|
Midway has been on a string of hits lately, maybe you’ve heard of some of these titles? Psi-Ops, The Suffering, Mortal Kombat: Deception and NBA Ballers; these games are what has put Midway back on map. So when Midway announced a while back that they would be remaking their classic NARC title, with next-gen visuals and gameplay, one could only hope for the same stellar craftsmanship we have been accustom to as of late. Then the news hit that the game would be offered at fewer than twenty bucks, and the red flags came up. Well the glitz of Midway has finally shown a bit of tarnish with NARC. In then end, it’s an underwhelming action/shooter that has you playing good cop, bad cop while trying out illegal substances. The game falls not only short of expectation, but also below what this great team is capable of. Visually the game screams budget title. Low polygon models, bland and lifeless backdrops, and effects stolen from every other action/cop title game imaginable. Think State of Emergency, only with a point. Honestly, if someone would have told me Rockstar developed the game, I would have believed them. The models look very similar those in State of Emergency, GTA, and Manhunt, which in my opinion aren’t worth the paper that critics so fondly praise them for. The imagery in the drug induced stupors is cliché and typical. The animations, while being ocassionally humorous, is spotty at best. The only great visuals NARC has to offer is the hot model in the NARC publicity ads, the game itself isn’t quite as striking.
Audio gives NARC a bit of rebound as the music, sound effects and voice acting are of higher production value then the visuals. If you are down wit’ OPP, then you will be happy with the slew of hip-hop beats that drive your woofers into a frenzy. There are some classic R& B hits here as well, but the soundtrack, which is a mix of licensed and original tunes, do an adequate job providing the mood. Where NARC really stands out is in the great and wasted voice acting provided by Michael Madsen, Bill Bellamy, and others. Unfortunately with lines so insulting to your intelligence (your 8 year old nephew would find them juvenile) these talents are totally wasted. The game at least does support some great gun and explosion effects that get your destructive juices flowing. Overall, the audio is the game’s highlight, and folks, that is not a good thing. Gameplay is not so much hideous than it is monotonous. The run, bang, kill, attitude is really starting to get old. Even the drug induced “upgrades” are deterrents rather than useful items. The A.I. is very ignorant, but they are accurate and aggressive, which may make some missions frustrating for some. The redeeming feature is the open-ended “sand box” feel, but once again, it has all been done before. NARC is a single player affair, and not too long of one at that. The so-so story and game play give little reason to run through it a second time either. A two-player co-op, ala the arcade version, should have been included. This omission does not bode well for sales, especially after word of mouth gets out on how ordinary and typical this game really is. On the whole, if you are a fan of drugs, or a drug user yourself, save your money and get your fix. Everyone else, look into a different Midway title as even at $19.99 this one should be passed to the left.
|
