A unique hybrid game which adds a fresh new approach to the FPS/Action genre. Recommended.
The game uses a mix of third and first person views that adjust the gameplay to suit certain situations. Third-person view allows you to use melee attacks aswell as run faster and is the best suited view for jumping and climbing. The FPS aspect of the game requires to think before you jump into the action, you have a variety of "live" ammo(little creatures that serve as your ammo) to experiment with; you can gas your enemies, set traps, lure them and tie them up(temporarily) aswell as your standard explosive rockets and rapid firing and to succeed you need to combine them effectively, especially when faced against vast numbers. You are always thinking how you are going to tackle the next situation. Generally the game runs smoothly, but when multiple explosions are going off the frame rate tends to drop, but this is a rare occurrence.
The game's graphics are well detailed but in vast landscapes there is the tendency for objects to fade in. The FMV video squences are outstanding, definately the best I have seen on the Xbox.
Whilst the sound effects and background music are done well the voice acting is its downfall: each type of character generally uses the same voice and it isn't always clear what they are saying.
There is no multiplayer mode of any sort or Xbox live support. But the story is interesting, original and has the odd surprise. You are Stranger, a bounty hunter, and for the main chunk of the game you will be taking bounties. Whilst this can get abit repetitive from getting a bounty, completing it and then getting another, they are all done in a intriguing and humorous way so to keep you interested. The story mode is abit short, but acceptable; about 10-15 hours long and the difficulty is done so that it is challenging, but persevere and you will be rewarded; I found myself determined to give the boss of each bounty another go until I bagged em' alive, but if I had found it too hard then you can always get them dead but you would recive less for the bounty.
If you want a game with a solid single player mode and great action adventure gameplay then you shoundn't overlook Oddworld Stranger. Whilst not flawless, it stands out from the usual FPS with an original twist and I recommended it.
PAL Review
>1 Player
>Memory unit: 160 blocks
>In-game Dolby Digital
>12+ :Violence and bad language