IO Interactive visited the Destructoid HQ recently wherewe got a second lookatKane & Lynch 2: Dog Days. We were shown the same level we got to see earlier this year, but this time we were able to get some proper hands-on time with the game.
Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Daysis about the two anti-heroes, Kane and Lynch, going after the only thing that really matters in life: money. The sequel takes the duo to Shanghai where they’re looking to score the biggest payoff ever, but sh*t hits the fan and the two protagonists find themselves trying to survive the ensuing chaos.
Read on after the break for my second look at the newKane & Lynch.
Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days(Xbox 360 [Previewed], PlayStation 3, PC)Developer: IO InteractivePublisher: Eidos Interactive, Square EnixTo be released: 2010
Dog Daysis a third-person shooter and controls handle like what you would expect out of a game like this. You’ll be using all sorts of different fire power; you can hug walls for cover and switch the camera to either the left or right shoulder on the fly. There’s also an auto-targeting system where you’ll automatically lock-on to the closest enemy when popping out from cover.
The main thing that setsDog Daysapart from other third-person shooters is the unique presentation. The visuals make the entire game feel like a cross between the showCopsand a crappy YouTube video. Whenever the player gets hit, the quality of the video drops and flickers. Explosions will cause the entire screen to get distorted and choppy too. This visual look and feel is in place to giveDog Daysa very gritty feel which the game pulls off rather well.
I’m all for the visuals of the game, but my time withDog Daysgave me a pretty bad headache. My headache seemed to intensify when I would have Lynch sprint as the camera would bounce all over the place. Thankfully, there’s a setting in place to turn off the shaky cam effects.
One of my complaints from the last time I sawDog Dayswas with the enemy AI in how they wouldn’t use cover. This time around, the AI was using cover and they’re smart enough to run for new cover when needed. The enemy AI seemed a littletoosmart though as they would be shooting at the exact spot I was using as cover even when I would move around behind the cover without exposing myself.
My second look at the newKane & Lynch 2was enjoyable, but there’s still a lot more I want to see before I can get any idea on whether this game will be worth the purchase. A game like this has to have a solid story and we’ve yet to see what’s really up with the plot. That will be the deciding factor, for me anyway.
Video Editor-in-Chief over on Vtoid also had some things to say aboutKane & Lynch 2: Dog Daysvisual presentation.
