Review: The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena

Susan Arendt

Nerd Queen
Jan 9, 2007
7,222
0
0
Review: The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena

Dark Athena has Escape From Butcher Bay, brand new content, and the sultry tones of Vin Diesel. What more could you need?

Read Full Article
 

WhiteTigerShiro

New member
Sep 26, 2008
2,366
0
0
I have to agree about the gun comment. A little of that would've been fine, but too much of it and it's like playing Halo Wars on the PC... just another bland game when there's better picks in the genre.

Also, loved the comment at the end. "Oh, I am gonna enjoy killing you."
 

Susan Arendt

Nerd Queen
Jan 9, 2007
7,222
0
0
WhiteTigerShiro said:
I have to agree about the gun comment. A little of that would've been fine, but too much of it and it's like playing Halo Wars on the PC... just another bland game when there's better picks in the genre.

Also, loved the comment at the end. "Oh, I am gonna enjoy killing you."
I chose not to show the line that really, really made me want to snap that bastard's neck, but I assure you...he totally had it coming.
 

Ancientgamer

New member
Jan 16, 2009
1,346
0
0
Is wrong that I actually enjoyed The Chronicles of Riddick? ~meh

The atmosphere actually looks quite interesting, I'm glad it's more than just a generic movie tie in.
 

Doug

New member
Apr 23, 2008
5,205
0
0
Hmm, I'd always assumed the Riddick games where ... well, movie cash ins, like the bulk of movie linked games. This one actually seems like its worth playing as a stand alone product.
 

Singing Gremlin

New member
Jan 16, 2008
1,222
0
0
I loved Butcher Bay. Loooved it. It really is a shame it was so underrated, but hey. When you say cleaned up, how so? Are the graphics any nicer, less bugs, or gameplay at all different? Or is it just really code stuff to make it backwards compatible?

And Butcher Bay had a mech sequence. I thought that was quite good. Is the new one on par with that?

Driving Analysis suggestion: Do not walk into things.
 

Keane Ng

New member
Sep 11, 2008
5,892
0
0
The year of Diesel continues. This is going on my "for a rainy day" list of games.
 

Susan Arendt

Nerd Queen
Jan 9, 2007
7,222
0
0
Singing Gremlin said:
I loved Butcher Bay. Loooved it. It really is a shame it was so underrated, but hey. When you say cleaned up, how so? Are the graphics any nicer, less bugs, or gameplay at all different? Or is it just really code stuff to make it backwards compatible?

And Butcher Bay had a mech sequence. I thought that was quite good. Is the new one on par with that?

Driving Analysis suggestion: Do not walk into things.
The most notable improvement is that the loading is far less aggravating. It looks slightly better, but it was always a damn good looking game.

The mech sequence in Dark Athena is really very short - a trip down a hallway, and another one across the hull of the ship. Seems rather pointless, to be honest.
 

brewbeard

New member
Nov 29, 2007
141
0
0
The only thing holding me back from this is that, when I bought my 360, Escape from Butcher Bay is one of the games I wanted to play on it (what with the whole 'reverse compatibility' thing). Having never owned an XBox, I was quite disappointed, and I remain dismayed that it never made it onto the supported list.
 

LoopyDood

New member
Dec 13, 2008
410
0
0
Can't forget that this game was also released for the PC and PS3, and Escape from Butcher Bay was released for the PC a little later in the year after the Xbox version.
 

Susan Arendt

Nerd Queen
Jan 9, 2007
7,222
0
0
brewbeard said:
The only thing holding me back from this is that, when I bought my 360, Escape from Butcher Bay is one of the games I wanted to play on it (what with the whole 'reverse compatibility' thing). Having never owned an XBox, I was quite disappointed, and I remain dismayed that it never made it onto the supported list.
This is why it never made the list. They've known for some time that they were going to handle the game this way, ergo, it never made the transition.
 

ElArabDeMagnifico

New member
Dec 20, 2007
3,775
0
0
The only good thing about the guns and the mechs I can point out, is that it stops things from getting too repetitive. You can only do the same thing over and over for so long, so the pacing is nice.
 

Susan Arendt

Nerd Queen
Jan 9, 2007
7,222
0
0
ElArabDeMagnifico said:
The only good thing about the guns and the mechs I can point out, is that it stops things from getting too repetitive. You can only do the same thing over and over for so long, so the pacing is nice.
Ordinarily, I would agree with you, but it's just so out of character that it really pulls you out of the gameplay experience. I think the combat mixed with the environmental puzzles and stealth keeps it all fresh enough that the gunplay isn't necessary. Your mileage may vary.
 

TsunamiWombat

New member
Sep 6, 2008
5,870
0
0
Awesome game, Vin Deisels voice acting is so... well lets just say I grew an extra set of testicals.

As everyones pointed out, the run and guns sequences feel generic and out of place. Ironically Riddick shines when it doesn't try to shine. It's basic, tense combat, hide and seek, and environmental puzzles - such as, take out the two giant chaingun armed mechs. Oh, and you only have a knife. Good luck. These are awesome moments.

When the game tries to play itself up like an action movie is when it gets a bit blah.
 

Avatar Roku

New member
Jul 9, 2008
6,169
0
0
Doug said:
Hmm, I'd always assumed the Riddick games where ... well, movie cash ins, like the bulk of movie linked games. This one actually seems like its worth playing as a stand alone product.
I know. I'm getting more and more respect for Vin Diesel. First, he decides to forgo the easy cash of a cheap tie in, then it comes out that he plays DnD and WoW.
 

Bored Tomatoe

New member
Aug 15, 2008
3,619
0
0
Susan Arendt said:
WhiteTigerShiro said:
I have to agree about the gun comment. A little of that would've been fine, but too much of it and it's like playing Halo Wars on the PC... just another bland game when there's better picks in the genre.

Also, loved the comment at the end. "Oh, I am gonna enjoy killing you."
I chose not to show the line that really, really made me want to snap that bastard's neck, but I assure you...he totally had it coming.
I remember that guy. The most satisfying thing about killing that bastard was when he said "Lets settle this like men, put away your gun!" When he said this, I put away my gun, and he equipped fists, I then promptly reequipped my shotgun and killed him with one headshot...
 

Nerdfury

I Can Afford Ten Whole Bucks!
Feb 2, 2008
708
0
0
Susan Arendt said:
WhiteTigerShiro said:
I have to agree about the gun comment. A little of that would've been fine, but too much of it and it's like playing Halo Wars on the PC... just another bland game when there's better picks in the genre.

Also, loved the comment at the end. "Oh, I am gonna enjoy killing you."
I chose not to show the line that really, really made me want to snap that bastard's neck, but I assure you...he totally had it coming.
Note to self: Never stare at Susan's anything, or may have neck snapped.
 

Doug

New member
Apr 23, 2008
5,205
0
0
orannis62 said:
Doug said:
Hmm, I'd always assumed the Riddick games where ... well, movie cash ins, like the bulk of movie linked games. This one actually seems like its worth playing as a stand alone product.
I know. I'm getting more and more respect for Vin Diesel. First, he decides to forgo the easy cash of a cheap tie in, then it comes out that he plays DnD and WoW.
I know! Its not fair, he's suppose to be a jock so we can feel all superior, but it turns out he's a muscle bound actor who's also enjoys nerdy stuff! Not fair ;)
 

Eagle Est1986

That One Guy
Nov 21, 2007
1,976
0
0
I played the demo and I wasn't impressed to be honest, I didn't find there to be too much difference from the original game, which I loved btw, I suppose I'll find myself either renting it or buying it if I can find it cheap somewhere.