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Out of left field...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 53 / 56
Date: June 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

As any gamer worth his or her salt will tell you, 99% of games based on movies are atrocious. They are usually rush jobs meant to cash in on a new release (see: Matrix for a recent example) and, in essence, trick the buyer. That is most assuredly not the case with Riddick. This is one of the 10 best XBox games ever, and many are saying that it's oodles better than the actual film!

The strength of Chronicles is its immersive, story-driven environment. I was a bit skeptical about the first person view (First person shooters on consoles tend to be really hard to control due to the absence of a mouse and keyboard combo), but I was surprised by how well it worked here. In many ways, this game is part Role Playing, part stealth, part shooter and part Adventure. The environments you explore are really, really well done (atmospheric is the word), and the play of light and shadow is the best this side of Splinter Cell.

GRAPHICS: 9/10. Very, very good. In my mind, only Morrowind and Splinter Cell surpass this game for overall graphical brilliance. There are some anti-aliasing problems during some of the cinematics, but gameplay is smooth.

CONTROL: 9/10. There are some annoyances, such as inadvertantly pressing the crouch or shine-vision buttons while fighting, but they are mostly minor. The control scheme is unobtrusive and once you get the feel of the fighting controls, you'll have a blast.

SOUND: 8/10. I wasn't bowled over by either the music or the sound effects, but everything is in keeping with the dingy, grimy world you are in. The voice-overs and acting are really well done, though.

GAMEPLAY: 9/10. Awesome. Everyone says it's too short, but I think that's because the game is so good that you want it to last longer! The production values are top-notch (you feel like you are watching the real Vin Diesel), and the story is good. It's not exactly Shakespeare, but it's a suspenseful journey through a very well rendered environment. There are plot twists and some really scary or tense moments, the level design is for the most part excellent, and the missions themselves are varied and nonrepetitive. I would have liked a bigger world (GTA 3 and Morrowind have spoiled me) with more side-quests, as well as more weapons, but hey.

Overall, this is one that I recommend to just about anyone. Parents beware!!: this is a very violent videogame, and contains tons of profanity. It deserves its mature rating!

Impressive, awesome, addicting... & definitely an MA game...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 20 / 23
Date: June 05, 2004
Author: Amazon User

For some reason, my girlfriend thinks that Vin Diesel is the best actor ever... but she doesn't really care for xbox games. So in the spirit of compromise I came home with the game the other day. It was as a joke because most of the time licensed games stink and the whole escape from prison thing kinda beat.

Well, I was wrong... this game is not beat at all. The graphix are very good - the lighting especially. The sound is such that I'm contemplating upgrading my home theater to really hear it. It's one of those games where the controls are easy to grasp right off. And the things you can do with those controls are foul in the best possible way. You really get to play out your most outrageous, stone killah fantasies on this game; stuff that would make Schillinger from OZ twitch with terror.

There are a lot of cool touches to this game. I like the stealth aspect - mainly because its worked into the gameplay so stealth isn't the total point of the game. But best of all I like how many options you have to get things done. There's no right way to do things in REfBB. Just lots of deliciously wrong ways. And I don't just mean choosing to break the guards' necks loudly or silently, either - though that choice is one you'll have to make quite a bit. I mean the routes, the approach, and the way you interact with the world in general.

The world you're in when you're playing REfBB, by the way, is pretty freaking terrifying sometimes. There are no friendly places. That's all I'll say on that.

Some aspect of multiplayer would have been nice (my girlfriend would like to follow Vin, I mean Riddick, around on screen all night long) but I don't know how it could have been done. Seems like running around a prison setting with 15 other Riddicks hiding in the shadows would get lame.

Finally... this is very much an MA game. I'm sure there are some kids and teenagers who'd enjoy this one, and even some who can handle it. But that's not gonna be a big number, because this is an unremittingly violent game and the gore is... everywhere.

So if you can handle it... and you want a challenge that has more playability than a 1-P has a right to have... and you're open to Vin Diesel (the guy's a riot, really)... and you have several hours to spend in a dark, smelly, violent place... then you know what to do.

GREAT GAME!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 11
Date: June 16, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Finally, a movie franchise that kicks out a GREAT GAME.

Riddick has:
1) Awesome graphics (some of the best seen on Xbox)
2) Great controls
3) Cool shadowing effects; you play as a first person shooter, but seeing your shadow crouch over a body to pull it into a dark alley is incredible, the movements are as fluid as a real movie.
4) THERE IS ACTUALLY AN ORIGINAL STORY!!! Missions abund, actions is a plenty, and the story is not a rip off of the latest Riddick movie where you end up just doing the same things you saw on the big screen.
5) Atmosphere and music are compelling.
6) Voice overs from the various actors are really good and Vin Diesel does a great job.
7) It is a bit short, but I prefer going through 20 hours of REAL FUN than 80 hours divided into 4 hours of fun and 76 hours of moronic tasks.

BUY THIS GAME!

Expecially if:
1) You are a sci-fi fan.
2) You liked Half Life.
3) You are bored of the latest "only stealth" games. This game has both stealth and action to it.
4) You are a Vin Diesel fan.
5) You know games. This is a great one, a must have.

A new era in movie tie in game design

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: June 04, 2004
Author: Amazon User

First off I have to say that Riddick is amazing! I got this game on release and I am really impressed with the amount of polish displayed in the design of the game. The intro to the game is setup like a movie and the first thing that you will notice is how amazingly detailed the world and the characters are. In addition, the story line seems very cool from what I've been able to experience so far. If the ending of the game is anything like the beginning then I can't wait to bust out of jail. Not only are the graphics in this game incredible, but the sound is really well done. All the characters that you meet are very well voice acted and really make you feel like your new home for life is a prison. The game play also deserves to be recognized because this is the best fps on a console since the mighty Halo. The controls feel real good when shooting and also when handing out knuckle sandwiches to your new "neighbors". I was surprised how good the hand to hand combat in the game is. Throwing punch combos and pulling off neck breaking stealth kills is a snap and really cool to experience. The music also deserves recognition since its very moody when it needs to be and also picks up, dynamically, with the action. Overall, the music in the game is very well done and so are the sound effects. The only problem that I have with the game is the lack of multiplayer but I can't fault the developers too much for that because what they were able to accomplish is so much better than a slapped on multiplayer mode. Besides, just because a game is played from the first person perspective it doesn't have to be multiplayer. This game is not just a first person shooter, its more of a first person shooter, rpg, adventure, and stealth game; Riddick definitely pulls off that mix with style. The rpg elements in the game are pretty cool. For example, you might get a request from some inmate to kill this dude for a reward if you decide to do it then you can get some money, info, or smokes. The game uses cigarettes as a way to unlock extra material like movie screenshots or concept art and such. Not only that, collecting the cigarettes is pretty cool on their own since the warning labels on them are pretty funny to read. Overall, I have to say that Riddick is definitely a huge surprise. I never expected that this game would be this cool and be based of a movie franchise at that. If you're into action games and are looking for something to start off your summer with a bang or a snap definitely pick up Riddick. Aight, gotta go back to try to bust out of the joint. (...)

A good way to spend time waiting for Halo 2

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: July 13, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Okay, let me first say I can't stand Vin Diesel. He's only good for one character type and he over-played it a few movies ago. So when I heard that they were making a game surrounding the character Riddick from Pitch Black I thought it would be just another poorly done movie tie-in that would come and go. I was dead wrong.

From start to finish COR is a blast. I still can't believe that a game based on a mediocre film franchise could be this good. I just wish Shiney studies could have done half this good with Enter the Matrix.

GAMEPLAY: It didn't take to long to get used to the controls. The only problem I had was using hand to hand combat, but it didn't take long to get the hang of it.

GRAPHICS: One word:WOW! Some of the best lighting effects I've ever seen. At some points I forgot I was playing A game, that's how good it looked.

OVERALL: For anybody who is still upset that HALO 2 is still four months away, pick this game up, you won't be disappointed.

Insane

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: June 09, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This is one of the best games I have ever played on any console. Controls are almost identical to Halo and the graphics are superb. In some parts of the game you'd swear you're looking at Vin himself. Video clips are great and gameplay is fun and exciting. Never a dull moment in this game, definately pick it up. I would buy an X-Box for this game alone.

Welcome to Butcher Bay -- Enjoy Your Stay...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: June 28, 2004
Author: Amazon User

"Pitch Black" was a good movie, despite what it obviously owed to films like "Alien," but its sequel, "The Chronicles of Riddick" felt like it took place in an entirely different universe, and traded its predecessor's character depth and moody tension in for choppy, overblown action. In case you're wondering, the Xbox shooter "Escape From Butcher Bay" takes place in the latter setting, but at least it allows Riddick to curse and kill in a non-PG-13 environment (a luxury the edited film didn't have). On top of that, it offers some very fine first-person gaming. Even so, despite much of the recent hype surrounding it, it has more than its fair share of problems - not unlike the movie to which it's tied.

You're cast as Richard B. Riddick (of course), recently captured and imprisoned in the maximum security prison that is Butcher Bay. The order of the day: escape. That's easier said than done, of course, what with the fact that you're virtually unarmed and faced with an army of armed guards and angry prisoners. The storyline does its job well, and the game's to be commended for not trying to merely recreate the movie's storyline (see "Van Helsing" or "The Return of the King"). A star-studded cast ups the production value and manages to make you feel like you're actually playing a pequel movie, but the story never really hits its stride and it scarcely meshes well with "Pitch Black."

Gameplay-wise, "Riddick" is a real winner. Despite the fact that it's played almost entirely from a first person perspective, it feels like a third person action game. Gunplay aside, you'll find yourself going hand-to-hand with some of the game's enemies and performing "Tenchu"-like stealth kills. The FPS stuff isn't half bad either, and owes a serious debt to "Halo" (even if it never attains that game's greatness). I'd go so far as to say that "Butcher Bay" offers the best combination of stealth and action gameplay that I've ever seen. If you've played the recent "Breakdown," you have an idea what to expect - but as far as the game's controls are concerned, it easily surpasses the aforementioned title.

What "Butcher Bay" lacks are unique and varied environments. By choosing to set the game entirely in a prison setting, the developers obviously limited themselves. Even so, the mostly cramped indoor environments are highly atmospheric - it's just too bad you'll feel like you're moving down the same hallway over and over again throughout much of the game. Some creepy caverns and abandoned mines come into play (and offer opponents that are less than human), but there's very little to break up the monotony.

Visually, "Butcher Bay" is a mixed bag. The game's engine allows for some very moody lighting, and its character models and textures are particularly impressive. It's actually one of the best looking Xbox games ever made, but there are problems as well. To keep it from chugging, some distant objects and/or characters become extremely fuzzy, or even pixelated. Sometimes it's hard to notice, and other times you'll find yourself rubbing at your eyes. At its worst, it can be a little disconcerting.

"Butcher Bay" is one of those games that starts off with more promise than it ultimately finishes with, but despite its shortcomings it's easily one of the best video game/Hollywood unions ever. The action and stealth elements make for equally effective bedfellows, and demand that you play this game.

Final Score: B+

what an amazing game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: June 05, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Riddick is the best FPS for XBOX right now. The graphics are stunning with incredible lighting, shadows, textures, and character models. The designer's attention to detail brings a believable Deus Ex-like authenticity to the game. Great sound effects and voice acting add to the atmosphere and create a dark, gritty future prison world that you can really get into. The controls are solid and the combat is viscious, whether with guns or hand-to-hand.

One of the coolest things about Riddick has to be pulling off a `lethal move' either with a shiv or turning a shotgun around on a guard and blasting him with his own weapon. If you can time it right, these moves let you take out enemies quickly and brutally. There's nothing like a one-hit shiv kill to the neck of an inmate when your life is on the line. Of course, stomping incapacitated guards to death and dragging their lifeless bodies into the shadows is fun too.

Most surprising to me was how well they pulled off the mix of stealth and action - you can actually get through many parts of the game in different ways - blast everything in sight, sneak around in the shadows and snap necks, or shoot out the lights and take advantage of your eyeshine ability. Some nice touches are the color change in stealth mode to let you know you're hidden, and the way the whole screen warps when using the eyeshine.

Another thing that works well is the laser site on the weapons. Most games use `targeting reticles' that are superimposed on the screen - using a laser site is much more realistic and I'm guessing more games will use it in the future. Also, the life blocks on the upper left corner disappear when you're not fighthing, so you really get to enjoy the beautiful graphics. The sites, life meter, and the fact that the ammo counter is on the gun itself instead of a superimposed ammo guage makes a huge difference in terms of in-game immersion. Most of the time all you see is what Riddick himself would see - your surroundings, NOT a cluttered screen full of guages, meters, maps and reticles. I was shocked the first time the life guage disappeared and I was walking around the environment with nothing but a full screen of HDTV graphics. This is a big step forward and is clearly the future of the FPS.

The whole game is just really well done. But that's not to say that it's perfect. While the graphics are the most realistic I've seen on the XBOX, there were a few minor problems with jagged edges (rarely) and weapons poking into walls (all the time). I was even able to grab some money from the other side of a solid wall and occasionally saw enemy bullets shoot through closed doors, although they didn't hurt me. These things didn't affect the gameplay and really don't matter.

What did matter to me was the whole `pack of smokes' deal. I like the fact that you can unlock extra content (some of it was really good), but why in the world would you tell me about it with a big pop up screen *every* time I find a `pack of smokes'. I mean, you put all this effort into creating a super-immersive environment and then you turn around and sabotage the whole thing - even if just for a moment - with what amounts to a pop up ad! This was the only thing that succeeded in pulling me out of the game. To mess with the immersion factor just to tout extra out-of-game `unlockable content' seems like a last minute marketing gimmick thrown in to boost awareness of the franchise. I'm all for extra stuff, but I really don't want to read about it when I'm in the middle of slicing people open with a shiv in order to stay alive and escape from a triple-max security prison on some desert planet halfway across the galaxy. Dumb mistake in an otherwise well designed game.

Overall, Riddick is innovative, fun, and combines different styles of gameplay into one highly polished experience. Amazing nothing-on-the-screen immersion, absolutely savage fighting, and incredible graphics, sound, and atmosphere. This is a true next generation game.

I'm not afraid of the dark

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: July 07, 2004
Author: Amazon User

the dark is afraid of me
Pros:
Stunning Graphics
Superb sound effects
suprisingly good voice acting
addictive gameplay
eyeshine is sweet
Stealth kills are enjoyable(Especially if you have weapons)
The stealth portion is quite good(It's sorta like splinter cell, once you get spotted, you're pretty much dead)
the fights are pretty fun(I never was a fan of first person fighting)
This is another great title for Xbox(Which is finally getting it's share of good games this year(Splinter Cell, Ninja Gaiden,ect.)
Cons:
Stealth can be hard(Especially without a tranquilizer gun)
I wish this game had some multiplayer(That would have added replay value)
Way too short(Beat it in 2 days, but it was a nice 2 days)
They should have had a huger aresonal(I only used the same 3 weapons, but they are destructable)
I wish they had longer times where I could use that heavy gaurd(Cuz I was blazing like whoa with it)
I wish they had a kitana,( so I can chop up gaurds that try to run after they see me)
It get's repetitive(YOu go back and fourth to jail, thats annoying)

I never thought I'd like Vin Deisel again, After licking Pitch Black and Knockaround guys, I hated XXX and A man apart. But after playing this, I have to say, like him or not, Vin Deisel does get the job done here in voice acting. To those who like Vin Deisel, You must buy this game. To those who like FPS, and this to your collection.

peace

Could...Not...Stop...Playing! A Masterful FPS!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: July 25, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The Chronicles of Riddick- Escape From Butcher Bay(2004). Released on the XBOX and PC.

In the past few years, the movie 'Pitch Black' has been hailed as a masterpiece from Sci-Fi fans everywhere, so it's no surprised that a sequel was made, starring, once again, Vin Diesel, entitled 'The Chronicles of Riddick'. In sort of a movie marketing scheme, Vivendi Universal decided to release a video game that would be a prequel to 'Pitch Black', entitled 'Escape From Butcher Bay', which chronicles(pun alert) Riddick's tenure at the Butcher Bay prison facility, and how he eventually escaped. Deciding to release it as a First Person Shooter, like the game 'Halo', I was enclined to pick 'Escape From Butcher Bay' after reading good reviews, and also that my favorite genre is First Person Shooters. So, did 'Escape From Butcher Bay' live up to my expectations, or fail miserably? Read on to find out....

Game Ratings-


Graphics- Could they be any better? The dark, gritty atmosphere dominated by bump-mapping and beautiful character designs make this one big piece of eye candy. 5/5

Play Control- The control is top-notch, as moving Riddick around, not to mention shooting, is a breeze, and I never found myself frustrated over the controls, except for the last segment where you piloted a Heavy Guard, but I didn't care because it was so fun! 4.5/5

Challenge- 'Escape From Butcher Bay' is definitely a challenge, at some points making you face multiple guards with only your fists, but at other times you can find yourself breezing through the game. There are very intricate puzzles, and that's what makes 'Escape From Butcher Bay' tough. 5/5

Storyline- 'Escape From Butcher Bay' is fun go through, because of the cut-scenes! I love the plot, and its gritty realism coupled with harsh realities make it plausible, even if it's not. Superb! 5/5

Replay Value- Although playing through the game over and over would get old, you are enticed to go back through the game and collect "Pack of Smokes" cartridges which enable you to unlock special features. Not the greatest Replay Value, but not bad...3/5

Sound/Music- 'Escape From Butcher Bay' has great sound affects, and when the bullets are flying, you KNOW! Plus not to mention great voice-acting, and they got Diesel to even voice himself. Unless you care, there really isn't any music, but it in no way takes away from the game! 5/5

Fun- 'Escape From Butcher Bay''s undoubtable strong point is in its fun factor, and I found myself blasting through robots, guards, zombies, and mutated creatures to finish this game in 2 Days! You have an insanely fun time blasting your way through 'Escape From Butcher Bay'!

Overall, 'The Chronicles of Riddick- Escape From Butcher Bay' sports excellence in every field, and this First Person Shooter is a masterpiece, and, while not being as good as 'Halo', still gives the player an unmistakeable feeling of having fun as you blast your way through the game. This game gets very tough at times, and I suggest you pick up an Official Strategy Guide to solve the puzzles and get all the Packs of Smokes.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO FANS OF VIDEO GAMES EVERYWHERE! PARENTS BE WARNED, 'ESCAPE FROM BUTCHER BAY' HAS GRITTY AND GORY VIOLENCE AND STRONG LANGUAGE, SO I DON'T RECOMMEND THIS TO ANYONE UNDER 18. HAVE A BLAST!

Also Recommended-

Halo-Xbox and PC
Splinter Cell- Xbox and PC
Rainbow Six 3- Xbox

Thanks For Reading!

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