Scott_lb

Enjoying "Dead to Rights"...sort of

I recently picked up Dead to Rights on the Xbox for ten bucks and am having a lot of fun with it. However, there is one aspect of the game that I absolutely cannot stand- the camera. It's hard enough trying to survive in the Xbox version let alone having to adjust the camera all the time. I don't recall a game having this bad of a camera in quite some time (at least to my memory). Is it that hard for game developers to implement a better/good camera system? I'm not trying to be sarcastic here, as I have no knowledge of game programming. However, there are plenty of games out there that do utilize a good camera system, and I think that this game would HIGHLY benefit from using one. I am so sick of getting past a certain area that's really hard (come to think of it, they are ALL hard!) and then suddenly dying because the camera got screwed up again. Anyone else have a similar experience with this game?

\"My name is El Nino which in spanish means.... The Nino!\" - Chris Farley

Jeffrey Forner

I had less of a problem with the camera than I did the uninspired, repetitious fisticuffs fighting and the lame mini-games (with the exception of the bomb defusing). The prison level alone was a nightmare to behold.

Still, when you had guns and were running around shooting bad guys, the game really shined. Namco should have just left the hand-to-hand combat out altogether and just made it a pure shooter. It's obvious that's the area into which they poured all of their efforts.

-J.Fo

JamesHl

The problem that I had with the camera is that I was flipping back and forth from Dead to Rights and Splinter Cell, I think, and the rotate thing is inverted between them... annoying.

I hated the levels where you could fall off of things, but that was about it. I think the brawling is kind of fun, but there's probably too much of it. There definitely needed to be more taking control of the dog bits, though not so much as to make it gimmicky. But how many times do you do it, like twice?

Scott Bourden

I dispised the camera, enough to drop the game on the spot, after about 3 hours of playing. Terrible design, horrible view, and while the game did have some enjoyable parts, it was overshadowed greatly by these horrible flaws.

Scott_lb

(Rant mode on)

After playing a bit longer, here are some of my thoughts on the Chinatown level (after you leave the smoky casino area and have a shoot-out with 20+ guys in an alley):

1. After playing for about one hour, I finally figured out that I should use the dog to take out as many guys as I can while hiding behind a wall before getting my ass handed to me. However, the fun gets so more exciting when I get to stand there and do absolutely nothing and for about two minutes while the "doggy meter" recharges after I send him out to get someone. I also enjoy the parts where after the dog goes out and kills someone, the camera changes and shows a view of 100% concrete, and when I try to change the view to ensure that I'm not in a line of fire, the camera doesn't move while my character is being blown away. WHAT THE F*CK IS THAT ABOUT?

2. After taking out the three guys on the ground via the dog, I have to take out three snipers (all at different angles) and a guy on top of a semi all at the same time. I aim at the sniper right across from me and the auto-target turns red (meaning that if I shoot him a few times, he'll die). I unload on him and his life meter depletes rapidly, however, it stops at about 20% and he remains alive EVEN THOUGH the auto-target is still red and locked on him and I'm blasting away (with an AK-47 no less). He shoots me twice and I lose about 65% of my life meter.

3. I duck back behind the corner, reload, then go out at after him again (also with the target-lock meter red and directly on him again). I shoot about twenty rounds at him, and NOT A SINGLE ROUND DOES ANY DAMAGE. He shoots me twice, and I die. I then have to start the entire level over again, and have to experience the joy (again) of waiting for the doggy meter to recharge to take out the guys on the ground for the umpteenth time.

4. After playing the level for about two hours, I finally get to the end. I did take out the 20+ guys shooting at me from all directions and found a health pack to boot. Also, I was somehow able to kill the sniper, even though I used the same strategy that failed me many times before (???). So, I get to the end of the alley, and I have to complete a "mini-game" in order to complete the level (by picking a lock). This lock pick is much harder than the one before it and I end up screwing it up (the last one didn't move nearly as fast). I get arrested and I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE LEVEL AGAIN, INCLUDING KILLING THE ALMOST INDESTRUCTIBLE SNIPER.

This has got to be the most frustrating game I have played in recent memory. Not the hardest- just the most frustrating. I understand that Namco wanted to make a game that is incredibly difficult, however, it makes it next to impossible when there are technical glitches in addition to a high difficulty level. I would therefore like to know the answer to this question (and I would truly like to know the answer):

"Do videogame companies actually do product test runs before mass producing a game?" (sort of like how many film companies do test screenings of films)

I cannot believe that Namco got a representative group of gamers together and everyone said, "Yeah, I like the fact that you cannot see where your character is going. I think it's cool that the camera changes to horrible angles when 15 guys are shooting at you and you have to constantly re-adjust the camera while you're getting killed. I also like it when you're in a big shoot-out, you hit the auto-target button and your character locks onto the brick wall next to you in the complete opposite direction as your enemies. They should have done that in Halo."

\"My name is El Nino which in spanish means.... The Nino!\" - Chris Farley

JamesHl

Wait til you get to the snipers in the second construction yard run through.

You have to try and play to get shot as little as possible. You really have to use your cover, try and use the added accuracy of first person view for shooting to engage from a range where the enemy is less accurate, and choose the right weapon for the right situation.

JamesH

I actually loved Dead to Rights and I didn't really have problems with the camera. The only things that really bugged me were the stupid bottomless pits in the underground area, and the parts where you have to mash buttons as fast as possible.

I don't remember having to use the dog all that much, and it definately wasn't necessary to wait around for the meter to recharge. I think the thing I enjoyed about the game was that your character is extremely fragile and can die in just a few shots, but a real master can become nearly invincible even in a massive hail of bullets by taking hostages, using cover, and slowing down time. The gameplay style reminded me of the prison riot in Natural Born Killers, which is one of my favorite movies.

imported_AaronJB

Apparently, they're making a "Dead to Rights" movie with Nicholas Cage.

Scott Van Dyke

I know the level in which you speak of Scott. The same thing happened to me. I was so glad to get to the end of the level, then boom! I had to do a minigame. I was too nervous and failed. I too have had to wait for the dog meter to regain energy. Some situations called for heavy use of the dog, seeing as how I was out of ammo, and needed a gun or two.

I returned this rental months ago, and can honestly tell you I don't know where I left off. I'm sure it was some impossible part of some level though. Some levels made me play through like 25 times. I'd finally make it through, but I'd have to save with low energy, and 0 ammo.

Scott Van Dyke

Side note: This thread is making want to rent this game again.