Matrix Code - 24:The Game

Here is a review of 24:The Game injoy:-

24: The Game
Score: 65%
ESRB: Mature
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: SCEE - Cambridge
Media: DVD/1
Players: 1
Genre: Action/Third Person Shooter
Graphics & Sound:

If 24: The Game does anything really well, it is that it manages to capture the look and feel of the show perfectly. 24: The Game absolutely nails the show’s style, right down to the shaky camera and split screens. The game actually does feel like an actual episode of 24; now if only “The Game” parts matched the presentation.
All of the characters from the show are modeled with near-life accuracy. Of course, this does create a bit of a “creepy” feel, but overall it is really good. Animations are also top notch, especially when it comes to the main characters, who obviously received a little more attention than “Unnamed Terrorist #1138”. Levels are usually done really well, but like aspects of gameplay itself, a bit scattered. Some levels are full of items while others are a little barren.

In addition to looking like their TV counterparts, all of the characters sound like them as well. Nearly every cast member, including those who have since been killed off in the show, make an appearance in the game and, for the most part, do a great job of recreating their TV personas. Surprisingly, Kiefer Sutherland turns in the weakest performance of the group. Sometimes his voice work is spot on, while at others there’s a noticeable detachment from his tone and what is going on in the game.

Gameplay:

24: The Game hits on all of the aspects that make the show so riveting to watch. This is due in large part to the number of things going on at any given time during an episode. In an attempt to try to recreate this, the developers throw in various game types that have you completing everything from hacking computers to engaging in shootouts to high-speed chases. Rather than focusing on one or two well-built aspects, the game throws numerous play types at you, none of which are all that good.
A majority of your time is spent during third-person action segments. While you usually play as Jack, you’ll take the role of other characters when the plot calls for it. Nearly all of the characters play the same way, with the exception of Kim, who has to rely on stealth since she has no weapons training. When you’re not playing through shooting segments, you’ll find yourself performing nearly every play type conceived, including driving, sniper, stealth… you name it. All of the play types work on a basic level, but are half-baked and not that much fun.

Numerous puzzles are also thrown in; most of which require a minimal use of logic to solve. Most of the game’s puzzles involve simple tasks like connecting a certain path. Others are reflex-based and require you to match button presses with a series of slow, on-screen cues. In the end, all the varying play types do is give the game an unfocused feel. Unless you’re in a shooting area, most sequences never last long enough to be any fun, dragging down the action.

While the game doesn’t actually take 24 hours to complete (it is more like 8 - 10), it does a pretty good job of mirroring the show’s 24-hour period of action. The story begins with Jack Bauer raiding a ship suspected of containing a shipment of chemical weapons. Of course, this is only the first hour in another bad day for Jack, eventually drawing him into a plot that involves everything from bombings to assassinations to kidnappings. Because of the abbreviated time, the story moves at a quicker pace than the show. This doesn’t hurt the pacing that much and helps to keep the intensity levels up, though there are a few awkward location jumps that feel really out of place. The only real downside is that the story rarely takes the time to explain itself. Sometimes it even requires you to reference situations in the show. So, if you are unfamiliar with the show, you’ll likely miss a few pieces of the puzzle. Still, the story is good enough that fans of the show might be able to endure the lacking gameplay.

Difficulty:

Enemy A.I. isn’t particularly difficult. Many of the shooting elements are meant to be played as cover-to-cover shootouts, so the A.I. does just that. What isn’t accounted for is the player running in and just shooting everyone out in the open. Some will stay under cover while others will run into the open, stand in one spot and just shoot a bunch of bullets at you in hopes of scoring some damage. This is “balanced” by a rather high damage tolerance for enemies, though when your target is standing still and can’t hit you, there isn’t much of a challenge. A.I. flaws become really apparent during stealth sequences. Enemies will simply walk over dead bodies or fail to notice you from a few feet away.

Game Mechanics:

Generally, 24: The Game is an average, run-of-the-mill shooter. There are a few areas where cover comes into play, though it really isn’t all that important unless you are doing a stealth mission. Of course, stealth missions aren’t all that well thought out to begin with, but at least the A.I. isn’t that bright, so once again it all balances out in an odd way.
Camera control only furthers the game’s already weak elements. The auto-aiming mechanism is completely disorienting and doesn’t lend itself well to shooting situations. Switching to manual aiming doesn’t help much either. The targeting reticule is sluggish and never seems to go exactly where you want it to go. One helpful mechanic is the Aiming Assist, which does tighten up things just a bit. Aiming Assist doesn’t help much in larger, open areas, but it is almost mandatory to use during close-quarters fighting.

If you can keep yourself at a distance, you’ll do fine; try to get up close and you won’t fare nearly as well. The camera isn’t giving you problems during melee combat; the brilliant idea of binding the attack and search functions to the same button is what causes the chaos.

Driving sequences suffer from slippery control. Also, enemies in driving sequences are over-aggressive to the point that they’re funny to watch. Every car on the road is out to stop you by constantly ramming you, most of the time resulting in their fiery deaths.

24: The Game is a victim of over-ambitious game design and lack of focus. At times it really feels like everyone on the design team had an idea for a play type and, rather than focusing on one or two good ones, everything was thrown in. Fans of the show might afford themselves the guilty pleasure of wading through the hollow gameplay just for the story, but even then, 24: The Game is a rental.