Review: The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena

Dark Athena has Escape From Butcher Bay, brand new content, and the sultry tones of Vin Diesel. What more could you need?

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I have to agree about the gun comment. A little of that would've been fine, but too much of it and it's like playing Halo Wars on the PC... just another bland game when there's better picks in the genre.

Also, loved the comment at the end. "Oh, I am gonna enjoy killing you."

WhiteTigerShiro:
I have to agree about the gun comment. A little of that would've been fine, but too much of it and it's like playing Halo Wars on the PC... just another bland game when there's better picks in the genre.

Also, loved the comment at the end. "Oh, I am gonna enjoy killing you."

I chose not to show the line that really, really made me want to snap that bastard's neck, but I assure you...he totally had it coming.

Is wrong that I actually enjoyed The Chronicles of Riddick? ~meh

The atmosphere actually looks quite interesting, I'm glad it's more than just a generic movie tie in.

Hmm, I'd always assumed the Riddick games where ... well, movie cash ins, like the bulk of movie linked games. This one actually seems like its worth playing as a stand alone product.

I loved Butcher Bay. Loooved it. It really is a shame it was so underrated, but hey. When you say cleaned up, how so? Are the graphics any nicer, less bugs, or gameplay at all different? Or is it just really code stuff to make it backwards compatible?

And Butcher Bay had a mech sequence. I thought that was quite good. Is the new one on par with that?

Driving Analysis suggestion: Do not walk into things.

The year of Diesel continues. This is going on my "for a rainy day" list of games.

Singing Gremlin:
I loved Butcher Bay. Loooved it. It really is a shame it was so underrated, but hey. When you say cleaned up, how so? Are the graphics any nicer, less bugs, or gameplay at all different? Or is it just really code stuff to make it backwards compatible?

And Butcher Bay had a mech sequence. I thought that was quite good. Is the new one on par with that?

Driving Analysis suggestion: Do not walk into things.

The most notable improvement is that the loading is far less aggravating. It looks slightly better, but it was always a damn good looking game.

The mech sequence in Dark Athena is really very short - a trip down a hallway, and another one across the hull of the ship. Seems rather pointless, to be honest.

The only thing holding me back from this is that, when I bought my 360, Escape from Butcher Bay is one of the games I wanted to play on it (what with the whole 'reverse compatibility' thing). Having never owned an XBox, I was quite disappointed, and I remain dismayed that it never made it onto the supported list.

Can't forget that this game was also released for the PC and PS3, and Escape from Butcher Bay was released for the PC a little later in the year after the Xbox version.

brewbeard:
The only thing holding me back from this is that, when I bought my 360, Escape from Butcher Bay is one of the games I wanted to play on it (what with the whole 'reverse compatibility' thing). Having never owned an XBox, I was quite disappointed, and I remain dismayed that it never made it onto the supported list.

This is why it never made the list. They've known for some time that they were going to handle the game this way, ergo, it never made the transition.

The only good thing about the guns and the mechs I can point out, is that it stops things from getting too repetitive. You can only do the same thing over and over for so long, so the pacing is nice.

Wow this game looks cool, hope they port it to PC sometime.

ElArabDeMagnifico:
The only good thing about the guns and the mechs I can point out, is that it stops things from getting too repetitive. You can only do the same thing over and over for so long, so the pacing is nice.

Ordinarily, I would agree with you, but it's just so out of character that it really pulls you out of the gameplay experience. I think the combat mixed with the environmental puzzles and stealth keeps it all fresh enough that the gunplay isn't necessary. Your mileage may vary.

Awesome game, Vin Deisels voice acting is so... well lets just say I grew an extra set of testicals.

As everyones pointed out, the run and guns sequences feel generic and out of place. Ironically Riddick shines when it doesn't try to shine. It's basic, tense combat, hide and seek, and environmental puzzles - such as, take out the two giant chaingun armed mechs. Oh, and you only have a knife. Good luck. These are awesome moments.

When the game tries to play itself up like an action movie is when it gets a bit blah.

Doug:
Hmm, I'd always assumed the Riddick games where ... well, movie cash ins, like the bulk of movie linked games. This one actually seems like its worth playing as a stand alone product.

I know. I'm getting more and more respect for Vin Diesel. First, he decides to forgo the easy cash of a cheap tie in, then it comes out that he plays DnD and WoW.

Susan Arendt:

WhiteTigerShiro:
I have to agree about the gun comment. A little of that would've been fine, but too much of it and it's like playing Halo Wars on the PC... just another bland game when there's better picks in the genre.

Also, loved the comment at the end. "Oh, I am gonna enjoy killing you."

I chose not to show the line that really, really made me want to snap that bastard's neck, but I assure you...he totally had it coming.

I remember that guy. The most satisfying thing about killing that bastard was when he said "Lets settle this like men, put away your gun!" When he said this, I put away my gun, and he equipped fists, I then promptly reequipped my shotgun and killed him with one headshot...

Susan Arendt:

WhiteTigerShiro:
I have to agree about the gun comment. A little of that would've been fine, but too much of it and it's like playing Halo Wars on the PC... just another bland game when there's better picks in the genre.

Also, loved the comment at the end. "Oh, I am gonna enjoy killing you."

I chose not to show the line that really, really made me want to snap that bastard's neck, but I assure you...he totally had it coming.

Note to self: Never stare at Susan's anything, or may have neck snapped.

orannis62:

Doug:
Hmm, I'd always assumed the Riddick games where ... well, movie cash ins, like the bulk of movie linked games. This one actually seems like its worth playing as a stand alone product.

I know. I'm getting more and more respect for Vin Diesel. First, he decides to forgo the easy cash of a cheap tie in, then it comes out that he plays DnD and WoW.

I know! Its not fair, he's suppose to be a jock so we can feel all superior, but it turns out he's a muscle bound actor who's also enjoys nerdy stuff! Not fair ;)

I played the demo and I wasn't impressed to be honest, I didn't find there to be too much difference from the original game, which I loved btw, I suppose I'll find myself either renting it or buying it if I can find it cheap somewhere.

Doug:
Hmm, I'd always assumed the Riddick games where ... well, movie cash ins, like the bulk of movie linked games. This one actually seems like its worth playing as a stand alone product.

In a reversal of the usual order of things, the Butcher Bay game was much much better than the associated movie.

WodashGSJ:

Doug:
Hmm, I'd always assumed the Riddick games where ... well, movie cash ins, like the bulk of movie linked games. This one actually seems like its worth playing as a stand alone product.

In a reversal of the usual order of things, the Butcher Bay game was much much better than the associated movie.

What next, a good Uwe Boll movie?

Payed some dood to shine his eyes, FALSE!!!

Ahh, Riddick only told that to the girl as a story.

It's not actually true, he was one of those warrior race doods and that's why his eyes are like that. ;0

lol video was really sassy and funny, but short. shame the videos here don't go much in depth, I don't like reading reviews so much.

PS: I actually liked the second film despite its more tacky sci-fi feel, but glad I saw pitch black first its much more genuinely bad ass.

Liamsd:
Payed some dood to shine his eyes, FALSE!!!

Ahh, Riddick only told that to the girl as a story.

It's not actually true, he was one of those warrior race doods and that's why his eyes are like that. ;0

Yeah, we like to pretend the CoR movie never happened because, really...Necromongers? Underverse? Furians? Stupidity.

It is, however, some damn nice eye candy with some fun action sequences.

Susan Arendt:

Liamsd:
Payed some dood to shine his eyes, FALSE!!!

Ahh, Riddick only told that to the girl as a story.

It's not actually true, he was one of those warrior race doods and that's why his eyes are like that. ;0

Yeah, we like to pretend the CoR movie never happened because, really...Necromongers? Underverse? Furians? Stupidity.

It is, however, some damn nice eye candy with some fun action sequences.

Ah, the Necromongers - how silly they where. And for some reason, it went from slow speed interstellar travel (i.e. Cyrogenic sleeper ships) to FTL jump ships...very silly!

Keane Ng:
The year of Diesel continues. This is going on my "for a rainy day" list of games.

Well, if you lived here in Scotland, you would be playing it a lot...

and i mean a lot

Doug:

Susan Arendt:

Liamsd:
Payed some dood to shine his eyes, FALSE!!!

Ahh, Riddick only told that to the girl as a story.

It's not actually true, he was one of those warrior race doods and that's why his eyes are like that. ;0

Yeah, we like to pretend the CoR movie never happened because, really...Necromongers? Underverse? Furians? Stupidity.

It is, however, some damn nice eye candy with some fun action sequences.

Ah, the Necromongers - how silly they where. And for some reason, it went from slow speed interstellar travel (i.e. Cyrogenic sleeper ships) to FTL jump ships...very silly!

I've heard it remarked that it was Conan "in SPACE". I'd add "plus lava-like heat blasting and Armor-wearing goths".

GyroCaptain:

Doug:

Susan Arendt:

Liamsd:
Payed some dood to shine his eyes, FALSE!!!

Ahh, Riddick only told that to the girl as a story.

It's not actually true, he was one of those warrior race doods and that's why his eyes are like that. ;0

Yeah, we like to pretend the CoR movie never happened because, really...Necromongers? Underverse? Furians? Stupidity.

It is, however, some damn nice eye candy with some fun action sequences.

Ah, the Necromongers - how silly they where. And for some reason, it went from slow speed interstellar travel (i.e. Cyrogenic sleeper ships) to FTL jump ships...very silly!

I've heard it remarked that it was Conan "in SPACE". I'd add "plus lava-like heat blasting and Armor-wearing goths".

Actually...yeah, pretty much - Although Conan the Barbarian was better! It didn't take itself so seriously, nor did it have the Vampire Space Goths with Gimps on leashes.

I can never remember the story in any Van Deisel movies I watch. They just seem to be strings of action sequences to me.

But seriously? CoR is a stupid movie... and a plague of creatures of darkness on a planet with 3 suns is more plausible?

OblivionWolf:
I can never remember the story in any Van Deisel movies I watch. They just seem to be strings of action sequences to me.

But seriously? CoR is a stupid movie... and a plague of creatures of darkness on a planet with 3 suns is more plausible?

That's what we call a silly plot device, as opposed to a silly plot with silly plot devices. :D
But seriously, I still enjoyed both. Lowest common denominator me all you want, it was still good for some fun.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I still watch CoR whenever it comes on. But it's crap, plain and simple.

orannis62:
I know. I'm getting more and more respect for Vin Diesel. First, he decides to forgo the easy cash of a cheap tie in, then it comes out that he plays DnD and WoW.

It caught me by surprise too, that's why this comic made me laugh :)
http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/4/20/

"Vin Diesel's silken gravelly voice"? I'm pretty damn awful at first-person shooters, but I may have to pick up the game just for that.

A while ago I watched Pitch Black and picked up the original Butcher Bay. Once I get my Xbox working again, I'll try to finish the game.

And yeah, the ONLY movie featuring Riddick is Pitch Black. Thus, the "shine job" story is the correct one. Besides, it's just a better-sounding reason than "plot device ancestry powers."

Gotta love Riddick's voice, though. I played some of the earlier prison segments in Butcher Bay (the first iconic series of melee fights included), and thought it was some of the most awesome stuff I'd ever played in a game. Of course, the aforementioned Riddick Voice {tm} makes everything that much more immersive and awesome.