A More Adapted Sequel, Fixing Problems Encountered In Dead Men With A More Gritty Setting and Plot
So in 2010, Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days was released and straight away many of the problems of Dead Men were solved including the aim and cover system. However when I first played it, I felt it had become more of an arcade game. Run and gun, even though Kane & Lynch: Dead Men was a difficult game it did require a lot of tactical choices and learning from dying so often. This was taken out of Dog Days, as you could simply run and gun to your objective and take a lot of damage but still get past it.
Anyway, Dog Days also invoked a more gritty dark plot and setting than Dead Men in Shanghai in the dirty dark world of its gangland and underworld. Kane arrives in Shanghai to help Lynch who has become and up and coming player in the underworld with a coming deal that will see them both well and trully looked after money-wise.
However they are foreigners in a foreign underworld, and they do not know who to trust and who can be trusted. The deal goes wrong, and both Kane and Lynch must fight their way out of Shanghai against gangsters, and corrupt police and the Chinese army. Along the way you are betrayed, and endure torture at the hands of Chinese gangsters. Some of the cut-scenes are so brutal and bloody that the most gory details are blurred like a CCTV video in tradition of Manhunt's own gory deaths and details.
Weapons and equipment make a standing return, measuring over the weapons of Dead Men including fine tuned shotguns, sub-machine guns including Mac10's and Scorpians to M4 Assault Rifles and FAMAS's. A new quality of Dog Days is the ability of destroying most environments to attack your enemies, however they also have the same option.
Shooting through walls, wooden doors and debris to get to a tricky enemy hiding away taking pot shots at you.
Gameplay is enhanced, so are the graphics as Dead Men in some places felt like an Xbox Original game.
This does fix some of the issues I had with Dead Men, so I was able to enjoy Dog Days without wanting to break both the disk and my controller.
To add to the single player experience, there is also online gameplay like Dead Men in Dog Days an online mode is robbing a bank with a group of other players, the mode follows on from the aftermath trying to escape with the takings, and also avoid getting popped by your team mates for your share of cash.
The Good:
- A new gritty story and plot, with a more gangland underworld based setting.
- Gameplay is enhanced, both the aim and cover system is upgraded from Dead Men.
- An even bigger arsenal of weapons to use; including Mac10's, Sawn-Off Shotguns, Pump-Action Shotguns, Police issue Revolvers and machine guns, to military grade FAMAS's and Sniper Rifles.
- Story mode is very fast paced, like an Arcade title with run and gun dynamics.
- Graphics are updated, it feels more like an Xbox 360 title.
The Bad:
- Nothing new here that other titles have not done before, the plot and story is nothing new.
- Gameplay feels too much like an Arcade game, with a run and gun dynamic with almost no tactical thinking to it.
- Some levels can get really annoying, trying to fight through waves of enemies in closed spaces.
Dog Days is a fun title to enjoy, but its definately not worth the release price of £40 when it was first released. Its best to look for in the pre-owned section, for under £10. Its a fun gritty shotter, with online modes to enjoy.