Stuntman Ignition Xbox 360 Review
Action movies are great and I love watching them. For some people just seeing the wild car chases and action is enough for them. I happen to prefer watching the special features to see how a stunt was done. I have a high respect for the stunt men and women out there. They risk their lives for our enjoyment. Five years ago there was a game that grabbed my interest featuring the promise of playing the role of a stuntman.
Atari showed off Stuntman at E3 back in 2002 and I just had to have it. Once I got the game, I did something I swore I would never do. I broke my PS2 controller in half and flung it across the room. Atari created a game that pushed my buttons but somehow or reasons unknown to me I had to finish this game. Now Stuntman Ignition has hit the next-gen consoles and I wanted to play it. Read the full review to see if I set another personal record or if my Xbox 360 controller remains intact.
Gameplay
The basic concept is still there and I expected this. Gamers take on the role of a rookie stuntman trying to get his big break in the industry. A huge Blockbuster movie is in need of a stuntman and you get the green light. After a few test shots that act as a tutorial, you go and meet the director. Using a new gimmick, the director is always heard through your headset which adds a realistic feeling but also adds to the irritation. Stuntman Ignition is part skill and part learning to react fast while someone is egging you on.
I have to say through each level the stunts are cool and after a successful sequence, you get to watch your skills just like a real movie only without the edits. I enjoyed this and though the game made sense and I had more control than the original game. You start on a disaster movie where you need to drive cars and bikes through molten lava. They added more humor into the script. If you fail and land in the lava, you’ll hear the director say cut, fish him out. Or he may say cut don’t worry it’s only special effects. It still has a high frustration factor, but it seemed more fun. Perhaps I have mellowed in those years or maybe not?
Once you finish all the key stunts in the first movie, you get a bigger role in the next movie. Working as a stunt double for a James Bond Spoof and up to a knock off of the Dukes of Hazzard, each movie gets a bit more over the top and the director gets more and more touchy. I won’t say I didn’t have the urge to throw the controller a few times, but I just wanted to complete the stunt to get him to shut up. They also added a star meter, so if you really want to show off, try and get a perfect rating in each shot but good luck.
Unlike Stuntman from Atari, THQ added things to help the gamer complete the game. There is a way to string stunts while trying to land the big ending. It reminded me of the multiplier in PGR or Burnout. For the most part this adds to the game. They also made sure the screen is filled with camera men, other stunt people, and plenty of things placed in your way to add to the challenge. You have six main sequences in each movie and then you move on. You’ll have chance to practice and learn what each icon mean that flashes on your helmet. It is a fast- paced game and while there is a margin for mistakes, the game is not very forgiving. Overall, if I were to dig out the original and compare them, I would have to say THQ improved the series and added to it. The single-player mode is well thought out and fun. You just have to learn how to complete each sequence.
Control
One of the biggest complaints of the last game was the fact it required split second responses from the gamer. The main issue was the fact the PS2 controller did not always respond as quickly as it needed to. THQ fixed this for the most part, but it does take time to master the controls. For example, how to slide the bike and bring it back upright and continue on is challenging to learn. While it won’t take hours, the learning curve is pretty steep. I would have liked the option to tweak a few of the controls. Particularly the steering could have been a bit tighter. Overall, the developers made good use of the Xbox 360 controller and, no, I did not damage mine while playing.
Xbox Live
The online mode has two different options. You have the backlot battle where you need to do as many stunts within each lap and the player with the highest score wins. You also have backlot races where you race while doing the stunts, but if you screw up, you will watch the other players continue the race. I enjoyed playing online and while the other vehicles will turn into a 3D model that’s almost wire framed, it was still fun and it is the type of game you can hop on play a few races then switch to something else.
It is easy to host and select each course without the need of resetting the room. I was really surprised at the number of younger gamers playing this one online. Most of the sight gags and play on movies are older than most of the gamers playing right now. You will also notice the graphics switch and look a little less detailed online but with the number of players this is understandable.
Graphics
Graphically the game looks good. They spent a lot of time adding details to the explosions and the vehicles to create the illusion of being on a live movie set. At times there are a lot of different things happening and the graphics never seem to suffer.
Online I did mention that the graphics are a little grainy looking. I wish they would have found a way to not use the see-through models of each vehicle. Overall though, it looks good. The markers that tell you the action needed tend to pop up a little fast, but that is something you can get used to.
Audio
The Director or Stunt Coordinator is always in your ear saying something so you tend to focus on them and less on the in game sound effects. Voice-over wise, they are talented and believable enough. After all, the goal is to allow them to get under your skin. I would have liked a little less chatter and more music or added sound effects but it works for the game.
Replay Value
Once you get the hang of the overall gameplay mechanics, the single-player mode is pretty short. Unless you are trying for the perfect score or unlocking every bonus, it may be a game that will be played offline and online every now and then. Replay Value is hard to really judge. For any title like this, if you enjoy the online and want to compete or have friends that own it, the replay value will be higher. It provides some fast-paced excitement and is fun but is not the type of game you’ll beat and want to go right back and start all over.
Bottom Line
Overall Score: 7.8/10.0
Additional Comments
I enjoyed this one and others will as well. The real question here is will it appeal to everyone? No, and for this reason and the short single-player mode, the score reflect this. It showed a lot of changes and promise for the series to continue. If they would beef up the single-player mode and offer a little more online options, THQ will certainly have plenty of fans wanting to play the next one. It is fun and a cool idea. I am just glad it was not as irritating as the first game from Atari.
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Filed under: Reviews • Xbox 360
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