In keeping with this week’s
comic-based game reviews,
it’ll be no surprise that
Wanted: Weapons of Fate
will be under as much scrutiny
as the Watchmen game.
The Wanted game is based
on the movie which was
based on the graphic novel,
which has very little in common
with both the movie and
the game. That being said,
curving bullets is a ton of fun.
The Wanted game takes one
of the best parts of the movie
and lets you destroy the laws
of physics by curving bullets
around corners and killing
everyone in your way.
In the demo, you play
Cross, who was featured in
the film as a former member
of the Fraternity. He and
other assassins like him can
harness the adrenaline in
their bodies to slow down
time, curve bullets and perform
a number of other near
superhuman feats.
The demo features a tutorial
level that gives you the
basics of combat, using the
adrenaline, and using cover.
After playing these tutorials
you can dive right into the
game and play the “Fear of
Flying” demo level, which
throws you right into the
middle of the combat. As a
way to taunt the player, the
only difficulty available in
the demo is the “Pussy” difficulty
while “Assassin” and
“Killer” are unavailable.
Right away you can tell this
game is based solely on using
cover and waiting for your
enemies to pop out to give
you the opportunity to take a
shot. For every headshot you
make, you’re awarded an
adrenaline point to use to
curve a bullet. The bullet
curving reticule is an arching
beam of light that will give
you your best option for hitting
someone around a corner
or behind a wall.
Another ability available to
you in the demo is the “bullet
time” ability, which you can
use if you have two adrenaline
points. However, you
can only use this ability when
behind cover and you’re set
to move to a different cover
point.
When activated, time slows
down and all enemies who
are in your sight are subjected
to a barrage of bullets as you
empty the two clips you have
already. Once the guns are
empty, bullet time turns off
automatically and you’re
back to regular speed.
Not too much of the game’s
story is made readily available
in the demo. It’s more
about the gunplay and abusing
the bullet curve and bullet
time abilities in the game.
The game does pay homage
to the graphic novel as Cross
in the demo is dressed in
Wesley’s “Killer” outfit from
the comic, complete with the
signature mask.
Overall, the demo is pretty
solid and a lot of fun. As far
as the story goes, it appears
that later in the game you
take over as Wesley as he
hunts members of the French
Fraternity, searches for a man
known only as “the
Immortal” and tries to learn
more about his family’s past.
The story this time will focus
much more on his relationship
with his mother, whereas
the movie focused on the
relationship with his father.
Look for this game coming
to the PS3 and Xbox 360 later
this month.
Since this article was written,
the full version of the
game came out. Its actaully a
little disappointing, the
gameplay is pretty repetitive
after awhile and the episodes
a relativley short. The hardest
part of the game is when
you’re required to use a
machinegun emplacement
and you have to peek over the
protective shield.
Unless you’re a fan of the
movie, it’s not worth the 60
bucks to buy it.