"; if(is_file("header.php")) include "header.php"; else include "../header.php"; ?>

Surprise, surprise! A movie tie-in that's actually good! I remember seeing The Chronicles of Riddick last summer in the movie theatres. I thought it was a pretty good movie...not great, but decent for what it is. Around the same time I heard that a game was being developed for the X-Box that would be tied into the movie. At the time I thought that it was a useless marketing ploy and cash grab. Good games based on movies are nearly non-existent, so how good could Escape From Butcher Bay be? Apparently it was very good, as many video game reviewers gave consistently high marks over and over again. When word got out that a PC version of the game was coming out, I had to see how good the game was for myself. Well, I gave it shot...and came out pleasantly surprised. With fantastic graphics, great voice acting, and fast-paced action, The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay can easily be one of the best sleeper hits for the PC. The basic story has you playing the role of the intergalactic criminal known as Riddick. You arrive at a triple maximum security prison known as Butcher Bay, and now you have to find a way to escape. The first thing I noticed about this game is the high quality of its graphics, especially considering that this game was ported from a console system. I would even go as far as to say it almost looks as good as Doom 3. The lighting and shadow effects are a sight to behold, and will help guide you to where you can properly hide and use stealth. The character models in this game are incredibly well done, as they use high quality textures for a realistic appearance, and it looks like the developers also used motion capturing to re-create realistic movements. However, my only problem with the models is the lip-synching when they are talking, because the mouth movements don't seem to match up with what is being said. The sound in this game is pretty well done, although not as impressive as the graphics. The game could have benefited from a wider variety of music, but what is there serves the game adequately. The main highlight of Escape From Butcher Bay's sound is the voice acting. Vin Diesel, who plays Riddick in the movie, does a superb job as Riddick in this game, and he is also supported by a team of great voice actors. I have said in the past that voice acting in a game does not have to be crappy, as it so often is, and this game shows that good voice acting can easily enhance a person's experience. Now let's talk about the most important part of any video game, the gameplay. After playing through Escape From Butcher Bay I can safely say that it won't beat Half-Life 2 in terms of originality, but it is definitely a step above Doom 3's standard run-and-gun gameplay. This is mainly because of the delightful inclusion of stealth tactics. While you could conceivably just run up to a guy and start wailing on him with your fists or shooting him with your guns, I often found it more satisfying sneaking up behind a guy and snapping his neck. Also, because the game is a First Person Shooter, it does not take long for a player to get used to the control scheme, which is a huge plus. The gameplay also benefits from a story with a strong narrative, as well as a host of interesting characters, which allows the player to more easily relate to what is going on in the game world. My only real beef with this game is its lack of replayibility. Since it has no online multiplay there is no real reason for me to come back and play again, other than trying to find cigarette packs to unlock game features (which to be honest I would have found tedious). The lack of multiplay is a shame since the game's mixture of both fast-paced action and stealth would have made for some interesting matches. Still, The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay is a very good game that any fan of shooters or action games in general will enjoy. It is an understatement to say that it is a diamond in the rough, so don't miss out on this game. My ratings are: Graphics = 10/10 Sound = 8/10 Gameplay = 8/10 Overall = 8.5/10