Stranglehold one of the best games ever??
I downloaded the demo tonight expecting at best Max Payne 2.5, I don’t really get into these kinds of games much because they usually come across to me as a half interactive attempt at a b movie. If this was a film it would be a blockbuster.
The game throws you into the action from the start, no 20 minute lame cinematics here. There are cut scenes but are rendered in real time and last at most 20-30 seconds usually just enough to time to get your thumbs ready for the next round of insanity. The level of interactivity is beyond anything I have ever played. You can shoot, run into, jostle, slide on or smash anything as long as you have the firepower to do it. Shoot down signs, destroy scaffolding, knock over vendor carts, slide across tables, all of it is cinematic and spectacular but completely in the users’ control. It’s a destructible environment beyond Half Life 2, more beautifully engaging than Shenmue and more intense than Call of Duty.
My biggest concern was how they would handle the wirework and beyond belief showdowns that John Woo is famous for. I was worried that the "cool" parts would be mostly non interactive but they found a way to pull it off and still make you feel like your part of the action. When things heat up things around you slow down, you can dodge bullets and aim at the same time taking on multiple bad guys at once. The further you get the more "Tequila bombs" you can unlock; the Tequila bombs are Health, Precision Aim, Barrage and Spin Attack. The first Tequila bomb is a health boost which is handy when you can’t find a first aid kit in the middle of a firefight. Precision aim is by far the coolest feature in the demo; it’s basically a sniper mode and allows for some amazing long distance kills.
I started the demo with low expectations but a love of John Woo's movies. I finished the demo wishing I had the full game and immediately pre-ordering it. Hopefully this answers once and for all whether games are art (my answer is not many...but this one definitely qualifies). This is what interactive fiction is supposed to be. I really hope other directors pay attention to this and try their hand at it. What action movie fan wouldn't love to see a Quentin Tarintino, Sam Rammi or Robert Rodriguez epic come to life? Now that I had the opportunity to be Chow-Yun Fat, I can only hope for a video game sequel to Drunken Master or Police Force with a playable Jackie Chan.