System: Xbox 360
Age rating: R18
Price: R499
The music in the game is excellent - it is, after, all Megadeth. The dismembered mechanic can be interesting; literally using your head to solve problems is at least creative.
The gameplay shows promise because using the sword is satisfying even if the gunplay isn't, but it is let down by a sluggish camera that makes targeting enemies more difficult than it should be.
The fatal flaw of this game, however, is the writing. The protagonist, Bryce, is a 300-year-old demon hunter. It is a stock character, but immortals can be interesting if they are written well.
Unfortunately Bryce is a 13-year-old trying to be Duke Nukem, complete with the sexism. He is written by the sort of person who confuses writing an anti-hero with writing a character who refers to women as "sweet-cheeks".
Frankly, it takes a lot to make me yearn for the subtlety and likeability of Twilight's Edward Cullen, and Bryce pulled that off.
I know some people find that sort of thing funny, but they shouldn't be put in charge of writing dialogue.
The female sidekick in this game is supposed to be a government agent, but dresses more like a stripper. She should be a tougher character than Bryce, given that she is doing the same job while not being immortal, but her lack of personality leaves you thinking less "badass" more "ass".
And that isn't a reflection on her mini-skirt. She manages to be a dislikeable nonentity, something I previously thought impossible. This is the problem with sexual objectification in gaming - objects aren't as interesting as people.
This game had the potential to be, if not great, at least bearable. Genuinely horrible writing means it didn't reach that potential.
The Good:
Playing with knives, dismemberment and, mostly, Megadeth
The Bad:
Everything else.
Rating: 3/10
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