Ok, so you JUST picked up your Playstation 2 and a buddy of yours saw this game called Sub-Rebellion on the Wal-Mart shelf and totally thought that you should get it! So you pick it up thinking, hey this looks cool and away you go home to your mommy/daddy’s 57inch flat screen TV! You get all excited as you power your new beast up and slide the game onto the tray. First thing that comes to mind…Hunt For Red October meets Waterworld…are you excited, well…lets find out if you should be or not.
Graphics
Ok, so the Playstation 2 isn’t exactly new anymore..ok, so its the most dated next gen system on the market. But, that doesn’t mean it can’t render some really breathtaking scenery! Too bad Sub-Rebellion looks more like a Dreamcast game than a PS2 one. The graphics in Sub-Rebellion come a little bit under the category of “sub”par. Some of the water effects are neat, but for the most part, models, effects, explosions are all pretty un-innovative. The maps are somewhat small, although they can feel really big at first. This is due to the amount of speed your vessel is capable of attaining. Some of the option menus and things as such are done really well, but as far as in game graphics go…not too much eye candy here kids.
Sound
Well, I always say…sound makes the game..actually I just made that up, but forget I said that. So, does the sound make this game or break it? To be honest…the sound doesn’t do anything special. Ever play one of those games that’s a solid game but there is nothing you can find that you like about it? The sound really is just there. The music is pretty soft in the mix, though I believe you can change it. The sound effects are ok, but nothing special. The voice overs…ah yes the voice overs..the non-existent voice overs! Damnit developers, this isn’t an SNES anymore! Make some damn voice overs! Alright..so there are a few voice overs from enemy pilots and other things you shouldn’t hear when you’re cruising around in a big metal can. I just love it when the enemy ships say,”locked on! Fire!” Ok…I hate to tell you this, but that kinda gives it away as to when to dodge don’t ya think? All in consideration, sound, yeah umm no. Non-inspiring.
Gameplay
Well, so far I’ve been pretty hard on this game, so let’s see if we can make this a 3-strikes and your out situation. By far my most cherished topic to talk about! Who cares about graphics and sound when the gameplay has you whipped so bad you just can’t put the game down? No one! Too bad Sub-Rebellion doesn’t have that killer gameplay, otherwise I would have had to taste my refreshment in this paragraph! Sub-Rebellion comes with some pretty sluggish controls. Not to mention fairly complex. It controls much like a first person shooter. L1-2 for forward and back. R1-2 for up and down. L3 for steering and R3 for looking. You get a fire button, which doubles as guns and if held down torpedoes as well. You can equip your sub with many different parts you buy along the way with money you receive for finding ancient artifacts of a hidden and powerful technology. Its mission based and you can do a mission as many times as you want to to attain more artifacts and money each time you complete the mission.
The missions are not very difficult. Each mission has some sort of quest that follows the rebellions struggle to attain freedom storyline, and always ends with a “boss” fight. The AI in the game is ok at best. Some vessels are pure drones and swim in circles without any real AI. Others will try to hunt you down…but only after you have gotten within their range. Another flaw for the game. Their range is just a bit shorter than yours..this allows you to basically kill anything on the screen without actually ever getting into a dog fight. I guess the best part about sub-rebellion’s gameplay is the item hunting. You can use your sonar to detect objects in walls and underneath the ground. Blast a hole and the object is yours. Now that I think about it…that’s actually pretty lame too. Ok, so this one didn’t win any points in the gameplay category.
Overall
Take, me out to the ball game…alright, so now that we’ve seen sub-rebellion strike out, let’s predict what Trippy is gonna say in the overall section of this review. Survey says.. Don’t Buy IT! Alright alright, so I won’t be that harsh on it. Besides many drawbacks.. this game IS actually very original. I mean a sub game…its a underwater sub game.. how many of those are there on the market. Not that many I can tell ya that! My personal feelings on this one are mixed. I really don’t think anyone should buy it…but on the other hand, if you love submarines and want to enjoy a game with them as the main theme…this is about as good as it gets. However, to the masses, I would say this isn’t a buy…maybe a rent…but not a buy. If you’re interested in this type of game, I suggest renting it, it does have its moments, but too little too late for this crew member! This is Trippyliquid…trippin out!