Jason Bourne comes to the screen again with high production values and outstanding graphics in the latest action game, Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy. This title boasts an engaging storyline centering on a fully controllable character (not modeled after Matt Damon). Action director Jeff Imada and his team creates amazing action sequences comparable to the Bourne film series. The use of motion capture techniques, full graphic capabilities and similar camera styles recreate the films' excitement very well.
Players can sprint and interact with the environments, but the two most impact-filled activities are the takedowns (circle button when prompted) and instinct (triangle) actions. More combinations could have been used (players can relish in the fun sprinting takedowns), but the amount of action and A.I. baddies are usually enough for any player even on the easiest difficulty level (three total). Blocking is always good, especially in the boss battles, and light attacks also work very well immediately after takedown attacks. Characters show the damage they take very well.
The best feature is the sudden button sequence(s) you must complete to advance through missions. Miss the timing and the consequences include severe damage or death, though Bourne hangs in there pretty good when the chips are really down. These rapid button sequences can be predictable at times, but create a nice sense of tension and constant expectancy rare in video games.
Bourne eventually unholsters his gun and picks up several other weapons to dispense of baddies more quickly. Use cover to recover health, jump out at shoot from a safe position or and even take a break from the non-stop action. The game play then graduates to vehicles with helicopters, cars (careful, stationary cars blow up from the back) and others. The camera (right stick) adjusts pretty well while the driving and aiming controls have a few rough patches even with a considerable learning curve. The environments paint a gritty, dark picture most of the time, but never to the point where players must drastically adjust the screen brightness. On-screen displays give directional guidance and communication cut scenes give more background behind Bourne's superiors and the overall story.
Article comments
1 - Mark Buckingham
To me, this played more like Dragon's Lair than a proper action game, where the bulk of the interaction and flair revolves around hitting the right button at the right time, then watching a movie of something happening. More of an interactive movie that way than anything.
Beating it in under six hours with little compelling me to play it again coupled with wonky shooting, a screwy lock-on system, the inability to switch targets during or back out of a fistfight, extremely linear gameplay, and barebones Rock-Em Sock-Em Robots melee made it a rental at best. With no movie release date to hit, I thought for sure they could at least cover the three chapters in one game rather than milk players for another $120 over two more brief installments.
To each his own, but if you only have $60 to blow, Rainbow Six Vegas, Assassin's Creed, and Drake's Fortune are much more polished and entertaining on the same system.