given the opportunity to complete the same area with Keats, and while the game switches up the folks some it's still the same area. Quests picked up from the pub then send you back to portions of this same area, and if you're the collecting sort you've already spent some time acquiring all the folks for both Ellen and Keats. If you only stick with one character, though, then the game is shortened significantly unless you're willing to play through almost the exact same areas and situations again with the other. Is the notion driving you crazy yet?

Ellen frequently walks around with her eyes closed.

While I like the concept of collecting folks, what I don't like is the process of sucking up their souls (ie, "ids" - here's a nod to Freud). The id is presented on-screen and dances about as you use the sixaxis controller to wrestle it free from the folk. What's damned infuriating is that while I'm trying to suck up a soul some pathetic monster strolls up and slaps me in the face, breaking the soul-sucking procedure. When you can suck up ids immediately after they surface (without the wrestling, as it were) the system is great. When there are multiple baddies, however, and they're a bit tougher than you're used to, expect to get interrupted a lot.

As an aside, I'm also not a fan of the flower portals, devices that enable you to save your progress, switch cloaks (well, I am a fashionista), and teleport to other areas within a realm. They're pretty but not very convenient; a save-anywhere feature would have been a lot more player-friendly, and that's a key issue. It's as if the game goes out of its way to slow you down, distract you, and make things more difficult than they need to be. Developers do note: frustrating gameplay is not the same as gameplay that challenges you, no matter how good it looks.

It's also a shame that the title's storyline and premise are both as weak as they are; Folklore had tremendous potential and is in fact fun in small doses at certain parts, but the pacing issue and overall repetitiveness overshadow any strength (including its gorgeous visuals) the game might have had. If I want to find out who killed whom 17 years ago I'll watch a Law and Order spin-off. If I want to immerse myself in a really fantastic game, I'll play something else. No matter how much I want to adore Folklore and label it a four-star title, I can't review the game based on what it could (and indeed, should) have been. I can only say that it's unique and charming enough to warrant a shot.

GB Review: The Darkness (PS3)

Shiva Stella — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 19:01:22 -0600

It's rated M for a reason.

The Darkness is a mixed bag; it definitely contains some intriguing content and follows a somewhat unique storyline, however the mafia elements are extremely cliche. Its presentation is superb at times, aptly dark and tragic, supported with some of the system's best and most horrific visuals to date, but the gameplay is plagued with some annoying and consistent flaws. The worst part is that the gamer spends most of his time shooting out lightbulbs via a very buggy targeting system, which gets old fast. Enemy AI could benefit from a severe boost in intellect, although the AI might have been weakened intentionally to make up for the ease with which Jackie dies in comparison to foes he shoots in the head (foes who get back up, re-aim and shoot through the pain - wish I had those skills). All in all, worth at least a rental.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Even after reviewing console and PC titles for a decade, I still have those moments when I feel that other reviewers must be playing a different game than the one I've got in my hands. The Darkness is one such title; it has a movie-like quality displayed in gorgeous (and graphic, and by graphic I mean twisted and gory) detail, elements of a tragic love-story, the traditional tale of revenge, functional online play, and adorable little demons that run throughout each level doing the master's deadly bidding. It's also got "The Darkness," a monstrous serpent creature older than time, and this evil, repulsive thing is (ironically) the game's saving grace - it keeps the plot fresh, wards off boredom via its numerous darkness abilities, and adds that extra pizazz that keeps The Darkness from being just another shooter, mafia emphasis or not.

But pretty visuals, rivets of blood, and even a trip to "hell" (no spoilers, promise) fail to cure the title's amusing faults. The very plot that eventually becomes the only worthwhile reason for playing is especially generic as far as the mafia goes: an east-coast based Italian family splits into two camps, one headed by our hero, Jackie, destined to present the kindler, gentler face of the mob (unless he's just been hired to kill you, in which case you're screwed) and the other by Jackie's dear ole' Uncle Paulie, a rebellious, crazy mobster who enjoys the modern drug trade against the family's wishes.

The two camps collide on Jackie's 21st birthday, and seizing the opportunity to benefit the most from this bloody feud is the darkness, which feeds on Jackie's fallen prey.

Probably to distract Jackie and keep him from acknowledging that there's a demon inside of him, the darkness goes out of its way to make itself useful. It provides Jackie with demonic arms that toss large objects out of the way and, well, stab people as well as put out lights, and given that the light burns the darkness (reducing your darkness energy) you'll be shooting out or whacking light bulbs from the second area on; hope you don't get bored. The darkness also boasts some magical guns to finish off the undead (and these are Nazi undead, like an evil two-for-one special), a black hole that'll suck up everything in sight (fun for making piles of dead bodies), and a stealth mode.

The stealth option enables the player to slither around as the darkness, biting people's ankles and ripping out hearts in reckless abandon because even if enemies are standing around and observing the massacre in broad daylight less than one foot away, they see nothing. The AI for the darklings, those gruesome fashionistas, isn't much better, with most getting stuck in walls or taking the scenic route to a destination as opposed to walking a straight line from A to B (and when they take the scenic route you can kiss their participation goodbye; 95% of the time, they won't be back).

Hey, there's a demon inside you.

When you're not attacking darkness-style you're left to traditional human weaponry. There are lots of guns, some bigger and more effective than others, and Jackie uses them to shoot stuff dead. The usual culprits are here: pistols, rifles, shotguns, and so on. Most of the time you'll catch yourself cycling through guns just to keep Jackie packin' something with ammo, as enemies take awhile to go down. What's really irritating is that there are portions in which Jackie is swarmed by heavily armed bad guys and stealth kills aren't a feasible option; Jackie is going to die a few times in these scenarios from one or two freak hits while repeated shots to an enemy's head leave the bad guy dazed before he runs and hides behind a box.

The matter is worsened the most by an unreliable targeting system. Bringing down bad guys is possible without carefully aiming for a sweet spot; shooting out lights, however, becomes a steadily frustrating process. You can aim and shoot at a light and miss five times, switch to the demon arm and miss five more, and finally switch back to the gun for another round of shots before finally hitting it. The scenario is repeated God only knows how many times by the game's end, at which point you've died just as often due to losing darkness energy while being shot at because you're running around putting out lights. Fun.

All of these annoyances eventually left me running through levels and main "quests" (the active storyline) just to see how the game ended. I lost interest in shooting the same generic baddies, in ordering darklings around only to have them get immediately stuck or killed. The "extra content" - the little gimmies and bonuses, like comic strips and darkling gear - offer little motivation to play and actually annoyed the hell out of me because in order to access this new material you've got to 1. complete a pointless task and 2. call a long-distance number. If you collect six of these numbers from the previous area then that means you have to dial each of them, one by one, and listen to part of some idiot's dialogue before hanging up. Why not give me the goodies after I find each piece of paper? What's the point of this nonsense?

The Darkness isn't a bad game; it's simply yet another next-generation title that looks better than it plays. If you're a fan of the horror genre and/or enjoy a decent FPS, Jackie fits the bill. You two might even grow on each other, much like the snake sticking out of Jackie's back. Just don't expect an awe-inspiring experience until 2K Games and Starbreeze work out the kinks for the next one.