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WET
A game Quentin Tarantino would be proud of.
September 22, 2009 | 12:08 PM PSTKombo's Review Policy: Our reviews are written for you. Our goal is to write honest, to-the-point reviews that don't waste your time. This is why we've split our reviews into four sections: What the Game's About, What's Hot, What's Not and Final Word, so that you can easily find the information you want from our reviews.
What the Game's About
WET is a grindhouse style video game. You play as Rubi, an gun for hire that will do anything for the right price. Voiced by Eliza Dushku, the main character jets around the globe in a Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill fashion as she exacts revenge on someone that set her up. Bizarre characters, over-the-top action and plenty of gun play set the order of the day.
What's Hot
The style of the game is very unique. From the beginning, you'll notice that the developers at A2M applied a film grain filter to mimic the effect of poor quality, just like the movies it is trying to emulate. The style is dyed in the wool with cheesey (in a good way) commercials that break up the action and wacky characters that are undoubtedly bizarre. The way the characters are portrayed in the game lend well to the narrative full of bullets, blood and betrayal. Rubi is a likable character. Do not get her confused with some over-sexed gaming vixen; she is the real, tattooed, whiskey swilling deal and is more macho than most male protagonists in modern video games (especially the RPGs). The rest of the cast is seedy but their personalities and in sync with that of Rubi's to make for an interesting gallery of people and a good grimy story.
Rubi has a host of abilities that make her a deadly assassin. The start of the game, you are given a Max Payne like bullet time ability that has more style than Max ever achieved. You can leap, slide, run on walls and swing around poles as you fire your duel wielded guns that can independently target up to two enemies. There are moments in the game where you enter arenas where enemies will respawn until you can shut down their entrance points. These arenas perfectly showcase the elegance and brutal poetry that WET is all about. The arenas aren't the only great sequences in the game, there are some high octane moments with opening car chase and sky diving part that break up the standard action. There are times where the pace slows down during some Prince of Persia (2008) portions where you are running and jumping on platforms. They are a good change of pace from what would have otherwise been a tiring experience from all the action. Then WET usually amps it back up with a rage mode where the graphics take another style cue and give your eyes a huge treat.
What's Not
The style of the game is a highlight but the raw graphics are very much a lowlight. Strip away the grainy filter and you are left with visuals that do not impress. The characters look rather lowly detailed and there are plenty of glitches to go around. It is sad to see the game, which is heavy on style, miss out on the nuts and bolts hoping that the post-effects would cover the blemishes.
Perhaps WET wanted to be a grindhouse video game but it hits a little too close to home some times. There is a rough around the edges quality to WET that is omnipresent. The core of the game is fun but you get a sense that something was cut short in order for the game to make it out on time. There aren't that many lines from Rubi when she is gutting the goons that are after her and wear on your nerves. The platforming sequences feel more like a copy and paste of Prince of Persia and don't have an identity of their own. The graphics, like mentioned above, needed some work to compete with the increasing impressiveness of competing titles. The combat even falters when you aren't in "bullet time" mode and have to aim or slash.
Final Word
WET has the all important X-factor. Despite all the negatives, WET is a thoroughly good game since the style and combat carry the game to the end. If you are an action game junkie that wants something that hasn't been tried before, WET is your go to game. There are moments that will thrill and delight you as well as moments that will frustrate. The sum of WET is much greater than its parts and deserves a nod for all the impressive work that went into making a successful game Quentin Tarantino would be proud of.
What the Game's About
WET is a grindhouse style video game. You play as Rubi, an gun for hire that will do anything for the right price. Voiced by Eliza Dushku, the main character jets around the globe in a Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill fashion as she exacts revenge on someone that set her up. Bizarre characters, over-the-top action and plenty of gun play set the order of the day.
What's Hot
The style of the game is very unique. From the beginning, you'll notice that the developers at A2M applied a film grain filter to mimic the effect of poor quality, just like the movies it is trying to emulate. The style is dyed in the wool with cheesey (in a good way) commercials that break up the action and wacky characters that are undoubtedly bizarre. The way the characters are portrayed in the game lend well to the narrative full of bullets, blood and betrayal. Rubi is a likable character. Do not get her confused with some over-sexed gaming vixen; she is the real, tattooed, whiskey swilling deal and is more macho than most male protagonists in modern video games (especially the RPGs). The rest of the cast is seedy but their personalities and in sync with that of Rubi's to make for an interesting gallery of people and a good grimy story.
Rubi has a host of abilities that make her a deadly assassin. The start of the game, you are given a Max Payne like bullet time ability that has more style than Max ever achieved. You can leap, slide, run on walls and swing around poles as you fire your duel wielded guns that can independently target up to two enemies. There are moments in the game where you enter arenas where enemies will respawn until you can shut down their entrance points. These arenas perfectly showcase the elegance and brutal poetry that WET is all about. The arenas aren't the only great sequences in the game, there are some high octane moments with opening car chase and sky diving part that break up the standard action. There are times where the pace slows down during some Prince of Persia (2008) portions where you are running and jumping on platforms. They are a good change of pace from what would have otherwise been a tiring experience from all the action. Then WET usually amps it back up with a rage mode where the graphics take another style cue and give your eyes a huge treat.
What's Not
The style of the game is a highlight but the raw graphics are very much a lowlight. Strip away the grainy filter and you are left with visuals that do not impress. The characters look rather lowly detailed and there are plenty of glitches to go around. It is sad to see the game, which is heavy on style, miss out on the nuts and bolts hoping that the post-effects would cover the blemishes.
Perhaps WET wanted to be a grindhouse video game but it hits a little too close to home some times. There is a rough around the edges quality to WET that is omnipresent. The core of the game is fun but you get a sense that something was cut short in order for the game to make it out on time. There aren't that many lines from Rubi when she is gutting the goons that are after her and wear on your nerves. The platforming sequences feel more like a copy and paste of Prince of Persia and don't have an identity of their own. The graphics, like mentioned above, needed some work to compete with the increasing impressiveness of competing titles. The combat even falters when you aren't in "bullet time" mode and have to aim or slash.
Final Word
WET has the all important X-factor. Despite all the negatives, WET is a thoroughly good game since the style and combat carry the game to the end. If you are an action game junkie that wants something that hasn't been tried before, WET is your go to game. There are moments that will thrill and delight you as well as moments that will frustrate. The sum of WET is much greater than its parts and deserves a nod for all the impressive work that went into making a successful game Quentin Tarantino would be proud of.
November 20, 2009
