[Review] - Hydrophobia

[Review] - Hydrophobia

Developed by: Dark Energy Digital

Published by: Microsoft Game Studios

Players: 1

Rated M for Mature by the ESRB

The Breakdown

A group of terrorists, known as the Malthusians, has taken over the luxury liner the Queen of the World. As Kate Wilson, you are on a mission to escape the sinking wreckage with your life. All the while your co-workers and friends are dying around you.

The Important Stuff

Hydrophobia is a typical 3^rd person action-adventure game that integrates some of the most amazing water effects to date. The tale of a giant luxury liner, that has taken the place of cities due to the “great population flood”, under siege by a terrorist group makes for some very tense moments that will have you on the edge of your seat. As water rushes in around you, you can really see where the time was spent on the game. The HydroEngine, which was created specifically for the game, and allows for more realistic water effects that are different each time you play the levels.

Unfortunately, great water effects and an engaging story can only do so much to mask the unresponsive and sluggish and unnecessarily complicated controls. Jumping over a fiery pit to a balcony should not be a complicated affair. Furthermore, it really shouldn’t send you careening in the wrong direction if you do get the button combination right.

There are also issues with story and cut scene pacing, which seems to be a trend in gaming in general. I shouldn’t get a cut scene every 10 to 15 steps my character takes. The game really takes you out of the action with this tactic. It will also show you things in the cut scenes that your character should be able to do, that look really awesome, but sadly they don’t allow it.

Reaction

Overall Hydrophobia isn’t a bad game and really does show flashes of being a top notch Xbox Live Arcade Game, but unfortunately falls short in some very important areas. With great arcade games like Limbo and Splosion Man, lackluster controls that take you out of the action really are a no-no in today’s gaming market. Also, going overboard with the cut scenes has to stop. Hopefully if we complain enough, developers will hear us and cut back some. As the first in a planned trilogy, I think Dark Energy Digital should be able to tighten up on a few areas and put the HydroEngine to good use in the inevitable sequel and give us something really spectacular. As it stands however, I can’t really recommend spending the Microsoft Points on this first installment.

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