|
|
Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu
|
|
|
|
|
|
Graphics & Sound:
Although his status as a SUPER hero is up for debate, Batman is still one of the coolest characters in the DC universe. However, much like his movie career, the Dark Knight hasn't really made much of a splash in the game world. First there was Batman: Vengeance, which was decent but overly frustrating in nearly every aspect of gameplay; then there was Batman: Dark Tomorrow, which made dentist visits seem like a trip to Disneyland. This legacy of crap hasn't deterred UbiSoft from trying its hand at giving Batman the game he deserves -- or at least that was the plan. Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu takes all of its style directly from the animated series. This is the only way Batman should ever be presented. We don't need some Hollywood pretty boy swinging through a neon-lit, three colors of black Gotham -- instead all we need is cool animation. Characters show off some spectacular moves and animate about as well as they do on the shows. However, it's the special effects that really make the game shine. First there's the cape, which actually moves like a cape. Then there's the fog that reacts to your movements, so if you were to throw someone into the fog (or do anything that would disturb it), it dissipates and reacts. Perhaps one of my favorite effects occurred when Scarecrow or one of his cronies would use Fear Gas. At first it looks like a cheesy fog effect with the Scarecrow's ugly mug showing up on screen, but then all of the characters change into frightening forms -- well, that is if you find pumpkin headed guys in spandex frightening -- as the level bends and warps around you. As a nice touch, you'll even hear your character trying to snap out of the hallucination. Cut scenes also look great and really blend well with the action on the screen. Music and sound adds another excellent level of presentation to an already remarkable looking game. First there are familiar renditions of the Batman score (from the animated show), then there are the some great techno songs that really get you pumped to kick ass in Gotham. This is notable mostly because I normally cringe when I hear techno in games -- so that's saying something right there. Voice work is great and supplied by the actors from the show. Sound effects are varied and really work in the game. |
|
|
Gameplay:
One of the bullet points of the game is the game's original story. This is supposed to add some great level of depth to the entire game. It is also supposed to usher in a brand-new villain to the Batman universe. At first glance it looks like this could be THE Batman game we've been waiting for. As usual, looks can be deceiving -- as is the case with the game. The action is repetitive, the story is contrived and clich filled and it's just not a fun game. Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu is a straight up brawler. There are no massive puzzles to solve, no labyrinthine levels to navigate -- it's just you, a gang of thugs and your fists. At first this seems like a nice setting in which to place Batman, but two levels into the game you've basically seen everything it has to offer. The story, which involves a criminal mastermind plotting to bring chaos to Gotham by unleashing the denizens of Arkham (Bane, Scarecrow, Clayface -- take your pick of villain), is really nothing to brag about and does little more than give you a reason for being in an area -- well, almost. As you progress through the game's story you'll see everything from the perspective of Batman, even if you're playing as one of the game's three other characters (Robin, Batgirl or Nightwing). This absolutely kills any momentum the story might otherwise have and really takes you out of the action. There are a few bright spots in the game, which help make the otherwise boring layout a little more palatable. At least one boss fight is fun and really shows some signs of high-order thinking. During the battle with Scarecrow, he uses his Fear Gas to hide in the shadows. The only way to hurt him is by hitting the correct illusion -- which means you have to pay attention to audio clues and not trust your eyes. Now, if only the rest of the game had been like this. The game also offers a Two-Player Co-Op mode so you can share the pain with your friends. Beyond the Story mode, Batman offers little else that is worth noting. There's a Challenge mode where you try to beat up so many thugs in a given amount of time which, surprisingly enough is the same thing you do through most of the game, making it rather redundant. Between levels you can also purchase tokens which unlock items in the Trophy Room. Most notable of these items is a 'Making of...' feature which is arguably the best aspect of the game from an entertainment perspective. You can also unlock images of toys, models, concept art and a trailer for the upcoming animated Batman DVD - making this, at least in my opinion, the second most unrewarding rewards system ever concocted (the first being Mortal Kombat: Dark Alliance). |
|
|
Difficulty:
Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu dips between mind-numbingly easy and out right hard. Much of this is due to the game's reliance on timed events. For example, when running through the streets trying to rescue someone, you're given a short 2 minute time limit to reach the person. So, you wander off beating up thugs as quickly as possible trying to make it to the hostage. Once you get to the hostage you're suddenly stopped by an invisible wall (huh?) which doesn't allow you to pass until you defeat all of the thugs in the previous section. This forces you to backtrack through the entire level to find that one thug who was hiding in an obscure corner of the level. After beating the hell out of him, you then run back to the hostage, but along the way the 'second wave' of thugs jumps from behind a dumpster or something - wasting more time. I'm not sure about the rest of the gaming community, but I just found this frustrating and not a lot of fun. What's worse, about 80 percent of the game follows this same pattern. Ungh... Aside from the Scarecrow fight, every other battle is just a matter of deciphering an easy pattern, making an already dumb game even worse.
|
|
|
Game Mechanics:
As I played through Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu, I found cheap deaths to be a little too common. Thugs attack in swarms, which is a great thing from my perspective. The problem is that the combat system isn't built to handle more than one thug at a time. There aren't many group moves and the targeting system doesn't give you a clue as to where you're targeting. Your basic moves throughout the game - which remain the same depending on who you use - are the typical array of punches and kicks. As you hit the buttons in rapid succession, combos some how work out. I'm sorry, but this dial-a-combo thing has to go, not just from Batman, but from every game made from now on. This has been one of my main complaints about a majority of fighting-type games this year. Combos are meant to be timing based strings of moves, not a special move that is pulled off after you hit a cryptic set of button presses. This system may have worked in Killer Instinct, but give it up guys. Between levels you can spend points, which are gained by pulling off combos, to buy new moves. In the end, this is all rather pointless because you're given the best combo attack in the game (Kick-Kick-Kick) right off the bat. Its fast, it's powerful and easy to pull off - why bother using anything else? As with the basic moves, there is little to no difference between characters. If Robin can pull off a move, then it's likely that Batgirl can as well. In addition to move upgrades, you can also grab some gadget upgrades, which as we all know is the core 'cool' thing about Batman. You begin the game with Batarangs and can soon upgrade to smoke pellets and grappling hooks - all of which seem rather useless once you're taking on 3-4 thugs at once. I had really high hopes for this game. I mean, I can't tell you how long I've waited for a good Batman game. Unfortunately, the gaming industry just doesn't want to grant me my wish - forcing me to break out Batman on the NES, which remains as the only good Batman game ever made. The presentation is top notch, too bad the rest of the game couldn't have been on the same level. |
|
|
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
