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I received quite a bit of backlash for my PS2 review of Run Like Hell, the most common asked me how much Interplay had paid for the review.
Well, while I don’t think the game is god’s gift to earth anymore, the actual gameplay is still very good. Xbox improvements are found, as well.
With a development time that rivals Rare’s efforts, Run Like Hell is an appropriately named action-horror title. The name is pretty ‘unique’ but it is how you’ll feel during the game. You play as Nick Conner who is a military hero on a deep space mining station. When he returns one day, he finds that almost everyone is dead or dying. He goes to check the station’s cameras and while doing so finds himself in a mess of bodies and blood. He then hears a large ‘bang’ and sees an alien who grabs and rips the head of his partner. The game’s title comes to use as Connor well… runs like hell.
You later found out the alien is a ‘Brute’. You don’t want to mess with these guys you want to get out of there as quickly as you possibly can. Brutes aren’t the only aliens to encounter, as you’ll also meet ‘Cutters’. Cutters are very dangerous little critters that can block your fire and will come slashing at you. You’ll also find scorpion-like things that lay low and attack you from the ground. Your station is totally overrun with these aliens ranging from small and ‘harmless’ to large and lethal. The enemy’s AI learns your behavior, adapts to it and will try to make you fret.
Conner has a lot of firepower in his disposal to resolve his problems. At the beginning you’ll only have a rifle. The rifle seems to have unlimited ammunition but is slow. Other weapons include a shotgun and an assault rifle. The shotgun is strong and its secondary mode has barrel fire. The Assault Rifle is a lot stronger and its secondary function has a grenade launcher. Another powerful weapon is the Bolt Thrower. It has an insane amount of power and includes a guided missile as secondary. The game isn’t low on firepower since you’ll find a lot more weapons as you progress. The weapons can be modified to fit you better as well. You can modify them to be stronger or hold more ammo.
The game includes many interactive parts. Light switches, video games, and vending machines are all interact-able. These elements add spice to Run like Hell’s puzzles. The puzzles aren’t the most challenging (get a hidden code and access this area) but they are a nice change of pace to the game. There are some parts in the game where you’ll have to stop and… think! This Xbox version also adds some extra rooms to the levels to keep you busy, something PS2 owners didn’t have. Don’t let that disappoint you as most of the time the game sticks to its titles. The story is advanced through the use of cinematic scenes. The cinemas are done very well, and do advance the story. In addition to how well they are done, the cinemas provide a little breather as well. If you’re short on time you can skip them but I recommend that you watch them.
The in-game graphics are done reasonably as well. Everything is done in a 3D third person viewpoint. While the title looked good last year on the PS2, it doesn’t look quite as good on this Xbox, after so many great looking titles have been released since then. The game’s environments get the job done. Lighting and more importantly, shadows, add to the gameplay as the environments are dimly lit and add to the game’s atmospheres. While the lighting and shadows don’t even touch Ubi Soft’s Splinter Cell, they are pretty good. The enemies are rendered nicely and their animations are smooth. If you own a HDTV, you can now use it, enabling you to fully enjoy the game’s visuals.
The sound effects and music or lack of them add to the game’s creepy atmosphere. You’ll only hear as Connor moves and the aliens. Weapon fire sounds very realistic and breaks up the previously mentioned silence. The background music fits the mood of the game. Most of the time a low, smooth, eerie orchestra music is heard but other times, when appropriate, you’ll hear some heavy rock music. Lance Henricksen, Clancy Brown, and Kate Mulgrew, provide the voice talent for the game’s characters adding to the game’s authentic-nature. Dolby Digital 5.1 lets you hear every notch with the best setup you have.
The Xbox is home to great survival games like Silent Hill 2 and Fatal Frame. Run Like Hell, fits accurately on the big ‘Box. If you are jealous of Gamecube owners flaunting their latest Resident Evil games, pick up Run like Hell for $30, you’ll get a good bang for your buck. Xbox Live download support also promises extra goodies. -- Jose Liz, PGNx Media
---- Apr 30, 2003
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