This week, I borrowed a couple of games from the IOCT. As I'd just studied violence in video games, I decided to choose a couple that were overtly violent.
Fahrenheit: Before I borrowed it from the IOCT, I'd never even heard of this game before. I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised. I ended up somewhat addicted to it and after only borrowing it last Thursday, I've already completed it (in the sense that the story of the game is over, there's still a fair amount that I can still do with the game). Due to the fact that you control both the killer and the detectives trying to catch him, it makes for an interesting game, as you're essentially playing against yourself. You have to make decisions about how well you play each character in order to help yourself in the other roles you play. The game is fairly open in the style of play. You're taken through a story in quite a linear fashion (though the order in which you experience certain parts is up to you) but you still have a lot of freedom of choice about what exactly happens in the game. It's not as open as a game like GTA, but it's nowhere near as restrictive as a game like FFX.The story is good, though there are certain parts where you have to suspend disbelief greatly as they can be rather fantastical. Where it really stands up is the characters. I found myself liking them and choosing what scenes to play first by which character I liked best. Another great part of the game is the atmospherics. Certain parts of the game I found very unnerving and I was genuinely unsettled, which made for a very immersive gaming experience.
The control system of the game is also very interesting. I've never encountered a game with a similar system. The way it forces you to do certain things that make it so that when your character has to make a physical effort, so do you, really adds to how you're sucked into the game. I found myself feeling slightly exhausted after prolonged sections where I had to do a lot of these challenges.
Overall, it's been a very enjoyable experience and I think it's likely I'll replay parts of the game even though I've finished the story. I've got the game for another week, but I may have to buy a copy of my own at some point.
True Crime: New York City: This game I didn't enjoy quite as much. It struck me as basically an alternate take on GTA, where you're a cop instead of a criminal. While the game can be enjoyable, it doesn't really add anything to the concept of GTA. Instead it loses something as the missions don't work well with causing mayhem, which is the most enjoyable part of the game. Also, it lacks the humour of GTA, which is really an integral part of the enjoyment of the game. One major criticism is the physics engine when you're driving. The cars are sometimes rather bouncy. I found myself bounced across a road into a pile of pedestrians when I hit a lamppost! One very good part of the game is the soundtrack, it provides a great range and has some great tracks available to listen to. It also allows you to decide which tracks you want to hear more of and which ones you don't want to hear at all. All in all, I'd still rather play any of the GTA series.
