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Chronicle of Riddick |
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In my limited electronic gaming experience, one thing that I have
noticed is that games that derive from movies in many cases fall short.
Don’t get me wrong – they aren’t all bad – it just seems that sometimes
the “fans” of these films that get too in love with what they are
creating are missing the bigger picture – the pieces of the original
that created the hype that they are trying to cash in on.
Along these lines comes Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay.
The interesting thing about this game is that while it’s based on a
movie character (introduced in the film Pitch Black) it’s actually not
based on any actual film. To be precise, it’s a PREQUEL to the new film
“The Chronicles of Riddick” that, at this point in time, is in theaters
as I write this. Want to learn how Riddick got those really cool eyes
that he can used to see in the dark? Well, you have to play the game!
Want to get more out of the movie? Play the game!
Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay is a first-person shooter
made only for the Xbox. The game offers elements of combat, stealth, and
role-playing. I have to admit that when I first heard of the game, I
didn’t think much of it. I mean, come on – it’s Vin Diesel! Then I
thought – why do I have a problem with Vin Diesel? He’s not that bad, is
he? I didn’t mind Pitch Black (I’d like to see it again, actually). That
one with the cars wasn’t too bad, I guess. That porn… what was it now…
xXx – there wasn’t very much nudity in that one – too much action and
adventure. Oh, wait – that’s right – it wasn’t supposed to be a porn…
You start the game as a captive of a bounty hunter, and he’s taking you
to Butcher Bay, a maximum security prison that’s nearly inescapable.
There’s a sequence of events that take place at this point, but I won’t
go into those details – I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. Your goal is
clear – you need to escape Butcher Bay. You’ll make some friends, make
some enemies, and learn a little something about yourself in the
process. It’s the feel-good game of the year.
Graphics
Graphically, Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay is great –
spectacular, even. Vin Diesel actually looks like Vin Diesel! The
people, the places, all of the elements of the game are done with great
detail.
Sounds
The sounds in the game are great as well. The voice work done in the
game by all of the stars involved in the game is great. Well, I do have
to dismiss Vin Diesel from that list – his work, while very welcome as
the Riddick character, is very flat and uninspired. After watching the
new film Chronicles of Riddick, I now know that Vin is capable of doing
better, more inspired acting than before. He needs to work on his
voice-work if there is going to be a sequel to this game, or any other
voice work.
Story
The story of the game is pretty simple in scope – escape from prison.
Ok, there is more than just that – I suppose that’s your goal. The story
is pretty thin, but it works in the context of the movie/game genre. As
you progress through the game, new elements are added, and you become
involved and want to learn more not only about the anti-hero, but about
the people of Butcher Bay.
The technology involved in the game is pretty cool. There are guns all
around you, but you aren’t able to touch them. See, they are
DNA-encoded, and if your DNA isn’t in the database, you receive a nice
little shock for your efforts. You need to find yourself a good
old-fashioned shiv. Don’t fret, though – there are some old-tech guns
that you can get your hands on and… well, I won’t go into too much
detail.
There are twists and turns in the plot, and some were very surprising.
Just when you think you’ve got the game nailed, it throws you a curve
and keeps you hooked.
Overall, I really enjoyed the game. There were a few glitches in the
game, but nothing that really took away from the enjoyment of it.
There’s plenty to do, and there’s plenty of action and adventure to be
had as well. I really liked the whole “stealth” idea of the game. It’s
not ALL that there is, but it’s a good portion of the game, and vital to
your existence. There’s some other goodies in there, but I don’t want to
give away all of the secrets and surprises.
If you like these types of games – you know, the first-person
shooter/stealth type, then DEFINITELY check out The Chronicles of
Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay. I’d be a little worried about buying
it, since it is a RPG that doesn’t allow for multiplayer capabilities
and once you’ve beaten it, there isn’t much left to do in the game.
There are some cool things that you unlock during the game that allow
you to see goodies from the movie, but if you don’t care about the movie
or things such as this, it’s not a big deal. If you can get it used or
on sale or don’t mind paying $40-$50 for a game like this, definitely
buy it. If you can rent a copy or borrow one, that’s a good option as
well since it’s kind of like one of those “use once and sell” types of
games.
One thing to note - this one isn't for the
kids. There's adult language and situations, oh and it's bloody and you
can sneak up on people and snap their necks or slit their throats.
I would have to give The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay
4.5 out of a 5. I had a blast playing it, and would look forward to more
games in this vein, even more Riddick games. Rent it, buy it – whatever
you prefer. Just give it a shot (pardon the pun), even if you dislike
Vin Diesel.
Written by Gene Vogel
(Posted 07-18-2004)