Published by:
GRIN
Developed by:
Warner
Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Release Date:
March 24, 2009
Available on:
PC, Xbox 360, Playstation 3
INTRO:
We all know that movie games tend to
suck. There are few exceptions to this rule and we’ll find out in a few
paragraphs if Wanted: Weapons of fate can make it. Released several months
after the film came out on video, this time the developers don’t even have
the standard ‘rushed out before the movie’ excuse. Anyway, this one plans to
deliver the same slick style of the flick, as you assume the role of Wesley
Gibson and continue your interaction with The Fraternity. You play in a
third person perspective, can enter assassin time and can even curve your
bullets to kill dudes. Does it all work? Read on, dear reader!
GAMEPLAY:
The game starts out pretty easily, as
you go through a general training mode and really only have the ability to
shoot and take cover. Cover is done quite well, as zipping from point to
point is quite seamless and fluid. Shooting is standard but accurate, which
is quite important for an action game. Think of it playing like a lower rent
Gears of War and voila. There’s also the beloved assassin time, accomplished
through a full adrenaline meter, which is essentially Max Payne’s bullet
time except you can smash other dudes’ bullets with your own before you kill
them.
What about the incredible bullet
curving ability? Well, it’s here and represented relatively well. Get behind
some cover, hold down your target button, your opponent turns red and a red line
shows your bullet’s path. You can adjust this with your left stick until it
turns white. Then releasing the button will fire. It seems like throwing a
grenade in Gears and you can shoot up to 4 bullets at once (at many enemies or
just one. If you’re good enough, the camera will follow the bullet into the
dude’s brain.
And so, that’s the basics of the game.
As you progress, you use more skills and get better. Other than that the game is
fairly linear, short and repetitive. You’ll slash through in an afternoon if
you’re good enough, and there isn’t much challenge. Enemies seem to walk into
bullets and they just aren’t that smart. The boss fights are completely dull and
really repetitive- this game really just retreads itself throughout its short
runtime. Also, there are definite problems with the cover system sometimes-
killing enemies from behind cover can be really annoying and a real waiting
game.
If you really like shooting dudes and LOVE the flick,
this game might thrill you- for a few hours
Gameplay: 6/10
GRAPHICS:
Wanted sports some passable graphics
with a few weird glitches. Dead bodies flip and jerk around uncontrollably
sometimes, which can be quite funny. Other than that, the lighting is a
little wonky at times but everything else looks decent, with some nice
texture warping effects during assassin time, good character models and a
speedy framerate.
Graphics: 6.5/10
AUDIO:
Nothing says that a movie studio sucks
more than when they can’t land the voice talent to perform in the video
game. No Angelina, Freeman, not even McAvoy. Sure, there are a few good
names like Terrance Stamp and Thomas Kretschmann, but that’s about it.
Wesley’s dialogue is only so-so and the soundtrack itself really gets old
quickly and repeats itself. Sound effects are okay, with guns being way
louder than anything else.
Audio: 6.5/10
FINAL VERDICT:
And so, another movie game fails to impress. It’s
even less excusable given how late this game came out. Wanted isn’t a
complete train wreck but after an hour it loses its charm and it doesn’t
last a whole lot longer anyway. There’s no other modes, no multiplayer,
nothing. If you truly loved this flick then this game might be a rental, but
how could you spend 60 bucks on a game you’ll beat in a few hours that
doesn’t really offer anything special?
Final Score:
6.5/10