Wednesday, 9 May 2012

The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, Mini Review





Recently I bought the video game Escape from Butcher Bay, the first game in the Chronicles of Riddick franchise. The game puts you in the role of convict Richard B. Riddick, as he attempts to escape the Triple Max Prison, Butcher Bay.


Although I have only played the starting levels of the game, I have found that the game appropriately uses sound and lighting to create the atmosphere present  in the Riddick films. Environments are filled with dark shadows that make perfect hiding spots as the player sneaks behind guards to stealthily take them out. Bright lighting helps to create a clear distinction between areas where Riddick can hide, and areas where he would be spotted instantly. Being a futuristic prison, the environments are made from solid metals and concrete, with tight and claustrophobic corridors, and huge imposing and foreboding towers in the more open environments.

As for sound, listening out for the footsteps of guards and irate prisoners is a key aspect of survival. Sound also plays a key part of the immersion into the gameplay, with Vin Diesel reprising the Riddick role from the films, Riddick's speech will give the player information on where to go next, rather than simply by following an arrow on the HUD. Diesel's grunts when the player takes or inflicts damage, may seem like a minor detail, but not only does it serve as an indicator to damage being taken, it also helps to make the player feel linke they're playing as Riddick as opposed to Generic Game Character No.6.

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