The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay
In Escape from Butcher Bay, the player takes the role of Richard B. Riddick and attempts to escape from a prison called Butcher Bay.[1] The game is played primarily from a first-person perspective, but the camera transitions to a third-person perspective during certain scenes. It incorporates elements from video game genres such as first-person shooter, adventure and stealth. Unlike many first-person shooters, the game contains no HUD;on-screen cues are limited to flashes when a new weapon is selected,and small, white boxes that display the player character‘s health when damage is taken.Health can be replenished in predesignated areas throughout the game.Concept art and video files may be unlocked by finding cigarette packs hidden in levels. The player may interact with the prison’s residents, from whom quests may be received; the player earns information, tools and other rewards by completing quests.Violent conflict often occurs between the player, inmates and prison guards. The player attacks with Riddick’s bare hands, or with improvised weapons such as shivs and clubs. Combos are created by stringing together punches.
A cool feature of thegame is the “stealth mode”. It is activated when the player character crouches.The player moves silently while in stealth mode, and can drag bodies out of sight and hide from enemies; the screen’s edges are tinted blue when the player is hidden.The mode grants attacks that quickly kill enemies; the player may drop on enemies from above, or execute them from behind.During the game, Riddick acquires “eyeshine“, which allows him to see in the dark.The player must manage the ability; using it in brightly lit areas blinds Riddick temporarily.
Escape from Butcher Bay’s gameplay was compared to first-person shooters like Far Cry and Half-Life,[65][66] and to stealth game series like Splinter Cell,[17] Metal Gear,[8] and Thief.[65] Reviewers enjoyed the variety of gameplay elements:[15][36] Game Informer’s Jeremy Zoss noted that “every aspect of play is expertly implemented”,[50] and GameSpot’s Greg Kasavin believed that the game “effectively and innovatively combines excellent shooting, hand-to-hand combat, stealth, and adventure elements”.[52] While the game’s stealth mechanics were praised,[15][65] certain critics received its first-person shooter elements with less enthusiasm.[66][67] Reviewers applauded the control scheme, such as the Xbox version’s analog stick-based hand-to-hand combat.[3][15][50][66] The implementation of Riddick’s eyeshine ability was also generally praised,[65][68] but Computer and Video Games believed that it was no different from night vision goggles in other first-person shooters, and said that it “could’ve been developed into so much more.”[8]
The game’s visuals, particularly the Xbox version’s, are very good having certain improvements in comparissong with similar previous games like doom, or Half-Life. The audio was generally well received, and critics praised its voice acting; the performances of Vin Diesel and Cole Hauser were given special commendation. The game resulted a bit short which raised some critics. Reviewers noted that it could be completed in eight to fifteen hours however it can take longer if the player enjoyes the little details on the way. In the end, after checking some awards it seems the game had notable reviews in general. And considering the actual price, it can be a nice time killer.
