Developer: IO Interactive / Eidos
Publisher: Square Enix
Rrp: £7.99 (Steam), £7.99 (Humblebundle)
Released: 17th August 2010
Available on Steam and Humblebundle
Played Using: A Xbox 360 Controller
Many times in the past I have argued that a stylistic choice is one of many ways to make your game stand out from the crowd and help prevent them ageing too quickly. It’s here with this game that you see the other side of that coin.
Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days is a third person shooter. Last time we followed the trails of Kane in an effort to save his daughter, but in this title you control Lynch.
The entire game is shot in such a way as to suggest it’s being filmed on a handheld camera, which sadly is this games downfall. The cut scenes are done as if they were shot using a handheld camera complete with enough lens flare to make J. J Abrams raise an eyebrow and shaking so much I felt a little ill afterwards.
I know it was a artistic choice but I can’t help but hate the decision to make the entire game look like its being filmed. The amount of movement the camera makes when you run or move is actually stomach churning. It actually felt like I was being punished for daring to make the character run.
In keeping with the hand held camera style any nudity that would be seen on screen is immediately hidden under a censorship mosaic. They continued this handheld camera theme right down to taking damage causing small screen errors. They aren’t enough to put you off of what your doing but in the brief moment they are there they’re quite noticeable.
The controls are certainly improved from the first game, feeling much more tight and responsive. Unfortunately as comparatively great as the controls are the games combat is terrible, or rather, the cover system is. Its not that the command doesn’t work, its just that what you can take cover behind is inconsistent. In one fight you can use a car as cover, in another you can’t for no apparent reason.
Recommendation… there isn’t one. I honestly regret buying and playing this game. I not only felt physically ill from all the camera sway (and I’m not someone who suffers from motion sickness easily) but actually WAS ill from it! Games aren’t supposed to do that! Throw in the insultingly short campaign (about four hours) and you have possibly the worst game I’ve played in a very very long time. Sure the game has a multiplayer mode but I don’t know anyone who’s masochistic enough to put themselves through that.
Actually there is a recommendation: Keep away from this monstrosity.
If this appeals to you perhaps try;
The Hitman Series
Mafia 2
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
