Wet Review

Seems like most games I play lately all have male lead characters.  It was refreshing to play a sword swinging, dual wielding, whiskey drinking female character.  Some folks might like the visual style that Bethesda and Artificial Mind and Movement have come up with.  What you get is a video game that looks like a 70s style movie.  You think this game was directed by Quentin Tarantino himself.  If this game ever gets picked up to be a real movie than he the only guy that can make this film.


Story:
Rubi Malone is a gun for hire or a "Fixer" from Texas.  One year earlier, she was hired by a man Trevor Ackers to get the heart for William Ackers - his dad, who needs the heart for his transplant.  It was taken by a small criminal named Richard Simmons.  Haha no that Richard Simmons (although it be a great pleasure to shoot that guy).  She tracks him down and after many gunfights, the heart is return to Mr. Ackers.  A year later, William Ackers hires our protagonist for a job.  This deal goes south...

Gameplay:
If you played the demo then you get the jist of what the gameplay is.  Killing baddies while doing some stylish acrobatics all while in slo-mo.  Don't be fooled, Rubi also deadly with her sword.  Wet is a great mixture of acrobatic stunts, dual wielding, QTE (yes there are some quick time events throughout the game) and swordplay.  What the demo doesn't tell you is there are upgrades to her weapons and abilities.  You earn style points during your single player campaign.  Style points are accumulated by doing those acrobatic kills you have learned.  The more stylish the kill, the more points you get.  There are hidden points as well.  So keep your eyes peeled.  After each arenas or at the end of each chapter (total of 12 chapters according to the achievements), you can goto the upgrade shop by pressing the Y button..

It took a bit of time to learn the controls.  I've killed myself many times jumping over ledges instead of just hanging on the ledge.  There were times when I think Rubi could of grab hold of the ledge but sadly she would fall to her death.  It was kinda frustrating performing a acrobatic stunt, only to have slide or jumped over a building by accident leading to my death.  This game provides a solution to finding that Rubi can use to her advantage.  Holding the left trigger activates Rubi Vision.  It highlights ledges, poles, ladders that you can use to your advantage. Another innovation was split targeting.  If there more than one enemy in the area, Rubi automatically targets one, while you try to aim at the other.  I like it.  Took awhile to get use to it with all the jumping, running and sliding going on.

Rubi weapons come in a few varieties.  You start off with her pistol and a sword. What great about the pistols is that they have unlimited ammo.  No need to worry about finding ammo packs or reloading them for that matter.  Once you get the shot guns, SMGs, or crossbows they don't have unlimited ammo.  Don't worry, you'll still have your pistols if you run out of ammo.  Rubi is not bullet proof. So she will take damage.  She can regenerate health by drinking whisky you find throughout the chapters.  In the areans, she regains health faster the higher her multipler is.

I do have two major complaint about this game and it the challenges you have to complete a few times at Rubi's home.  Home being the boneyard.  These challenges consist of running through these red rings.  Also rings on fire.  These rings on fire activate these hubcap targets.  Rubi split targeting targets that, while you aim and shoot the other targets that pop up.  This is suppose to help in using the split targeting while doing your acrobatics.  You have to complete this challenge before time runs out.  When you destroy the targets, each target takes 2 seconds off your clock.  Another challenge was destroying 90 targets in 3 mins.  That was the easiest and the most enjoyable challenge.  Still I did not like it because you cannot advance until you complete them.  I thought it ruined the flow of the game.  Plus you don't get any style points.  Come on!  Give me something!  Ok they do unlock new guns for you to use.  Big yippe....  I rather unlock them through the upgrade shop.  Second complaint I have was the lame boss fight at the end.  Mostly involves quick time events.  The fight was over before I knew it.

Graphics:
Wet is a heavy visualize game.  Throughout the game including the main menu, it has a film scratch effect.  This what makes Wet look more like a 70s movie.  Certain parts of the campaign when Rubi face gets splattered by blood, the visuals goes all red, white, and black.  Red mostly.  Once this happens, look out bad guys.  Rubi angry and it shows.  When she kills her foes with her guns or sword, her enemies turn into black smoke that slowly dissipates.  Really cool to see for yourself.  If you are not a fan of this film scratch,  you can turn it off in the options menu.  I on the other hand will leave it on because I like it.  Otherwise graphics are sort of meh.  If you played Stranglehold, that what the graphic is like in Wet.  Characters models are ok.  Not the best in the world.

Audio:
Wet has one of the better soundtracks for a video game.  70s style music by various artist that blends well with the game play.  You can unlock songs when you play through the campaign.  Listen to them in their entirety in the extras section.  Yes the entire soundtrack on the same disc as the game.  Nice move on Bethesda and A2M on including the soundtrack for us to enjoy.  There probably 20 tracks to listen to.  I've hear some of the song and their not bad.  Eliza Dushku and Malcolm McDowell provide their voices for Rubi and Mr. William Ackers.  Their performance are outstanding.  Fits theirs characters well.  Same goes to the actors that voice other characters.

Longevity:
After you get done with the single player portion of the game, You unlock the challenge mode and harder difficulty settings.  With that plus the bios of each character, concept art and the soundtrack.  There really nothing else to keep you occupied.  There are monkeys you can go back to collect for those who are achievement whores.  5 levels of difficulty.  One called "Golden Bullet".  A one hit one kill type game play with limited health.  Only drawback is you have to unlock it first.

Overall:
Good for a weekend rental.  If you like this sort of visual style and game play then you will have a great experience.  Total of 12 chapters, challenge mode (after you finish campaign), soundtrack included, it should keep you entertained for a couple of days.  Again, did not like the challenges that I had to do 3 time in the game for no reason.  Last boss fight was a let down.  Small learning curve with the controls.  Some areas may require trial and error.


Score - 7/10

Wet Quick Review

Just played through 3 chapters of Wet and just like the demo it still a action pack shoot'em up visualized game.  With a sexy female character to boot.  If you love the demo then the retail version in my opinion is much better.  What the demo doesn't tell you is as you progress through the game, you earn points to upgrade your weapons or abilities after each chapter.

In the retail version, the game starts off just like the demo.  You go through a small tutorial on jumping/sliding/wall running all while gunning down your foes.  As I progress in that chapter, you learn more acrobatic abilities.  One I had trouble with was that you cannot wall run on every single wall.  There was a few areas that I had to quickly learn to use Rubi vision.  Also I died a few times thinking ok i can jump there no problem.  I jump and oh so close but miss it.  If that the case then use your Rubi vision to see what you can use to get across.

If there any gripes I have it chapter 3.  Chapter 3 is all about completing 3 challenges.  What you do is, run through the course going through loops.  Certain loops activates a target.  Shooting the target activates 2 other target you need to shoot to slow down your time.  Last challenge is using the turret to shoot 90 targets in 3 mins.  I felt that this ruined the flow of the game.  You cannot advance unless you complete these 3 challanges within the time limit.  Last challenge was the most fun of the 3.  I been more happy if they just put them in the challenge mode portion of the game.  Only purpose it has is learning the controls and aiming your guns. Nice little bonus for completing chapter 3 is unlocking the dual shotguns.  Downside is during the challenge, notice there was no unlimited ammo for the shotguns.  If that the case then only the pistols have unlimited ammo. 

Yes there is a challenge mode.  It the developers way of saying sorry there no multiplayer, here some challenges for you to complete.  No I have not tried it yet.  If it anything like chapter 3 then i may hold off doing them until I complete the game.  For those who does not like the film scratch, you can turn it off!  So if your on the fence, rent the game.  Now you know you can turn off the film scratch if it bothers you. 

That it for the quick review.  I'll post a full review after I complete the game.

6 Upcoming games that will hurt my wallet.

Between now and till the end of this year, I will be buying about 6 games.  That could change but for now it 6 games.  What are those 6 fabulous games? Well let me tell you.  The list of games in release date order are as follows....

• Wet
• Halo: ODST
• Borderlands
• Forza Motorsports 3
• Left 4 Dead 2
  
• Modern Warfare 2

Wet is a stylized game that plays similar to Stranglehold.  Looks like a game straight from Quentin Tarantino himself.  Wet looks and play out like a movie which is fine for me.  To me that says "Hey I'm different play me now!"  Which I did with the demo I got off the Xbox Live Marketplace.  I must of played it 4 times already.

Halo: ODST  is the 4th halo game from Bungie.  We take the roll of a trooper that is dropped in on Mombasa.  ODST takes on a different approach than the traditional run and gun.  This time around, we have to plan out a strategy because our health is more fragile.  We can't duel wield.  A little sadden about that but it will work out.  On the plus side, we get firefight.  5 peeps against waves of enemies.  And there ever popular multiplayer.  It gonna rock.

Borderlands is a 4 player co-op FPS/RPG type game.That all I know really.  It looks good.  I'm a big fan of co-op type games.  And their looting!  Who wouldn't love to loot?  Their dueling.  To activate a duel, you pimp slap your friend, who has to pimp slap you back (by slap i mean melee hit).  A dome is created around you.  The fight begins.  Whoever gets knocked down wins.  You don't die but now your health is really low.  Plus their vehicle combat.  So far this is the only competitive type game mode within the game.  Graphics in this game are exactly like Crackdown.  Cell shaded/comic book type graphics.

Forza Motorsports 3 is my most recent pre-order.  Saw video that tempted me into buying.  What convince me to buy?  Well when i played the first Forza on the original xbox, I was put off by the tuning and upgrading to cars.  I don't know jack shit about tuning cars.  I was confused by all the fine details.  Jumping to Forza 2 which I did not bother buying.  Jumping to Forza 3, they changed all that.  You can simply tell the computer to upgrade the car for you.  SWELL IDEA!  I need this option.  Plus you can buy tuning upgrades from other players.  How awesome does that sound?  Over 400 cars including my personal favorite from Top Gear...the Bugatti Veyron.  Hell yes!  When hearing that this beast of a car was in this game, it peaked my interesting into getting Forza 3.  Also my favorite from Top Gear is the Aston Martin DB9.  This car is sexy looking and fast.  Looking forward to owning both these cars and possibly many others.  The only thing keeping me from liking Forza 3 is the driving.  I more of a arcade racer.  For example Project Gotham Racing series.  I love going around corners at full speed.  In Forza 3 the breaks will have to be used at almost every corner.  Forza 3 has automatic braking which sounds appealing but i may have to suffer some insults if I decide to use it.  Plenty of multiplayer options to keep this game fresh for many months.

Left 4 Dead 2 the sequel to the popular Left 4 Dead.  4 new characters, 4 new awesome campaigns with new badass infections and weapons.  Weapons like a katana. SLICE SLICE!  Frying pan, baseball bat, a mutha fuckin chainsaw, machete, new machine guns, shottys and pistols.  I believe there could be a flame thrower.  New infected like the Spitter and the Jockey.  Spitter is a female infected that spits acid.  Must be related to the boomer.  Once the acid hits you, your down for the count.  The Jockey ability is jumping on your back and controlling your character basically until he gets shot off.  Sounds like a fun infected to play on multiplayer.  A.I director 2.0 got some tricks up it sleeves.  For example, changing the paths the survivors can take.  You might take one path but it could be different next time thru.  It was somewhat dissapointing that the first game didn't get a lot of DLC.  All we got was The Last Stand game mode.  Soon a new campaign DLC but it really really short.  Valve could of done so much with L4D but no they didn't.  Don't get me wrong,  I'm still buying this game.

Modern Warfare 2 the badass sequel to a equally badass COD: Modern Warfare.  Single player on COD:MW just about blew my mind.  Infinity Ward really puts you in the shoes of a soldier fighting in a war.  From being a soldier on the battelfield to being a gunner on a AC130 plane to being a sniper picking off a single target.  It was just pure goodness.  To me, it was the most realistic shooter i ever played and now their a sequel.  I cannot wait to play and see what Infinity Ward has brought to the table in terms of single player.  I to enjoy the multiplayer side of Modern Warfare.  The perks made it more interesting.  Trying to complete challenges during matches, getting huge points on your kill streaks or watching your helicopter or fighter jets take out multiple enemies.  Now MW2 has included the AC130 plane to MP.  I'll be wetting my pants everytime i see that plane in the air.  Killcams will be making a return.  Gotta love watching that grenade fly over mile and land right next to your feet. Good times.


I really don't know what game is gonna take up most of my time.  Shoot I don't even know if I have the time this winter to play them all.  Including the games I bought recently like Prototype, Red Faction, Batman: Arkham Asylum (review coming soon) and Fallout 3. All I know is that it gonna be a busy winter playing all these game.  Fuck yeah...