14 DAY TRIAL // Whenever the movie industry releases a blockbuster, the gaming industry automatically picks up on it and manages to create a new product that will not only entertain, but also keep the franchise going. We all know the success that the comic book movies had and how the gaming industry managed to pull off more than successful role-playing games that picked up from where the movies had left off.
As for Righteous Kill, the movie that featured a stunning cast with great actors such as Robert De Niro, All Pacino and hip hop rapper 50 Cent, it would be fair to say that the game managed to capture the essence of the thriller by allowing the player to step up into the shoes of a detective in search for a serial killer. The new Righteous Kill: Revenge of the Poet Killer goes to prove that a great story is never over and that it just gets better over time.
As you first start the game you will leap directly into a murder investigation. Once at the crime scene, searching for clues and notes left behind by the killer is the only thing that matters, along with saving the life of the next potential victim. Although this is a hidden object game, the symmetry between the game and movie when it comes to the background story is remarkable. Even if you don’t have the same dynamism and action as in the movie, catching the bad guy and chasing around for clues is as captivating as being a real detective.
This sequel to the first Righteous Kill game comes to improve many visual and audio aspects of its predecessor. All gameplay music and voices seem less like acting and more real, not to mention the fact that all the cut scenes triggered by certain events are actual video footage and live character acting. This comes as a plus especially because it keeps the movie experience alive and impresses through originality; after all, it is not often that we see a game with live actors and cut scene footage.
Keeping it interesting throughout all the gameplay must have been a difficult challenge, but apparently the mixture between hidden objects and small puzzle games has proven to be a success. Personally, I enjoyed matching bullet patterns, dusting for fingerprints and analyzing DNA sequences in the forensic lab and perhaps this is why lots of gamers will be drawn to the new Righteous Kill 2. Getting your hands dirty and looking through the trash for notes and clues is one thing and analyzing the evidence that will put a man behind bars for life is another. For a hidden object game, the numerous mini puzzles that you have to solve will take you away from the routine of mindless object searching and give you a more action and adventure feel of the game.
What would have made the game even more exciting would have been the usage of actual footage from the movie and even going as far as adding the voices of the leading actors. This way, fans would have gotten a never-ending adventure that they could be part of and at the same time enjoy a classic hidden object game. Still, it comes as an impressive achievement on harnessing the Righteous Kill trademark and at the same time creates its own storyline with inquisitive gameplay and quality graphics.
For what it’s worth, the sixty-minute trial will get you so addicted that unlocking the full features of the game for 19.99 dollars will seem like a small price to pay. Playing the game to its full extent will definitely give you the satisfaction of incarcerating the bad guy.
