By Philip Dunkley
I’m going to keep this review relatively short and sweet, as Etienne recently reviewed the console version of this game, and this version has all the same story based elements and gameplay, but a few differences from its bigger brothers.
The differences in the PSP version and its consoles go a little something like this.
Firstly, the graphics have been toned down quite a bit, and the PSP version seems a lot grainier than the PS3 and 360 versions, but this is totally understandable. One thing that did strike me is that the camera angles on the PSP version sit a lot further away, and this seems to miss out on a lot of the details that throw you into the thick of the action. They also get a bit annoying at times, so the overall effect is lost at points, and can drive the frustration levels up. I found myself or my onscreen partner dying a lot more in this version.
On that note, Co-Op play has been removed in this version completely, and this was one of the console versions biggest strengths. It takes away a lot from the game, but it’s not the end of the world. The game has some serious replay values, as there are so many hidden items within the game, that you can play each level over and over with different characters in free play mode, just to unlock everything.
One thing I do need to mention here is the following. I don’t know what it is, but picking this game up and playing it on the handheld system, just seems to feel right. I found myself coming back to the game over and over again on the PSP, more so than I did on the console version. It’s just such a “Pick up and play†title, something that I associate more with the DS than the PSP usually.
It’s definitely a version of the game that’s worth a look at, and if you did not look into the console versions, this is viable option. Also, if you are looking for a fun quick pick up and play title, this feels so suited for that genre, it’s actually quite scary. It’s something that tickled my interest, and I believe that this title will get more gameplay from me than I actually thought it would at first.
Scoring:
Gameplay: 7.5/10 (A good play)
Presentation: 7/10 (Could have been a bit better)
Sound: 7/10 (Adequate, music is still good though)
Value: 8/10 (100% completion is a long ride)
Overall: 7.5/10 (Quite an entertaining game, even with a few flaws)
Last Updated: June 27, 2008
