There are other games that do this thing better
Graphics:
Run like hell is a game that suits me like a hand in a glove visually, or should I say artistically, since I enjoy games set in/on derelict space stations/ships, and the feeling of a survival-horror mixed with third-person shooter including various kinds of aliens is really cool. I'd also like to mention that the layout of the Forseti space station and the level design are both good and although the aliens and monsters mostly look generic they inspire fear and even panic sometimes. The surroundings are dimly lit and the whole game is very dark and, while this helps produce an ominous and dark feel to the game, this is where the problems begin. The actual graphics are glitchy and sometimes they feel unfinished even in a "lets blacken the wall here and make it impassible" kind of way. Some things are very detailed and cool while other things look more cartoony without any details. You can also see through some walls if you stand in a certain angle due to texture issues. The frequent cut-scenes that tell the story suffer from the same problems; while artistically awesome with well directed, they suffer from character models that are out of scale and deformed looking (of course SOME are supposed to be, but not the humans I guess) especially the faces, and other strange things going on. The animation of the main character seems rushed as he moves a bit "too quickly" and unrealistically while the movement of some NPCs is flawless. This makes the game feel very unbalanced. The game also suffers from bad camera work including an auto-centering feature which is annoying if you try to look and wait for something behind you. You can control the camera yourself but it just doesn't work very well.
48%
Gameplay:
You are stranded on Forseti, a space station that has been infected by a viral species from outer space. You run around trying to complete different objectives, the main goal of the game is first to explore, then to find your wife (who is a scientist working on Forseti) and finally escape and destroy the station. The exploring, puzzling and problem solving is the strongest part of this game, together with the strong story. The story of the game keeps you hooked and makes you want to press on. The worst part of the game is the action part, which unfortunately is lacking in many areas. You have a decent arsenal to waste space critters with; rifle, assault-rifle, shotgun, repeater rifle, plasma-gun etc. and they can all be upgraded by combining the weapons with different "cards" which make the weapon stronger, shoot faster or, it can increase the clip-size. The actual combat is more or less mindless as you are treated with an auto-aim which is not only eliminating much of the challenge, but also is down-right frustrating. One example is one area where you have to lure Brutes (a big powerful alien which you cannot kill by normal means) to explosive canisters and blow them up. While you're advancing towards them these small spidery, crawly things keep popping up and as you kill them, your friend, the auto-aim, will target the brute next. Shooting at a brute is how you trick them into following you and, if you're in the wrong place, you're history as they gallop towards you and you have nothing to defend yourself with. Or the auto-aim will target an explosive barrel next to you and blow you to pieces. Also there isn't enough ammo for some of the weapons, so you'll end up using the plasma-rifle and the assault rifle the most since they have unlimited ammo. The boss-fights are very cool but maybe a little easy. Actually, the whole game is pretty easy to get through, and I think that the reason for that is that the developers (Digital Mayhem) concentrated on a strong story-based adventure. So, why does the game play as a third-person shooter then? Who knows? All I know is that Run Like Hell isn't quite sure about itself. The game as a whole feels strange and confused. A cool thing is that while the actual game-engine and lay-out of the game has gone through many changes, including at least one scrapped fps-engine, the story, characters and world has only evolved through all those years, which make the characters and locations feel very fleshed out, while the actual action-part of the gameplay falls a bit flat. Or, rather doesn't live up to the quality of the story-telling. Speaking of characters, there are many NPCs which will tag along, consisting mostly of other survivors on the station. There are also a few simple mini-games that work well to give a varied feeling of game-play.
I also feel that I should mention that some of the puzzles seem to have been thrown in for good measure, (throwing switches) while most of them DO have to do with the story and seem logical.
61%
Sound:
The soundtrack is licensed from the nu-metal band Breaking Benjamin and actually enhances the boss fights and keeps the adrenaline flowing throughout these battles. The other music in the game while exploring and solving puzzles is pretty forgettable, ambient sounds which are situation-based. The background sounds are cool and atmospheric but not very varied. They gameplay-mechanic sounds are used very well though, as I can still remember the scraping, clanking sound of the feet of a cutter running towards me. One thing that I can NOT forgive RLH for is the useless sound-levels. To hear the dialogue you need to grab your stereo-remote and crank the treble or mid-register up. Another thing is the glitch music volume, which goes up and down, right after some boss-fights. Not fading, but sharp, big, un-natural steps. The surround sound works well and the BB-licensed tracks and great fear-instilling usage of effects carries the audio-experience over average despite the many flaws.
55%
Lastability:
The incredibly detailed story and world (including what you can read in the booklet, which I really recommend you read thoroughly before playing to get the best gaming experience) will make you want to play through the game. It keeps you hooked, even through all those frustrating moments and backtracking, and you will play until you finish it. There are games that do this thing better, so chances are that you won't return to this one for a while. Personally, I can definitely see myself playing through this again in a few years. Back in the day there was also some downloadable content (like costumes and cheats), but since the Xbox live service is down now, it doesn't mean anything.
53%
Overall:
Run Like Hell is an excellent story and a nice concept, wrapped up in a confused execution with no clear direction, but with some decent gameplay to be had.
56%