The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay review

Chronicles of Riddick is a game of many layers. The first and most obvious being the impressive graphics. The “normal mapping” techniques and impressive textures used create some of the most atmospheric scenes ever seen on the Xbox, or any console for that matter. Although once the introductory level ends, the player is stranded in a bleak environment composed of crude architecture and many similarly dressed characters. But beyond what might well be feelings of frustration, you start to find subtleties in the shadows, noticing that even though the first prisoners mostly dress the same they each have their own mannerisms and gestures. So you realise you’re noticing characters and locations through nuances of mood and lighting, instead of making the usual less subtle distinctions native to console games, like who’s wearing the silly hat or giant shoulder pads.

The acting behind most of the characters blends seamlessly with the graphic representations of the characters, with experienced Hollywood actors filling some of the roles and most of the others doing a more than adequate job. Overall, few console games come close to maintaining such a high standard of voice acting. The slight mishaps in lip-synching that occasionally occur only stand out because the rest of the game’s delivery is so flawless.

Killer lines

Ironically, Vin Diesel, star of the game, makes his character seem far more effective by doing nothing more than growling sinister clichés in a low voice at every turn. It almost shouldn’t work, but his deadpan delivery actually gives more weight to his character. After an hour behind his eyes, it doesn’t become too difficult to believe that you’ve stepped into the shoes of an intergalactic super-criminal.

In places, the plot gives more impact to your in-game actions than the gameplay itself, since the gameplay options are usually simple: bring an item from one person to another, often to give you access to new areas. Most of your team is spent sneaking around in the shadows, avoiding the just-clever-enough-to-amuse artificial intelligence of the guards. The freshest things that Chronicles of Riddick brings to the table, gameplay-wise, are its first-person stealth elements (although we have seen slightly better mechanics in the most recent Thief game) and its boxing style first person melee combat system.

Both these elements, like the rest of the game, intrigue and entertain despite turning out to be fairly simple. The stealth elements can often be bypassed by simply running for it at the appropriate time and the most important element of melee combat is simply knowing when to block, making all of the possible combinations secondary.

Below the belt

A variety of simple game elements, in this case, work better than a single complex mechanic. By never taking the player to task for not having mastered a single gameplay style, Chronicles of Riddick lets its plot and atmospherics sweep around the player, creating a satisfying story and at least the impression of a satisfying game.

Within the first three hours, or less for some players, stealth, melee and ranged combat against a variety of opponents, exploration and simple puzzles will have all been tried, and it might almost seem as if the game were about to end. Thankfully, this is not the case, although at this point, Chronicles of Riddick has played most of its cards and has no recourse but to keep playing them, albeit while weighting the odds further against the player for the reward of more elaborate locations and more titbits of characterisation and plot.

Final reprieve

This is a trick that works well, but to be as blunt as the game’s protagonist, it must be said that the gameplay is often simple, almost crude at times (the boss fights being an example), and once you’ve been through the varying locales and minor plot branches once, the basic procedures of the game aren’t entertaining enough on their own to warrant playing through again. Like a man escaping from prison, it may be thrilling to sneak past the guards, but you’re in no hurry to do it again, you just want to evade them on your way to freedom.

Chronicles of Riddick is well worth playing through once, as very few games offer as true a sense of experiencing a character and atmosphere as this one. It rewards players well for their efforts, as long as they’re willing to play in the lines drawn by its plot and characters. Unlike many other games, there is little satisfaction in the subtle degrees between the player’s success and failure, only the obstacles in the way of the next point in the plot. Which makes it sometimes seem less of a game you play, but more one you experience as it carries you along. What makes it worthwhile is that the experience is in itself so satisfying; making this probably one of the most enjoyable set of dark rooms and corridors that Xbox owners will ever spend their time in.