keefged4
Member
Bluepoint would be a good shout, although they change things too much I feel. Nightdive would be more faithful
Last edited:
The Ridiculously Good Chronicles of Riddick Games
- Thread starter mansoor1980
- Start date
IAmRei
Member
dang, i'm hooked with the premise of spawnable enemies. looks dope <3
Chuck Berry
Gold Member
And the tentacles are actually somewhat similar to the way you can use the whip on enemies in Indiana Jones. Go figure
IbizaPocholo
NeoGAFs Kent Brockman
Overview of Riddick Games
- The speaker discusses the Riddick games, particularly highlighting their unique qualities and the potential they hold.
- They mention playing through "Cloak Protocol" and how it reignited their interest in the Riddick franchise.
- The speaker describes "Butcher Bay" as a standout movie-licensed game, noting its challenging installation on non-console platforms.
Versions of Butcher Bay
- The speaker details the three different versions of "Butcher Bay," explaining the unique challenges each presents for players.
- The original Xbox version is noted for its graphical fidelity but is easy to set up if one possesses the necessary hardware.
- The PC version, referred to as the developer cut, is complicated by DRM issues and various bugs, particularly when played at higher resolutions.
- The remastered version for Xbox 360 is criticized for its significant visual changes, including excessive color correction and loss of original atmosphere.
Gameplay Mechanics and Issues
- The speaker discusses various gameplay mechanics, such as movement issues linked to mouse settings and the necessity of adjusting refresh rates for smoother gameplay.
- There are mentions of graphical issues like aliasing and flickering, particularly when using modern GPUs.
- The speaker highlights the importance of patches and community fixes to improve stability and performance.
Visual and Artistic Elements
- The visuals of "Butcher Bay" are described as gritty and atmospheric, with a focus on maintaining a unique aesthetic throughout the game.
- The speaker contrasts the original look of the game with the remastered version, noting how the latter's overuse of post-processing effects detracts from the overall experience.
- The game's setting transitions from a rundown prison to high-tech environments, creating a stark contrast that enhances the narrative experience.
Character and Story Development
- The character of Riddick is explored, detailing his backstory and evolution throughout the franchise, including his origins in the movie "Pitch Black."
- The speaker emphasizes Riddick's complex relationship with other characters, particularly Johns, and how their dynamic shifts over time.
- The narrative of "Butcher Bay" is described as straightforward but engaging, with references to the broader lore of the Riddick universe.
Gameplay Experience and Mechanics
- The speaker provides insights into the melee combat system, explaining its mechanics and how they compare to other games.
- They describe the balance between stealth and combat, highlighting how players can choose their approach to various situations.
- The level design allows for multiple strategies, encouraging players to engage with the environment in creative ways.
Audio and Voice Acting
- The audio design is praised, with special mention of the layered ambient effects and unique sounds for weapons and technology.
- Voice acting, particularly by Vin Diesel and other cast members, is highlighted for its quality and immersion.
- The speaker notes some inconsistencies in audio levels and delivery but overall finds the voice acting to be a strong point of the game.
Final Thoughts on Butcher Bay
- The speaker concludes by reflecting on "Butcher Bay" as one of the best movie-licensed games, despite its technical issues and installation challenges.
- They express a desire for the game to be more accessible and better optimized for modern platforms.
- The discussion hints at future content related to the Riddick franchise, indicating that the exploration of this universe is far from over.
- The speaker discusses the Riddick games, particularly highlighting their unique qualities and the potential they hold.
- They mention playing through "Cloak Protocol" and how it reignited their interest in the Riddick franchise.
- The speaker describes "Butcher Bay" as a standout movie-licensed game, noting its challenging installation on non-console platforms.
Versions of Butcher Bay
- The speaker details the three different versions of "Butcher Bay," explaining the unique challenges each presents for players.
- The original Xbox version is noted for its graphical fidelity but is easy to set up if one possesses the necessary hardware.
- The PC version, referred to as the developer cut, is complicated by DRM issues and various bugs, particularly when played at higher resolutions.
- The remastered version for Xbox 360 is criticized for its significant visual changes, including excessive color correction and loss of original atmosphere.
Gameplay Mechanics and Issues
- The speaker discusses various gameplay mechanics, such as movement issues linked to mouse settings and the necessity of adjusting refresh rates for smoother gameplay.
- There are mentions of graphical issues like aliasing and flickering, particularly when using modern GPUs.
- The speaker highlights the importance of patches and community fixes to improve stability and performance.
Visual and Artistic Elements
- The visuals of "Butcher Bay" are described as gritty and atmospheric, with a focus on maintaining a unique aesthetic throughout the game.
- The speaker contrasts the original look of the game with the remastered version, noting how the latter's overuse of post-processing effects detracts from the overall experience.
- The game's setting transitions from a rundown prison to high-tech environments, creating a stark contrast that enhances the narrative experience.
Character and Story Development
- The character of Riddick is explored, detailing his backstory and evolution throughout the franchise, including his origins in the movie "Pitch Black."
- The speaker emphasizes Riddick's complex relationship with other characters, particularly Johns, and how their dynamic shifts over time.
- The narrative of "Butcher Bay" is described as straightforward but engaging, with references to the broader lore of the Riddick universe.
Gameplay Experience and Mechanics
- The speaker provides insights into the melee combat system, explaining its mechanics and how they compare to other games.
- They describe the balance between stealth and combat, highlighting how players can choose their approach to various situations.
- The level design allows for multiple strategies, encouraging players to engage with the environment in creative ways.
Audio and Voice Acting
- The audio design is praised, with special mention of the layered ambient effects and unique sounds for weapons and technology.
- Voice acting, particularly by Vin Diesel and other cast members, is highlighted for its quality and immersion.
- The speaker notes some inconsistencies in audio levels and delivery but overall finds the voice acting to be a strong point of the game.
Final Thoughts on Butcher Bay
- The speaker concludes by reflecting on "Butcher Bay" as one of the best movie-licensed games, despite its technical issues and installation challenges.
- They express a desire for the game to be more accessible and better optimized for modern platforms.
- The discussion hints at future content related to the Riddick franchise, indicating that the exploration of this universe is far from over.
Von Hugh
Member
So, I love Butcher Bay. It still amazes me how a Vin Diesel derived, movie based game from twenty years ago still stands out, even graphically, amongst all the endless trash that has come out during the last two decades.
It's just perfect. The graphics are probably amongst the best there is before Crysis. But most importantly the atmosphere is one of the best I have ever experienced in a video game. And taking into consideration how everything from sound design to level design, voice acting to story, and graphics to gameplay feel can affect atmosphere in a video game, it is absolutely amazing how a small Swedish game studio could pull this off in 2004. Absolutely riddickulous.
It's just perfect. The graphics are probably amongst the best there is before Crysis. But most importantly the atmosphere is one of the best I have ever experienced in a video game. And taking into consideration how everything from sound design to level design, voice acting to story, and graphics to gameplay feel can affect atmosphere in a video game, it is absolutely amazing how a small Swedish game studio could pull this off in 2004. Absolutely riddickulous.
GigaBowser
The bear of bad news
buters bay best by far yes its all true
cinnamonandgravy
Member
played it on pc and it was great
bloody and moody, with some pretty good 1st person melee
didnt like the darkness
bloody and moody, with some pretty good 1st person melee
didnt like the darkness
IbizaPocholo
NeoGAFs Kent Brockman
Overview of Dark Athena
- Dark Athena serves as a sequel to Butcher Bay and is part of a multimedia push for The Chronicles of Riddick franchise.
- Originally intended as a remake of Butcher Bay, the project evolved into a new campaign titled Assault on Dark Athena, which included multiplayer features.
- The game faced several development challenges, including a change in publishers and delays, ultimately resulting in a year and a half wait for its release.
Game Mechanics and Technical Aspects
- The game features improvements in graphics and animations, showcasing more detailed character models and smoother animations compared to its predecessor.
- However, players encountered issues with the game's installation and activation process, particularly with the presence of restrictive DRM that complicated reinstallation.
- Visual effects such as motion blur and depth of field can be added, but they may reduce the frame rate, complicating the overall gameplay experience.
Narrative and Character Development
- The game opens in a surreal environment, contrasting with the previous game's setting, and introduces new characters while maintaining Riddick's core personality.
- The narrative is more straightforward than Butcher Bay, focusing on Riddick's escape from the Dark Athena, which is depicted as a mercenary ship with a dark tone.
- Character interactions provide insights into Riddick's motivations and the game's dark themes, particularly through his encounters with characters like Revis and Jiler.
Combat and Gameplay Mechanics
- The game incorporates a more traditional first-person shooter approach, with an automatic cover system replacing the previous lean and peek mechanics.
- Riddick's combat abilities are enhanced with new weapons, including the scar, a mining tool that serves as a powerful weapon with unlimited ammo.
- Melee combat has also been revamped, allowing for quicker counters but requiring precise timing, which can lead to frustration during encounters.
Visual and Audio Improvements
- The game features significant visual upgrades, but the artistic choices, including color saturation and lighting effects, have been criticized for detracting from the experience.
- Audio improvements include better voice acting and sound design, although some weapon sounds have lost their impact compared to the original game.
- The soundtrack is more percussion-heavy and fits the game's atmosphere, enhancing the overall immersion.
Conclusion and Overall Reception
- Dark Athena is seen as a mixed bag; it offers exciting moments and improvements but is hampered by technical issues and a less engaging narrative compared to Butcher Bay.
- While the game is enjoyable for fans of the franchise, it lacks the depth and exploration elements that made its predecessor stand out.
- Overall, Dark Athena is recommended for those interested in the Riddick universe, though it may not satisfy all players due to its shortcomings.
- Dark Athena serves as a sequel to Butcher Bay and is part of a multimedia push for The Chronicles of Riddick franchise.
- Originally intended as a remake of Butcher Bay, the project evolved into a new campaign titled Assault on Dark Athena, which included multiplayer features.
- The game faced several development challenges, including a change in publishers and delays, ultimately resulting in a year and a half wait for its release.
Game Mechanics and Technical Aspects
- The game features improvements in graphics and animations, showcasing more detailed character models and smoother animations compared to its predecessor.
- However, players encountered issues with the game's installation and activation process, particularly with the presence of restrictive DRM that complicated reinstallation.
- Visual effects such as motion blur and depth of field can be added, but they may reduce the frame rate, complicating the overall gameplay experience.
Narrative and Character Development
- The game opens in a surreal environment, contrasting with the previous game's setting, and introduces new characters while maintaining Riddick's core personality.
- The narrative is more straightforward than Butcher Bay, focusing on Riddick's escape from the Dark Athena, which is depicted as a mercenary ship with a dark tone.
- Character interactions provide insights into Riddick's motivations and the game's dark themes, particularly through his encounters with characters like Revis and Jiler.
Combat and Gameplay Mechanics
- The game incorporates a more traditional first-person shooter approach, with an automatic cover system replacing the previous lean and peek mechanics.
- Riddick's combat abilities are enhanced with new weapons, including the scar, a mining tool that serves as a powerful weapon with unlimited ammo.
- Melee combat has also been revamped, allowing for quicker counters but requiring precise timing, which can lead to frustration during encounters.
Visual and Audio Improvements
- The game features significant visual upgrades, but the artistic choices, including color saturation and lighting effects, have been criticized for detracting from the experience.
- Audio improvements include better voice acting and sound design, although some weapon sounds have lost their impact compared to the original game.
- The soundtrack is more percussion-heavy and fits the game's atmosphere, enhancing the overall immersion.
Conclusion and Overall Reception
- Dark Athena is seen as a mixed bag; it offers exciting moments and improvements but is hampered by technical issues and a less engaging narrative compared to Butcher Bay.
- While the game is enjoyable for fans of the franchise, it lacks the depth and exploration elements that made its predecessor stand out.
- Overall, Dark Athena is recommended for those interested in the Riddick universe, though it may not satisfy all players due to its shortcomings.
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