If videogames are meant to be an experience, rather than a series of over-scrutinised objective elements, then this has to be one of the best videogames of all time. What a statement! And as such this game earns the fullest of reviews. Because that does not mean it doesn’t have issues as a game… I will deal with the experience first, gameplay later.
The triumphant mix of real film, FMV and gfx cutscenes are mainly what makes this game an unmissable experience. It is, no lie, a masterclass in how they work together, and especially the real film elements which you will be so desperate to reach the next of as you progress. I literally don’t think it’s possible to successfully mix b-movie style, irony, hispanxploitation, satire, actual real-life-level good direction and exposition better than this game delivers, unless Robert Rodrigues and David Sandberg had a baby. The result is thrilling and so moreish, and a literal laugh a minute, with so many references to pop culture that you’ll keep giggling throughout. How serious is the acting and direction? Well, it has probably hundreds in the cast all told, who mostly did it for free as a fan project I suppose but it’s a cast which includes Robert Patrick and James Gunn. Yes, THAT Robert Patrick and, yes, THAT, James Gunn (he is absolutely awesome in this!)
Which brings me to the writing: there is always a debate about whether writing and story can ever be good in a video game. Or even necessary. Here is a clear proponent that it can, it has to suit the game and in this case it is done so well. SO well. The story is a perfect fit for videogames, the writing is an absolute coup de grâce , chock full of referential warmth, silly giggles, drama, faux peril, and more giggles. A perfect fit.
Given all of this, there is an argument that, at times at least, it’s the gameplay that spoils the immersion, what a big role-reversal! Let’s not say the gameplay is bad…all of the time at least. It is a huge hotch-potch of various arcade styles: Button-bashing mostly but with QTEs, dodging, Galaga-style learn-the-pattern, mini games and just plain shmup. It is all very simple, but that is not to say easy – I wont lie, I lost heart in the game in the middle sections because it was too hard to work out what I was meant to do at times. This is exacerbated by the game saving system… each chapter of video is then split into 4 or 5 levels, each of which has 4 or 5 phases. Lose a round and you go back to the beginning of the level, not the phase you were in and that can be a massive grind until you work out what you were meant to do. It’s a gaming schoolboy error which I fear, for some, will prevent getting the whole experience by just giving up.
My mistake was to not just hardcore restart each time I got screwed, but decide to come back to it – then let it sit. This means I forgot the combos, the right kind of button mashes to do, and the flow. My advice….when this game kicks you to the floor, stick with it or you may never finish it and miss the full spectacle of the main triumph of the game – that video! The patterns soon become clear but the game really does not help itself in the middle phases which can seem super-hard at first. But then the ending parts are much more intuitive and have some wonderful game and film memes that make the term ‘squeee’ a literal thing. And that was awesome to experience
On top of this all, this game gives the player unrivalled access to behind the scenes pics, vids and other content, which is accessible through the same points system you use in game – it’s really cool stuff too and a kinda clever way to get you to play through once more to get all the points you need to see everything they did, this is really detailed stuff – ‘making of’ book or vid level.
It was a launch game for one of the older X-Boxes and that completely figures…. It is a brilliant mind-meld of old school arcade gaming tropes, brilliant filmic immersion and overall invention. Will everyone think it is a great game? No, but anyone who doesn’t enjoy the ride and the experience is dead inside, cos this is an absolute top class experience in every way.
