Die Hard Vendetta (PS2)

There have been lots of attempts at making video games out of the Die Hard films; the only decent one so far has been the original Die Hard Trilogy for the PSone. This new game isn't based on any single film but features its own story that takes place several years after Die Hard with a Vengeance and so has nothing in common with the recent PC game Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza.

With Vendetta it seems as if the developers are trying to "do a GoldenEye", taking an established action franchise and building a fairly unique shooter around it. Although it's not as inventive as its inspiration, there is a genuine attempt in Vendetta to provide something new: the real-world police settings are well conceived and the constant set pieces exciting and well scripted (complete with lots of foul language).

Where the game falls down though is the awful graphics and some questionable level design--in particular a number of irritating jumping sequences. But if you can persevere with these there's much to enjoy, especially some of the neat little touches, such as being able to hold bad-guy leaders hostage and build up Matrix-style bullet time by saving innocent people. It can't be recommended unequivocally but if you like the films or first-person shooters in general, Vendetta is well worth considering. --David Jenkins.

This review refers to the GameCube version.

The makers have clearly played Deus Ex as this game features a great deal of dialogue. You can interact with genuinely amusing characters on your bullet-fest adventure, with distinct personalities, offering help, hindrance or just plain conversation for the sake of it. I love this aspect of FPS's and wish more games of the genre included this feature. The upcoming Judge Dredd looks like it may have it, and it makes the otherwise unoriginal story all the more interesting.

In keeping with the Die Hard legacy, the plot is very Die Hard-ish, although it has more in common with the third film of the series. Run around LA for one night, searching for clues, shooting bad guys on the trial of Hans Gruber's son who's stolen some paintings. There's a good amount of plot twists and turns, which would have all been tiresome and plodding if it weren't for the fantastic dialogue and acting. And also in keeping with the Die Hard legacy, the language is foul, and makes the game all the more gritty and dangerous because of it.

The graphics are OK, but the attention to detail takes away from this. In the music store towards the start of the game, you'll notice the racks of CDs that have been sorted into genres. In the Chinese Cinema, you'll notice the cool posters dotting the wall, including a film starring one of the game's main baddies, of which John makes a comment about as he passes it. It's this kind of obsessive detail that genuinely makes the game have a heartbeat. However, there are areas that look really, really rough. John's hand, for example, are covered in what seems to be a thick layer of shiny sweat throughout, but this is down to the artist rather than the programming. The rest of the time, a great deal of care and attention has gone into certain aspects that don't progress the plot or extend the gameplay, but do make you smile.

The controls are the biggest flaw of Vendetta; John McClane doesn't like to move the way other FPS characters do (his strafing is a pain in the bum), and the game's "revolutionary" auto-jump feature is more of a hindrance than a help. The auto-aim is far too generous - just face the enemies and press fire. Although this has been improved over the Game Cube version, it's still way too simple even for me.

Unfortunately, as mentioned before, you'll either enjoy or hate this game, but with a genuinely humorous script reminiscent of the films themselves, some insane attention to detail, good level design, taxing puzzles, and an intriguing (if somewhat predicatble) plot, those tired of Time Splitters, Metal Gear Solid and Red Faction might want to have a look.


An FPS with some brilliant ideas   July 4, 2003
Mr. S. Price
Die Hard Vendetta has had decidedly mixed reviews since its birth on the Game Cube a while ago, and it will no doubt receive those very same accolades with the PS2 version. But Vendetta really deserves some attention. It's like Balde Runner; some hate it, some love it. Although maybe "love" is too strong a word in this case, it deserves the same amount of attention as the misunderstood Ford classic.

The makers have clearly played Deus Ex as this game features a great deal of dialogue. You can interact with genuinely amusing characters on your bullet-fest adventure, with distinct personalities, offering help, hindrance or just plain conversation for the sake of it. I love this aspect of FPS's and wish more games of the genre included this feature. The upcoming Judge Dredd looks like it may have it, and it makes the otherwise unoriginal story all the more interesting.

In keeping with the Die Hard legacy, the plot is very Die Hard-ish, although it has more in common with the third film of the series. Run around LA for one night, searching for clues, shooting bad guys on the trial of Hans Gruber's son who's stolen some paintings. There's a good amount of plot twists and turns, which would have all been tiresome and plodding if it weren't for the fantastic dialogue and acting. And also in keeping with the Die Hard legacy, the language is foul, and makes the game all the more gritty and dangerous because of it.

The graphics are OK, but the attention to detail takes away from this. In the music store towards the start of the game, you'll notice the racks of CDs that have been sorted into genres. In the Chinese Cinema, you'll notice the cool posters dotting the wall, including a film starring one of the game's main baddies, of which John makes a comment about as he passes it. It's this kind of obsessive detail that genuinely makes the game have a heartbeat. However, there are areas that look really, really rough. John's hand, for example, are covered in what seems to be a thick layer of shiny sweat throughout, but this is down to the artist rather than the programming. The rest of the time, a great deal of care and attention has gone into certain aspects that don't progress the plot or extend the gameplay, but do make you smile.

The controls are the biggest flaw of Vendetta; John McClane doesn't like to move the way other FPS characters do (his strafing is a pain in the bum), and the game's "revolutionary" auto-jump feature is more of a hindrance than a help. The auto-aim is far too generous - just face the enemies and press fire. Although this has been improved over the Game Cube version, it's still way too simple even for me.

Unfortunately, as mentioned before, you'll either enjoy or hate this game, but with a genuinely humorous script reminiscent of the films themselves, some insane attention to detail, good level design, taxing puzzles, and an intriguing (if somewhat predicatble) plot, those tired of Time Splitters, Metal Gear Solid and Red Faction might want to have a look.


An FPS with some brilliant ideas   July 4, 2003
Mr. S. Price
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Die Hard Vendetta has had decidedly mixed reviews since its birth on the Game Cube a while ago, and it will no doubt receive those very same accolades with the PS2 version. But Vendetta really deserves some attention. It's like Balde Runner; some hate it, some love it. Although maybe "love" is too strong a word in this case, it deserves the same amount of attention as the misunderstood Ford classic.

The makers have clearly played Deus Ex as this game features a great deal of dialogue. You can interact with genuinely amusing characters on your bullet-fest adventure, with distinct personalities, offering help, hindrance or just plain conversation for the sake of it. I love this aspect of FPS's and wish more games of the genre included this feature. The upcoming Judge Dredd looks like it may have it, and it makes the otherwise unoriginal story all the more interesting.

In keeping with the Die Hard legacy, the plot is very Die Hard-ish, although it has more in common with the third film of the series. Run around LA for one night, searching for clues, shooting bad guys on the trial of Hans Gruber's son who's stolen some paintings. There's a good amount of plot twists and turns, which would have all been tiresome and plodding if it weren't for the fantastic dialogue and acting. And also in keeping with the Die Hard legacy, the language is foul, and makes the game all the more gritty and dangerous because of it.

The graphics are OK, but the attention to detail takes away from this. In the music store towards the start of the game, you'll notice the racks of CDs that have been sorted into genres. In the Chinese Cinema, you'll notice the cool posters dotting the wall, including a film starring one of the game's main baddies, of which John makes a comment about as he passes it. It's this kind of obsessive detail that genuinely makes the game have a heartbeat. However, there are areas that look really, really rough. John's hand, for example, are covered in what seems to be a thick layer of shiny sweat throughout, but this is down to the artist rather than the programming. The rest of the time, a great deal of care and attention has gone into certain aspects that don't progress the plot or extend the gameplay, but do make you smile.

The controls are the biggest flaw of Vendetta; John McClane doesn't like to move the way other FPS characters do (his strafing is a pain in the bum), and the game's "revolutionary" auto-jump feature is more of a hindrance than a help. The auto-aim is far too generous - just face the enemies and press fire. Although this has been improved over the Game Cube version, it's still way too simple even for me.

Unfortunately, as mentioned before, you'll either enjoy or hate this game, but with a genuinely humorous script reminiscent of the films themselves, some insane attention to detail, good level design, taxing puzzles, and an intriguing (if somewhat predicatble) plot, those tired of Time Splitters, Metal Gear Solid and Red Faction might want to have a look.