This game called out to me from the shelf of Blockbuster, so I rented it. It ended up being a pretty good choice. It follows Max Payne and Metal Gear Solid in the line of titles that wish they were movies. In this case, you play a cop who finds his father, a private investigator, killed and vows to seek revenge. The game follows your search for clues as you figure out what exactly went wrong. Of course, you run into a lot of resistance along the way.

The game plays a lot like May Payne. There's the obvious task of roaming through mostly urban areas acquiring weapons and taking out baddies, but you also have a couple interesting twists. The first is the ability to do slow-motion dives, just as you can in Payne. It makes things a lot easier when you are facing 4 or 5 baddies at once. You also have your dog, Shadow. He can attack enemies when you're out of ammo. The game tries to set itself apart with an interesting fighting engine and mini-games. There are levels where you'll have no weapons, like when you try to escape from priosn, and have to rely on your fists. It's a lot like Final Fight or Double Dragon -- nothing spectacular. The mini-games are an interesting addition, as you rarely find these in action games. Theoretically, it requires an additional skill, but it is mostly button mashing.

The graphics in the game are more than adequate, but won't make you buy the game. Unfortunately, the graphics aren't improved in the cut scenes, which means that the mouths don't move to match the voice acting. This lack of improvement adds consistency to the game, but having faces that don't move is unacceptable with what is capable today.

What the game lacks in graphics, it makes up for in gameplay. I have finished 3 hours worth of the game, keep thinking it will end soon, but it just keeps on keepin' on. The level designs are fairly interesting and there are a variety of different weapons and enemies. Most importantly, it's a lot of fun. I'll give an update if I'm able to finish the game anytime soon, because if there are only 5 hours or so of gametime, then it's not worth buying. You can rent it.

This game is perfect for people who love the action/adventure genre, because it provides more of the stuff you've grown to love. Still, there is nothing that sets this aart from the other games. If you're looking for an original take on a well-known concept, you've come to the wrong place. I'd give it a 7 out of 10.