|
Platform: Xbox
|
|
Publisher: Eidos
|
|
Developer: Deadline Games
|
|
Medium: DVD-ROM
|
|
Players: 1
|
 |
|
Online: No
|
|
Also on: (n/a)
|
|
|
A game dripping with style, and quite a few flaws.
|
I had been looking forward to playing this title since I had come across video of the gameplay earlier in the year. Even with the mixed bag of reviews that came in after its release, I didn’t find myself losing interest. When I finally found myself able to play the game though, I can see why others were not too impressed with it. It’s a game with plenty of style, but not a lot of substance.
You take on the role of Ramiro “Ram” Cruz, the twin brother convict of a DEA agent. When his brother is hurt in duty during an undercover operation, Ramiro is brought in to take over. Tied into the investigation is a bit of the Cruz’s past concerning their father, also a DEA agent, who was murdered in the line of duty some years back. As Ramiro, you infiltrate Mexican gangs and drug cartels, in the hope of finding your murdered father and a traitorous DEA mole.
Ramiro is able to pick up and use a variety of weapons, both melee and long range based. There’s quite a bit to be had, ranging from typical baseball bats and pistols, to Spiked Sticks, Grenade Launchers, TNT, Assault Rifles and more. You can also gain the ability to dual wield some weapons down the line, which makes the run and gun aspect of the game that much more fun.
Along the way Ramiro will also pick up certain power ups, or Specials, that act in a variety of ways. For instance, the Golden Gun special will zoom in and automatically perform headshots on foes, while El Mariachi takes a page from Robert Rodriguez’s Desperado by equipping you with two Machine Gun Guitar Cases (and providing you a bit of invincibility) to help lay waste to a room full of enemies. Unfortunately a lot of these specials are not too balanced. El Mariachi in particular is pretty much an easy Boss Killer, while others are much weaker by comparison. Also, you can pick up “Rewinds” which act a bit like the turn back time power in Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. As soon as you die, and you have one of these available, you simply press a button and it will bring you back a few seconds before death (and increase your life by a little bit).
Filling out Ramiro’s arsenal is the appearance of a slow down option akin to Bullet Time. While in this mode, Ramiro is able to bounce from walls, propel himself backwards, and execute 360-degree turns. Combine this with the ability to specifically target headshots, and you’ll find yourself using this skill pretty often. It only lasts as long as your Adrenaline meter, but the regen rate is quick, so you won’t find yourself without the ability for long.
The game is set within a section of Mexico close to the U.S. Border. The city is open ended, but divided by sections. Going from section to section will present a brief load screen. You can travel by foot, or ala Grand Theft Auto, hijack a vehicle for your use. Honestly, the game could have done without this aspect. The car controls and the city are no where near the feel and size of a GTA game, and I’m of the mind that if you’re going to borrow an idea you should at least try and expand on it or match it, and this game does neither. Thankfully you don’t have to partake in traveling around the city if you don’t want to, you can simply access a menu to jump ahead to whatever mission you have available. Even missions that require you to do some traveling will offer a Taxi to take you directly to said location.
Ramiro controls fairly well, and while a lot of people have compared it to Max Payne, I’d also toss the somewhat recent Punisher game into the mix. The camera controls are easy to handle, and the game rarely puts you in a position that will have you unable to see where you are without a simple adjustment. There are some framerate problems to be had, but nothing too serious that will distract from the gameplay. There’s also an auto targeting system similar to GTA, but you’ll only be able to auto target enemies, not civilians, which does cut out some of the problems that I have with GTA’s system. Unfortunately, if you’re surrounded by a large enough group of enemies, chances are you won’t be able to target exactly who you want until its too late.
Enemy AI is incredibly weak, however, and you’ll constantly see enemies running circles around Ramiro for no other reason than an incredible passion to die by your hand. At times the game will glitch up and you’ll see enemies standing or floating in mid-air, and other times enemies will appear out of thin air as well, which can be quite annoying.
The music in the game is primarily of a Mexican Hip Hop style, and fits the atmosphere really well. Voice over work is clear, and while not spectacular, it works just fine. The storyline is pretty bad though, and quite basic. It’s obvious that there’s a certain affection for Rodriguez/Tarantino films by the writers, and some of that manages to show up, but overall the plot is pretty dismal.
All in all, Total Overdose is a game that has quite a bit of unrealized potential. The style aspect of the game is fun, and the simple run and gun missions are enjoyable. However, some technical glitches, horrible enemy AI, a weak plot, and some under whelming gameplay features manage to keep it far from great. On top of all that the game is pretty easy, and won’t last the average player more than 3 to 4 days. It’s worth a rental, but a far cry from a purchase.
|
|
|
|
|
