Garcian Smith
November 25th, 2007, 12:42 PM
Kane and Lynch: Dead Men Review
http://www.gamez.nl/upload/822935_610_1159185572766-kanelynch1.jpg
IO Interactive are no strangers to mature video games, their highly successful Hitman series has delved into some pretty deep storylines and are far away from the so-called maturity of the Grand Theft Auto series. Things are no different with their latest venture Kane and Lynch: Dead Men. Of course, there is much to be said about the plot, and much more to be said about the gameplay.
So, I'll start with the plot. You play as Kane, a former mercenary for a secret organisation called 'The7', and on the way to Death Row, you are 'rescued' by members of this sect who supposedly died in a botched job. They give you an ultimatum, get back what you stole from them and your family lives - you won't, but your family will. They also tag along for the ride a suspicious man named Lynch who may or may not have murdered his wife.
The storyline plays fantastically. As the game progresses, we learn that far from being simple characters, both of the main charactes (I hesistate to call them 'anti-heroes') are much deeper than they initially appear. The enforced teaming of Kane and Lynch lends itself to create some genuine tension between the two, helped along by the great - if slightly over the top - script, which plays out in game, in cutscenes and, in a stroke of brilliance, during loading times.
The gameplay of Kane and Lynch is a mixed bag, though mostly good. It's hard not to feel like you are genuinely in a massive fire fight, either at the Bank, the Prison or in the Civil War of Havana. Aiming and shooting is reletively simple, and not too frustrating, and like most new third-person shooters, has a cover system that when it wants to work does, but due to it's automatic nature, it's difficult to know what you can hide behind.
There is a simple element of teamwork involved, but I found that far from being helpful, sending teammates to defend or attack would more than likely end up with them being killed, and thus requiring you to go and give them an adrenaline shot. Though this does lead me nicely to one of the better gameplay mechanics, basically, what happens when you die. When you've taken too many bullets, Kane will hit the ground, with his current thoughts running through your speakers. If a teammate is near, he can get you on your feet with a shot of adrenaline. Of course, this doesn't mean you are invincible, as too many will overdose and kill you.
Visually the game is very similar to the recent Hitman: Blood Money. It looks pretty damn good and isn't a hardware hog, which makes a refreshing change to the recent influx of new PC games. It does suffer by being a little bland in places, specifically the Prison, but when so much is going on and with the plot driving you, it's very easy not to care about this.
Sound wise, the game holds up fantastically well, with some of the best voice work I've heard. Both Kane and Lynch come across as believable characters, and the supporting cast is pretty good as well. Likewise is the backing ambiance, with the techno music in the Nightclub level, the various foreign languages you'll hear and the sounds of general panic adding brilliantly to the sense of the game.
Overall, Kane and Lynch: Dead Men depends on how much you are willing to forgive some of the gameplay's faults for perhaps one of the better (and cooler) storylines of recent times. Sure, it lacks the visual degree of say, Crysis or Unreal Tournament III, but if you're looking for a solid and engaging third person shooter, Kane and Lynch is it.
Story: 10/10
Gameplay: 7/10
Visuals: 7/10
Sound: 9/10
Overall: 7.5/10
http://www.gamez.nl/upload/822935_610_1159185572766-kanelynch1.jpg
IO Interactive are no strangers to mature video games, their highly successful Hitman series has delved into some pretty deep storylines and are far away from the so-called maturity of the Grand Theft Auto series. Things are no different with their latest venture Kane and Lynch: Dead Men. Of course, there is much to be said about the plot, and much more to be said about the gameplay.
So, I'll start with the plot. You play as Kane, a former mercenary for a secret organisation called 'The7', and on the way to Death Row, you are 'rescued' by members of this sect who supposedly died in a botched job. They give you an ultimatum, get back what you stole from them and your family lives - you won't, but your family will. They also tag along for the ride a suspicious man named Lynch who may or may not have murdered his wife.
The storyline plays fantastically. As the game progresses, we learn that far from being simple characters, both of the main charactes (I hesistate to call them 'anti-heroes') are much deeper than they initially appear. The enforced teaming of Kane and Lynch lends itself to create some genuine tension between the two, helped along by the great - if slightly over the top - script, which plays out in game, in cutscenes and, in a stroke of brilliance, during loading times.
The gameplay of Kane and Lynch is a mixed bag, though mostly good. It's hard not to feel like you are genuinely in a massive fire fight, either at the Bank, the Prison or in the Civil War of Havana. Aiming and shooting is reletively simple, and not too frustrating, and like most new third-person shooters, has a cover system that when it wants to work does, but due to it's automatic nature, it's difficult to know what you can hide behind.
There is a simple element of teamwork involved, but I found that far from being helpful, sending teammates to defend or attack would more than likely end up with them being killed, and thus requiring you to go and give them an adrenaline shot. Though this does lead me nicely to one of the better gameplay mechanics, basically, what happens when you die. When you've taken too many bullets, Kane will hit the ground, with his current thoughts running through your speakers. If a teammate is near, he can get you on your feet with a shot of adrenaline. Of course, this doesn't mean you are invincible, as too many will overdose and kill you.
Visually the game is very similar to the recent Hitman: Blood Money. It looks pretty damn good and isn't a hardware hog, which makes a refreshing change to the recent influx of new PC games. It does suffer by being a little bland in places, specifically the Prison, but when so much is going on and with the plot driving you, it's very easy not to care about this.
Sound wise, the game holds up fantastically well, with some of the best voice work I've heard. Both Kane and Lynch come across as believable characters, and the supporting cast is pretty good as well. Likewise is the backing ambiance, with the techno music in the Nightclub level, the various foreign languages you'll hear and the sounds of general panic adding brilliantly to the sense of the game.
Overall, Kane and Lynch: Dead Men depends on how much you are willing to forgive some of the gameplay's faults for perhaps one of the better (and cooler) storylines of recent times. Sure, it lacks the visual degree of say, Crysis or Unreal Tournament III, but if you're looking for a solid and engaging third person shooter, Kane and Lynch is it.
Story: 10/10
Gameplay: 7/10
Visuals: 7/10
Sound: 9/10
Overall: 7.5/10