Gaming Target - GameCube: Die Hard: Vendetta

Written by Jonathan Nicklas on February 05, 2003

Full Review: Yippee ki-ya mother hubbard.

It's unfortunate that Die Hard: Vendetta, otherwise a great game, is victim of poor timing. With James Bond 007: Nightfire and TimeSplitters 2 around and mention Metroid Prime kicking up dust, the game is up against some stiff competition. Nevertheless, it has one of the better single-player modes to be found in a first-person-shooter and has a great storyline to boot.

Everyone who's anyone will know that Die Hard: Vendetta follows the exploits of bad ass John McClane. Over the course of the game, McClane must protect and rescue Los Angeles citizens in addition to his daughter Lucy. The story goes that Piet Gruber and his cronies are substituting all the paintings at the Townsend with fakes. It's up to you to do the job right and continue on.

Graphically speaking, Die Hard: Vendetta is not exactly a sight for sore eyes. The character models look a bit disproportional with very poorly-mapped faces that look awkward. Likewise, mouth movement is more akin to a ventriloquist puppet than a living and breathing human figure. Nevertheless, some of the finer details of the game are the gun designs and well designed levels. For the most part, the backgrounds look solid, but not enough of the objects are breakable. You know there's something missing when glass doesn't shatter in some places. In addition, there are useless locked doors that divert attention for all the wrong reasons.

Fortunately, most of the level work feels alive. There are some back alleys with lots of graffiti and even teenagers hiding around making out that adds a little touch that other games have missed. Arguably, added stealth elements make the game all worth while. For example, you can sneak around in stealth mode and take enemies by the neck from behind if the moment's right. The human shields are a fun part to say the least. Otherwise, the objective-based missions have their share of intense moments and movie-like scenarios. You'll need to obtain disguises and prevent disasters from striking.

The sound component is among the best. Bits Studios has squeezed in hours of speech and solid sound effects that go the extra mile toward provide a compelling experience. John McClane sounds gritty while supporting characters and pedestrians all churn out lines impeccably. With the added bonus of humor and well-scripted discussions, Die Hard: Vendetta simply rocks. The game can instantly turn into a very serious affair. The moody music also sets the tone very well. Be forewarned and cover your ears also, as the game packs plenty of swearing that makes even Conker squeal for help.

The GameCube-exclusive title also plays well. Die Hard: Vendetta is akin to a summer action flick and has a lot much going for it. The cool scenarios are a blast to play and the enemies are varied. Like Metroid Prime, the game also employs some platform-jumping that becomes second-nature quickly. Arguably the game's biggest draw is Hero Time, which is just another name for Bullet Time. Subsequently, the action goes into slow-motion. However, there's a catch. Hero Time requires special points that you accumulate by saving hostage civilians, which makes sense.

It's unfortunate that the controls leave a lot to desire. The auto-aim function literally does all the work for you and swerves to the nearest enemy. Conversely, without the added assistance, the unforgiving controls are too loose and don't provide enough focus in the heat of the moment. The game also features some trial-and-error gameplay for hostage situations and tends to get annoying.

Were it not for the lack of multiplayer, the game would score higher. The game only employs a single-player mode and as a result there's not much left to do except attempt the higher difficulties.