Rise to Honor Review

Developer	Sony Computer Entertainment
Publisher	Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre	Action Adventure

Not too long ago, games like Dead to Rights were all the rage. You know the type: third person action/adventure games with the emphasis on action. It seemed like every game featured a desperate anti-hero with an arsenal of weapons and moves, and of course the “bullet time” effect made famous by the Matrix.

Rise to Honor carries on this action-packed tradition but also features a very cinematic flair, making it slightly distinct from the rest of the pack. Unfortunately, pesky controls and repetitive gameplay get in the way of what could have been an interesting ride.

Gameplay - As mentioned, the Rise to Honor’s most impressive characteristic is the approach its presentation. Set up like a sort of virtual DVD, the player must punch and kick his way from scene to scene. And in a cool move, you’re allowed to revisit previous scenes, accessed by a DVD-like menu. The in-game presentation also has a very Hollywood style to it with slow-motion effects and numerous Hollywood blockbuster clichés. These effects sometimes get in the way of the action, but overall they’re done very well.

In a surprising design choice, Sony decided to go with a control scheme similar to that of Rare’s dismal Grabbed by the Ghoulies. Rather than pushing the X or O button to attack, you instead move the right analog stick in the direction of your enemy. It takes a bit of getting used to and never really feels quite natural, especially when repeated attacks in one direction are required. Furthermore, you have no real control over what sort of attack you’re going to do as this control scheme causes Jet Li to punch and kick randomly. This really takes the interactivity, and subsequently, the fun out of a good deal of the game. Even the special attacks that can be performed once you use up your adrenalin are barely controlled by the player and wind up feeling more like a game on autopilot.

Other modes of play are thrown in to help mix things up, and while some are enjoyable, none are very compelling. Again, the interactivity is almost nowhere to be found and some (like the stunt levels) simply require you to push a button when the game tells you to.

The enemy AI is also a bit questionable as many adhere to easily discovered patterns. The bosses are especially frustrating in that you’ll spend most of the time waiting for them to finish up their pattern before you can attack.

Graphics - Rise is simply oozing with style and gives a generous nod to Hong Kong action flicks, and the graphics do a decent job of facilitating this feel. The game won’t astound visually, but the developers have done a nice job of recreating the gritty feel of Hong Kong action movies. The environments are varied enough to keep things interesting and the character designs are also well done, if a bit repetitive at times.

Sound - We were actually quite pleased with the variety provided by the soundtrack. There’s a lot going on in the game and the music always fits the situation appropriately. The voice over work is also well done, with Jet Li of course doing the honors of his character. The only thing that may become a bit grating is a problem that plagues many action games: repetitive enemy phrases. However, it never gets too annoying and doesn’t detract from an otherwise enjoyable audio experience.

Bottom Line - Why does it seem that nearly every action movie or game has the main character jumping through the air with two guns in slow motion?

That burning question aside, Rise to Honor does some interesting things cinematically, but the gameplay side of the equation never quite seems to be able to catch up. Using the right analog stick for attacks just doesn’t feel right, and as a player, you’re never really allowed to control your attacks properly. That, added to the frustratingly cheap bosses, adds up to a mediocre gaming experience, despite the crisp visuals and entertaining audio portions. Jet Li fans may be pleased, but most others may want to look elsewhere.

Review by John Luedtke