The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena review (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Written by Edwin H.
Monday, 08 June 2009
The Chronicles of Riddick - Assault on Dark Athena
Available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows PC
Release date: April 7, 2009 (US)
ESRB Rating: M (for Mature)
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Starbreeze Studios
Website: RiddickGame.com
Summary: Though the fate of the game was in jeopardy for some time after being dropped by Activision, I can honestly say that I am glad that Atari picked up publishing duties for this game. The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena is a great game with engaging voice acting and sweet graphics. Only some occasional problems mar the experience.
The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena review
GAMEPLAY: The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena (AODA) places you in the shoes of Richard B. Riddick (Vin Diesel) as he is taken captive by the mercenary ship Dark Athena. The rest of the game is spent trying to escape the confines of the ship and then getting yourself off a doomed planet. Because Riddick isn't really human he is able to see in the dark, an ability which drives the gameplay. AODA is really a blend between stealth and action, much like the Metal Gear Solid series. For example, pressing square makes Riddick crouch which can help him hide in the shadows behind boxes or in corners. Once this is done, the screen turns blue in order to let you know that you are concealed and ready for a stealth kill. Pressing up on the directional pad lets Riddick use his night vision. The nice thing about the night vision mechanic is that it adds another layer of strategy to the game instead of just having constant shootouts. For example, if you stumble onto a room with multiple enemies, a good idea would be to shoot out the lights leaving everyone in the dark. Then all you have to do is activate night vision and then the hunters instantly become the hunted.
The game takes place mostly in a first person view with an occasional switch to third person when climbing ladders, etc. and this really gives it a unique edge. Whereas most other games would pull back to third person for fist fights, this game keeps you firmly in Riddick’s head as he pounds mercenaries into dust. This is an awesome choice and the lack of on-screen objects such as inventory really bring you into the game.
Instead of being a strict shooter, AODA has a whatever-means-necessary approach, meaning that you won’t be spending all of your time mowing down enemies with an assault rifle. Sometimes you will want to stab them in the eye with a hairpin or maybe you might want to take control of an armored mech. This design choice keeps the game fresh and each battle feels more fast-paced, rather than your run-of-the-mill shooter where you might go through the motions just to uncover more story. This also forces the player to think more strategically about what to use and when in the name of survival. Also, ammo isn't exactly that abundant which also plays into the survival theme. To clarify, it isn't like older Resident Evil games but you have much less ammunition to work with than most modern shooters would normally give.
As for multiplayer, this game does support online play for up to 12 players. The modes are fairly straight forward with deathmatch variants and so forth. The one true stand out mode is Pitch Black where all players but one are chosen as mercenary hunters. The remaining player is assigned to be Riddick. The point of the game is that the hunters must drop down into a dark section of a building armed with only flashlights and their weapons in order to hunt down Riddick. This mode is the ultimate cat-and mouse experience. One of the cooler moments are when you and a few other people are quietly patrolling a pitch black cavern when suddenly Riddick runs by and kills two or three of you. Overall, this mode is priceless.
The only complaint I have with the game is lag. Deathmatch was in the frustrating limbo between being unplayable and being fun. Though the problem was less pronounced during Pitch Black mode for some reason, the lag still holds the multiplayer modes back from achieving greatness. If in future titles Starbreeze can fix the lag, Pitch Black mode will be truly amazing.
PRESENTATION: Not only does Assault on Dark Athena have fantastic gameplay but the graphics are extremely good too. Though one step away from Gears of War, the graphics are still a sight to behold. Strategic use of blur adds a lot of depth to the levels and makes them feel as though they are real sets. Also, the textures tend to be extremely sharp and give a very accurate impression that a surface has bumps, etc. My only complaint on this end is the game’s over-reliance on bump mapping. Sometimes it seems as though rooms could have had a bit more real geometry instead of the shortcut that is bump-mapping, but overall that is more of a nitpick. Once again, the graphics are really, really good. If you don’t believe me then have a look at the amazing Vin Diesel model.
OVERALL: This is a really good game. That’s it. Bottom Line. Aside from this the game comes with a remake of the original Chronicles of Riddick game, Escape from Butcher Bay that comes with upgraded textures, etc. The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena has a solid story, great gameplay, decent multiplayer and is a fairly long gaming experience. Well done, Starbreeze.
