When we first laid eyes on Mace Griffin: Bounty Hunter during the E3 2002 coverage, we were skeptical. It’s been a long wait for a game which includes space combat and first person action with seamless integration. Mace Griffin had a few issues with movement, animation and framerate, though the game has come along fairly well since May last year.
Mace Griffin takes place several hundred of years in the future, where both human and alien settlers are rapidly colonizing the galaxy. You will assume the role of ex-Special Ops officer, Mace Griffin. Against a backdrop of corporate, political and religious intrigue, Mace is framed for being involved in his comrades' deaths. After spending 10 years in prison, he becomes a Bounty Hunter, a vocation that gives him access to classified information and a means to aggressively pursue his search for the people who framed him.
Mace is on a search for the truth and revenge, and intends on accomplishing these objectives by taking a load of bounty missions. Objectives range from taking out an individual to destroying an entire space station. No job is too dirty.
Mace Griffin has come along well graphically since it was last shown, with substantial improvements in the animation and shadowing of the characters, as well as the overall framerate. While the game is graphically impressive, it does take a few shortcuts, such as the backgrounds in space being pre-rendered, and not real time as one would hope. The explosion effects also leave a little bit to be desired. The overall look is fairly pleasing to the eye, with the impression being that the future is a rather sterile, scientifically and technologically dominated society.
Sound is progressing at a steady pace. General effects and the soundtrack are pleasing enough, and the inclusion of Henry Rollins as Mace should be more than enough to get anyone to check the game out.
We're not exactly sure about how Mace Griffin plays, because we've not gone hands on with the game thus far, but it looks as if things are progressing well, if you can excuse the underdeveloped AI featured in the game at this point in time. Mace Griffin plays like a general first person shooter - a variety of guns such as pistol, machine gun, rocket launcher, plus a regenerating shield for when you get hurt, plenty of enemies to kill - the usual story. The thing that sets Mace Griffin apart from the rest is the fact that you can hop in Mace's ship and fly out into space, and fight a few dogfights. The space combat section of the game should be good - Warthog were responsible for Starlancer on the Dreamcast.
Another potential problem with Mace Griffin is the lack of multiplayer in the game. Warthog are going to need to produce a huge, not to mention compelling main quest if Mace is to truly succeed. As far as we can see, this will probably be the main stumbling block for Mace Griffin when it finally hits shelves.
We still have a degree of confidence in Warthog's ability to make Mace Griffin into a good title, and we'll have our final say on the game when it releases in June on the Playstation 2, PC, Xbox and Gamecube.
Matt Keller
13 Apr, 2003
13 Apr, 2003
Mace Griffin: Bounty Hunter Preview
Xbox Preview | Life as a bounty hunter has never been so good - flying your own ship, killing anything that moves, and having your voice provided by Henry Rollins.
Overall:
It has the potential to be something really good, but it looks as if there are a few issues to be ironed out before the game is due for release. It is still possible that it could see another delay.
It has the potential to be something really good, but it looks as if there are a few issues to be ironed out before the game is due for release. It is still possible that it could see another delay.
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Australian Release Date:
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European Release Date:
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Publisher:
Vivendi Universal
Developer:
Warthog
Players:
1
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Out Now
European Release Date:
Out Now
Publisher:
Vivendi Universal
Developer:
Warthog
Players:
1
Read more...
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