Dead to Rights II: Hell to Pay [PS2]

The original Dead To Rights was a third-person, action/shooter juggernaut, and its sequel promised to deliver an even bigger toolbox of intense moves and weapons. It turns out a lot of the tools have dulled over time, and some must have gotten lost along the way. What we're left with is a decidedly average shooter that completely misses its must-play target.

As a prequel, DTR II isn't the mad romp for revenge the original was. It also gives Namco an excuse to change the look of protagonist Jack Slate. If he didn't have his trusty pooch Shadow in tow, you might not be able to recognize him. Luckily, he can still pull off acrobatic disarms, slo-mo dives, and all the other dazzling bells and whistles included in the first title's gameplay.

Improvements abound in terms of mechanics. When he's unarmed, Jack's fighting prowess is much more refined than before. Tackling adversaries in every direction is no sweat -- and without the much-maligned right-stick control of Namco's other action game, Death by Degrees. Also, Jack's ability to smoothly pass over low-height objects helps to avoid choppiness and adds realism. Perhaps the coolest addition, though, is letting Jack twist and turn to take out multiple bad guys while in a slow-mo dive. It's a sight to behold.

All is not well in Grant City though, friends, so avoid scratching that itchy trigger finger just yet. Despite the myriad improvements, DTR II just doesn't pack the same punch. The weakness of the story is only saved by the fact that it's so forgettable and understated. Level design comes from the archaic Doom school of Push-Switch, Open-Door 101 -- not the best way to take advantage of the gameplay feats. While you can save at any time, what would be a blessing becomes a curse when you realize the developers use it as a crutch to keep pushing an endless stream of enemies your way.

Say what you will about the abundance of minigames in the original, at least they offered something to break up the action. Here, there's nothing separating the never-ending task of killing similar-looking thugs. Thus, you'll likely get bored pretty quickly.

As stated above, the mechanics of hand-to-hand fighting are better, but other factors make it a pain -- such as melee weapon-wielding enemies that ignore your blows to deal heavy damage. Melee weapons themselves aren't implemented very well; the ammo-like numbered usage is especially out of place. They also keep you from experiencing the nice combo system laid out before you, yet they're necessary to make it past the tough difficulty level.

With so many moves to do, good control is key. The problem with DTR II is that there's no solid tutorial to learn what button does what. Instead, you can watch cutscene demos of the moves, along with scrolling text that shows how to pull them off. For some reason, there wasn't any help function given to the actual game. Bad move, Namco: Gamers need to learn by doing, not watching. If you expect to pick up everything as you go, you'll be sorely mistaken.

Graphically, Dead to Rights is still below the curve. It may look decent in screenshots, but the game lacks fluidity in animation. Characters run stiffly, and there's an unsettling pause between squaring off with someone and using a disarm to take them out. The environments don't echo the dark, gritty feel they should. Perhaps this is due to the lack of lighting effects. Compare this to Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, and it's tough to believe they're in the same console generation.

The audio is better off ignored -- which is what the development team seemingly did. Dead to Rights II has the most generic music ever heard outside of an elevator, and the voiceovers are so corny, they belong in a field.

While this review is full of some harsh (but well-deserved) criticisms for the game, people new to the series will see that the number of options you have in a fight is astounding. Arguably, Dead to Rights II has the best dive-and-shoot action on the market today. Each weapon feels different, and throwing explosive items adds an extra pop. Shadow is a great sidekick, too.

It's just a shame that, rather than build on its great elements, they're Dead to Rights II's only redeeming feature. In this day and age, you need a total package -- graphics, sound, story, smart AI, and user-friendly control -- to go along with your gameplay. Much like Dante and Devil May Cry 2, let's hope this is just a sophomore slump, and this series will come back stronger in a future installment. If not, it truly is dead to rights.