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'The after-life's genna be a whole lot more crowded...'

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: August 25, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Next to Doom 3, this is simply the best looking XBOX game on the market. Super-realistic enviroments and slick-looking AI's help make this a truly unique and surprisingly amazing video game experiance!
Except for maybe the Knights of the Old Republic games, or the origial Goldeneye for Nintendo 64, this is the best hollywood-gaming fusion yet. Certainly the best for the XBOX.
But good looks are far from the best thing about this game. The hand to hand combat in this game is light years ahead of any other game on the market, the story line is completely enthralling, the characters in the game each have their own likenesses and unique voice talents. The AI intelligence is very impressive, with enemy's who jump, dive and duck for cover rather than just running straight at you when in combat.
The option to choose a variety of sub-missions while inside the prison keep the game fresh and exciting if you get stuck at a particular part in the game.
Vin Diesel's participation in the game helps a lot, delivering some awsome bad-ass lines playing the character he was born to play.
The only complaint about the game is that it's over much too soon, definitly a game that could benefit from some sequels!
Apart from how fun it is, Escape From Butcher Bay includes some very refreshing new in-game first timers that I'm sure are going to be copied in games that come after.
Oh, and by the way, if you're one of those gamers that likes his buckets of blood in a game, Riddick delivers. (If you're not a big fan of blood, in the menu there is an option to turn the gore off)
I know everyone is saying this but, even if you're not a fan of the Riddick movies, don't hesitate to give this a go! You'll be pleasantly surprised. I was!

Great Fun, Violent, but Short

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: September 13, 2007
Author: Amazon User

The Chronicles of Riddick : Escape From Butcher Bay lets fans of Pitch Black and The Chronicles Of Riddick expand the storyline. This takes place before those two movies - and you're fighting your way out of prison.

First, let's point out the MATURE rating and that this involves very nasty prison fighting. Parents who are buying this for young teens who enjoy the relatively mild movies might be in for a shock. Please keep in mind that the game was made and is rated for a mature audience. They did that for a reason.

Now, if you're a mature game player who doesn't mind blood and violence, you're in for a treat. Vin Diesel may not be a hallowed Shakespearian actor, but he does have his great moments, and his acting and voice work on this game are dead on. His nuances and movements translate extremely well into the gameplay. You really do feel like you're taking part in a "new movie". I find this much more satisfying than to replay scenes in an existing movie, when you know what is going to happen. By making this a prequel, you actually care about what is happening and wonder what's going to go on next. The plot does get you intrigued.

The gameplay is what you'd probably expect from an "escape from prison" type of a game - sneaking around, killing off enemies, solving puzzles to get past this door or that obstacle. Riddick can of course see in the dark, which gives some fun new twists on the usual progress of the game. The graphics are really quite nice, so your peering and sneaking don't involve trying to figure out which pixel is supposed to represent a light switch.

On the downside, they didn't develop out a long, complex storyline here. You can probably finish the game in a weekend if you spend the time playing it. With all the games out there for the same price that you can play for months and months, it seems a bit odd that a modern gamemaker would put out a game that is this short. Once they have the "hard work" done - designing the interface, designing the models for the characters - then creating new levels and dialogue is really very easy. If they'd spent another month or so on fleshing out the game, it would have been superb.

Maybe next time?

game is too short

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 7
Date: June 08, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I bought it saturday afternoon, played it all evening, went to bed, got up sunday about 8am, played it all day and finished it before 5pm. Maybe 15 hours of game play on the normal difficulty.

The visuals are great and the interface is easy to use. But I was left with wanting more to do. I was expecting at least a week of game time, not part of a weekend.

Most of the game involves stealth. This is not a run in the middle of your enemies and shoot them all. Hide in the shadows and wait till one comes close and hit him from behind or just sneak around them in some cases.

if your not a tough guy - you will feel like one after this

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: June 03, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Well despite what review websites are saying about this title, I believe Riddick to be an excellent game. If you were to compare this game to another game (which most do) then this game is a play between Deus Ex and Breakdown. I'll stop with the comparison there because if you've played either you'll know right away what I'm talking about.
First off, when do you ever see a game with voice acting that is good or isn't cheesy? It's pretty rare and this game is definitely a benchmark as far as that goes for games. Speaking of benchmarks - how bout those graphics? Wow. I've read up on how normal mapping works and blah blah blah, technical stuff...graphics are extremely nice (maybe some of the best) and the game doesn't slow down ever. Characters look life like and move like they should. AI is pretty good with the exception of the mech looking guards that can't aim up at you even if you're one crate off of the ground. There aren't too many weapons to get your hands on but that's ok. The ones present are really nice (once you've got your DNA in...) and do the right amount of damage. Hand to hand combat is easy to get the hang of and you'll be using it often early on. Story is usually something overlooked in a game but it seems that this games story keeps you always wanting to get to the next level or checkpoint.
Note to parents and I'm not sure I've ever heard this - This game swears a lot. Not just normal swearing, they frequently use the F word. Be warned. Other than that, it's your normal mature rated shooter/action title.
Overall this game will keep you busy with your Box even if only for a few hours, as the game is rated to last b/w 8-10 hours. A tad short for my liking but any FPS fan or action fan or Vin fan should pick this title up. You'll never regret doing so.

A Must have X-Box Game!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: June 13, 2004
Author: Amazon User

In Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay you control Vin Diesel's Riddick as he trys to escape a futuristic prison. It's a prequel to Pitch Black because as the game starts out his eyes are normal. As he's trying to escape, a man that says he can heal Riddick's wounds gives him new eyes as well that allow him to see in the dark. Anyway while trying to escape as Riddick you'll encounter prison guards, in-mates who wanna fight and cool creatures. Another thing that makes it obvious that it's before Pitch Black is that Cole Hauser's bounty hunter character Johns is still alive. You'll bump into him from time to time and he brings Riddick to Butcher Bay as the game starts out. He becomes more of a allie than he is a problem though. It's the warden of the prison who's the villian of the game. Anyway the game plays like Halo but it also can be about as challenging as TombRaider at some points. Still if you know what you're doing it shouldn't take you too long to beat the game as well. Even when you do beat it you find yourself wanting to go back and play again though. Riddick so far is the best game for X-Box next to Halo and StarWars: Knights of the Old Republic.

Can't put the game down!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: June 27, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I got this game on June 26 and I can't put it down! Only one other game has done that to me and that was Halo. The graphics are the best on the XBOX, the inmates shirts get all sweaty and all that stuff. The only thing I don't like as much, but I don't hate it is how you aim, when you're shootin' the fire makes you lose sight of the guy. Also the gaurds don't die in 2-3 shots it takes about 20 shots to kill a gaurd, I don't like those games where you kill someone in 2 shots to the leg with a pistol. Parents who read this should be aware the there is a lot of gore, for example when you hit someone with a shiv blood splats all over the wall. Any of you parents who don't like there kids watching and hearing that should not buy the game! If you are like 13 or older I think that you guys will love this game! I bought the guide for this and that has really helped me! If you like video games, but don't play them too much you should buy the guide. Have fun playing this game and I hope you enjoy it! GOOD LUCK gamers!

This game is amazing

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: June 28, 2004
Author: Amazon User

One of the most amazing FPS shooters to come out this year.
rating on elements (1-10)

graphics- 9-
Graphics were great, vin diesel looked exactly like the game model. Even with the framerate, there was no lag whatsoever. During cutscenes, however, some of the models had jagged edges to them but nothing too serious

gameplay- 9-
The game played wonderfully with stealth and shooting elements to it. The guards were really cool looking along with the monster things

interface- 10-

interface is just like halo's although during hand-to-hand combat, i found myself accidently hitting the stealth button or eyeshine

sound-10-
sound was great, the AR sounded great. During a neckbreak or stab, it sounded like it was happening right in front of you.

overall this game was super, and is a good game to ease the wait for halo 2. Get this game!

F*** is commonly used throught this, along with use or drugs and excessive amounts of blood. Sweeeet

A movie-worthy plot and a world surpassing the actual films!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: July 13, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I really enjoyed this game, and if you are at all a fan of the films (Pitch Black or the Chronicles of Riddick), then you will love this game. In fact, it is absolutely necessary that you play it. I would, however, recommend that you rent it, because you can beat it in about 10 hours (which is a short 1-2 days adventure).

The game is (one of?) the first to employ a new graphics technique called normal mapping, which is surprisingly sweet, and I promise that no screenshot you've ever seen does the game justice. The true glory of the graphics comes in the real-time lighting. The characters are very realistic (all of them, even the NPC's), and the only downside is the glitchy nature of the models during the cutscenes.

As a special note to parents and those who care, THIS GAME IS RATED M FOR A REASON! Cussing (spoken and written) and other prison-like qualities are prevalent in the game, and the game is very dark. Gore can be turned off, but that doesn't really help since you spend most of the game snapping necks.

The plot is completely unique and completely addicting, with several twists along the way. The intro is beautiful, and you can't help but get sucked into this game. You are Riddick, and the dark is definitely afraid of you!

This game is what gamers have been waiting for

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: July 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This is my type of game: a massive, self-contained structure featuring a convoluted, expansive system of ventilation shafts, tunnels, corridors and elevators, where there are realistic-looking plumbing and electrical conduits running above every ceiling, where every room contains hidden gratings and shafts to crawl through and crates to climb and reach higher levels, a gritty and highly detailed prison complex clearly rendered by people who have actual knowledge of building construction.

What I liked most about this game is its uncanny resemblence to the Marathon series of games (a mac-only FPS predating and surpassing Quake and its minions, and the forerunner to HALO.) Everything, from the gritty wall panels and industrial-style texturing in the prison to the rock walls of the mine, smacks of Bungie level design. If they ever remade the Marathon series, and they should, they'd be well off using the engine of 'Butcher Bay.'

The gameplay is fun, rarely frustrating, and there are always many multiple ways around any given problem. You will find yourself exploring around, talking to people, just looking for hidden areas and noteworthy items. It is a thinking man's shooter.

riddick vs. halo: who would win

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 01, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Good Stuff
Graphics: OH MY GOD! Beautiful graphics, proves that Butcher Bay is hell
11/10

Gameplay: So well done
10/10

Sound: Also very well done
10/10

Entertainment: Shooter, Fighting, and Stealth an awsome combination.
11/10

AI: Perfect, if you attack a prisnor or guard they'll try to fight back and if your seen the guards won't stop looking for you

Bad Stuff:
- One thing only could have been a little longer on the main mission

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