The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay -- Developer's Cut [PC]

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Released on the Xbox back in January, Escape from Butcher Bay gathered significantly better reviews than the movie it's based on -- a very unusual phenomenon. The PC version of this action-stealth first-person shooter is even better, thanks to improved graphics and a ton of DVD-style extras. Both a licensed game and a port (a title that's been converted to another platform), it's outstanding and well worth your time.

The game starts with Riddick being dropped off at Butcher Bay, a notorious ultra-high security prison. Riddick's not the sort of man to do as he's told, so he promptly breaks out and -- well, you can discover the rest. Expect a high body-count, lots of deadpan Riddick one-liners, and more than enough swearing, violence, and general unpleasantness for the game to earn its "M" rating.

Fist-fighting, gunplay, and stealthy kills all play their roles in the action. You'll often find yourself resorting to hand-to-hand combat when weapons aren't readily available, and Riddick's melee combat system works as well as any we've played. Blocking is easy, and the combos flow very freely -- you'll do equally well whether you prefer to defend and watch for an opening, or outmaneuver your opponent with lively footwork.

Stealth sections are brightened up, so to speak, by Riddick's uncanny night vision. He's working with a significant advantage over the guards in the dark, and thanks to clear visual effects it's obvious when he's hidden and when he can be seen.

The game's well-paced, breaking up stealth segments with action, exploration, and interaction with other characters. You're rarely doing one thing for too long... even those bored with more traditional stealth games should find the action varied enough for them to enjoy. While the experience is largely linear, there are several locations where making deals with characters lets you avoid action sequences, and rather more where you have the choice between a stealthy approach and a more aggressive, guns-blazing attack.

Somewhat surprisingly, Riddick doesn't look too shabby when compared to even the latest and greatest of PC shooters. Sure, it doesn't have the realism of Doom 3, or the attention to detail and clean lines of Half-Life 2, but there's no doubt it's a very good-looking game. Plenty of detail is evident in the levels and textures, and although it doesn't match the big names in facial or character animation, it's quite functional.

There's a price for this prettiness -- you'll need a hefty PC to see it at its best, or even to see it at all. Don't even think about running it on a computer less capable than the minimum specs on the box, and don't expect to start switching on graphical options unless you have a machine that significantly exceeds them. As a testament to the coders at Valve Software, but a downside for this game, Riddick performs worse than Half-Life 2 on less capable PCs.

Sound-wise, the inimitable Vin Diesel voices Riddick himself, and performs excellently in what's arguably his best role to date. His supporting cast members aren't generally around for too long, but before they die in some brutal and creative way, they play their parts just as well.

The PC version is subtitled (or sub-subtitled) "Developer's Cut," and you won't be surprised to hear this refers to a set of added-value type extras. Although there's one additional stage in the regular game, most of the rest need to be unlocked by completing the game or collecting packets of cigarettes along the way. The smokes unlock concept drawings, renders, and even the first chapter of the movie's novelization.

Completing the game opens a commentary mode. On replaying the game, floating icons appear throughout that, when used, pause the game while the developers offer up some insights aurally. If you're even slightly interested in the development process, you'll find it fascinating. We would like to have seen it unlocked from the beginning, but it's a nice addition that we hope will be more widely implemented.

All told, Riddick is a great port of a great Xbox game. With top-notch visuals, varied and entertaining gameplay, quality acting, and a compelling mix of action and stealth -- not to mention the catalog of extras -- it would be excellent value at a typical $50, let alone the budget price it's retailing for. If you missed the game on the Xbox, do yourself a favor and buy Riddick immediately.