Posted by Ironshef on Nov 25, 2009

Review: Saw-The Video Game

Publisher: Konami
Developer: Zombie Games (Seattle)
Genre: Horror/Puzzle
Engine: Unreal Engine 3
Release Date: October 9th 2009
Released For: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC Downloadable
Rated: M for Mature (Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language)
MSRP: $49.99

Just Passable

For a horror movie to be scary in my eyes, it must have believability! I ask myself, “could this really happen in real life?”. I think Saw 1 and even Saw 2 could happen. Mostly because there are some serious whack jobs out there, but for it to continue to happen is ludicrous! The FBI would take that down faster than a bottle of vodka at Courtney Love’s house, unless we are talking about some 3rd world country which then is more plausible. What really had believability, and scared the bejesus out of me, was Tim Roth’s Hostel 1! Not since the original “Exorcist” have I tossed and turned at night so bad. The first and second Saw movies really scared me. They had true genuine believability. Subsequent releases looked to capitalize of the success of the first 2, and by then the concept was a “B rated” novelty much like “Friday the 13th Franchise” or the Freddy Kruger “Nightmare on Elm Street” series. (which were all horrible!) So when I heard “Saw the Game” was coming out, I was really torn in half about it-much pun intended!

Initially, my expectations were low. Development of the game started with Brash who has never released anything good, and then they went belly up late last year. Then Japanese publisher Konami quickly scooped up the license. Konami has a history with horror games having produced the Silent Hill games so I thought “maybe”, but only because the Unreal Engine was involved! That’s not a cheap include, and the guys at Epic definitely know what they are doing when it comes to game engine development! Part of my initial expectations were that the game would follow the movie storyline, and I was right. The con to that is that the game play can get real repetitive very fast when you know what to expect. If you haven’t seen the movies, play the game first, and you will maximize the storyline experience!

So when I finally sat down to play this game on 11/20, I had to set the scene first. No light can be on! None! When you turn and look away from your PC/TV the darker it is the better. Head phones will not do this game any justice! Turn speakers on med-to-high sound level and if you have a 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 Dolby Surround System, you’re really going to be in for a treat. This set-up is important! Horror games, much like horror movies, need to tap into your senses, keep you on edge, and leave you jittery. A Test: If when playing the game, you’re trying to see around the edge of your flat monitor/TV screen to prevent from being startled again by looking at it from an angle, you done a good job setting the mood!

OK, I admit it, I died 10+times before I figured it out

I played the PC version and was pretty frustrated with the opening scene for the first 20mins. I considered retiring my gamer status for a minute. It was a rough start. I couldn’t move the mouse in a circle fast enough! On the PC version, numbers are flashed on part of the contraption that threatens to explode the players head. I thought it was a timer, and never thought to actually press the number until I started mashing button on my keyboard and inadvertently hit a number which moved my character in a way I had not yet seen. DUH! It was a pretty frustrating opening scene, but once I figured it out, I knew what kind of clues to look for in coming scenes. On the console versions of this game, numbers are better represented by familiar letters like B, X, Y, & A. Letters I would have instantly associated with a call for action on the controller. That said, I am a glutton for punishment, but after that opening scene, I nearly topped my off daily quota completely!

Detective Tapp is about to get his arse tapped out!

The Plot centers on Detective David Tapp (You), who awakens in the abandoned asylum only to find his head covered in one of Jigsaw’s traps. Obsessed with catching this serial killer, Tapp has sacrificed and forfeited everything including his family, career, & mental health for a shot at Jigsaw. Now Jigsaw has the upper hand and Detective Tapp must play a “deadly game”. (Raise your hand if you didn’t see that coming!) Hence, the game begins. You must survive one lethal traps after the next. Solving puzzles that Jigsaw has put in place for you and other NPC victims included in the game play. Each victim has a dark connection to you. Will you save them or save yourself? (That’s a no-brainer!).

Decisions Decisions, I'll take "show me the exit" for 2000 Alex!

Like a bus without a driver, I quickly realized that the story isn’t going anywhere! Scare factor was high which was good, but making a mistake equals instant death the majority of the time. The first time you died doing something the wrong way was kinda cool (because it was gruesome), but that gets old fast! The game is set in an old decrepit, condemned, and no doubt, isolated asylum. How many of those does society leave laying around? Zero, which subtracts from believability. Suspension of disbelief is extremely important for immersion. Especially in movie remake that is grounded in real life emotion. (think of how many times the girl trips running from an axe wielding murderer who is walking slower than she is running but he still catches her. ) If you don’t believe it than it’s just stupid, and for the money, there are plenty of other games available with a bigger bang for your buck. It is in this space that I am wrestling with this game. Consequently, the audio is done well and complimented the flashing lights, sudden movements, flashback cut scenes, deep echoing sounds from doors closing and such, and other victims screaming.

All in all, I give the game a 7.0 out of the standard 10. The Unreal Engine helps the textures & level design standout, but the game it’s self is strapped to a storyline that demands you follow it step by step. The game has zero reply value, and what works early quickly becomes repetitive. As horror games go it’s pretty good if you help set the mood. If your a naturally paranoid person than this game will definitely push you over the edge!