Tech Olive

In anticipation of the second game’s release, I finally went back and finished the first Kane and Lynch. It was far from perfect, but it had its good points and it was a promising start to a new franchise form the great guys behind the Hitman series. When Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days was announced, I was excited to see how the first game’s promising formula was improved. Now it’s time to put the series’ second installment to the test.

Since the events of the first game, the two anti-heroes have split ways and went on with their own lives. Dog Days skips over this a bit and starts with Kane visiting Lynch in Shanghai (the reason for his visit is never explained) where Lynch has made a life for himself.

Before the game’s story has a chance to even begin, Kane tags along on an errand with Lynch where chaos ensues and people get killed. The rest of the story is Kane and Lynch fighting their way through a crime boss’s blood-fueled attempt at revenge for Kane and Lynch having killed his daughter during previously mentioned errand-gone-bad. I will admit, the story does progress at a quick pace that it lends itself a bit of chaos that fits well with the game’s overall feel, but it still lacks a core story worth caring about and that is a huge annoyance.

When it comes to the game’s visuals, one would expect at least a small improvement over the original game three years ago. Unfortunately, very little has actually changed. IO Interactive did add some interesting filters and visual effects to Dog Days, and these changes come in the form of “artistic” filters, censor-blurring, lens flares and some very shaky documentary-style camerawork. This does seem to create an almost atmospheric and artistic approach at first, but it ultimately only succeeds in annoying the player and inducing motion sickness in most gamers.

During the game’s 6-8 hour campaign, you’ll find yourself gunning through some adrenaline-pumping, gore-filled shootouts, but we all know that games cannot live on this alone. And even such a simple mechanic as this isn’t without its issues. Looking past the fact that enemies can almost always still shoot you even when you’re in cover, most of the weapons you come across are about as powerful and accurate as the slingshots you used to make as a kid from fallen sticks and old rubber bands.

And if you’re still reading this article thinking, “the story can’t be all bad, there’s gotta be at least a great ending to make up for it all, right?” Wrong.

Sure, the ending does bring a bit of closure and leaves you a bit satisfied, but it raises more questions than it answers. When all is said and done, you’re left thinking, “that’s it? That wasn’t an ending,” but it simply was.

Scores

- Graphics: 3
Unfortunately, this aspect of the game that tried and failed the hardest. In a semi-successful attempt to make the game feel more cinematic, grungy and flowing, IO Interactive changed to a much more shaky documentary-style camera and almost completely left the 3-year-old graphics untouched from the original game.

- Storyline: 4
Before it gets a chance to even start a story, the game is interrupted by a revenge-driven blood bath that engulfs the entire game. It starts and ends on its own terms and offers the player almost no satisfaction or enjoyment. On the plus side for deranged fans of the series, the game’s ending leaves itself wide open for a third Kane and Lynch title.

- Gameplay: 6
Dog Days does feature some great voice acting, and it’s not a terrible choice if you’re looking for a mindless shooter, assuming you can get used to the frustrating camera-shake and annoying enemies-can-shoot-through-any-surface cover system.

- Controls: 6
Nothing special here, but more importantly, nothing to disappoint. Laid out fairly simply, the game’s controls are fairly effective despite the chaotic camera trying its best to disorient you during heated battles.

- Lasting Appeal: 3
The game does feature multiplayer like its predecessor, but good luck finding a friend that hasn’t snapped his game disc in half. Unless you were a massive and undying fan of the first game, I strongly suggest you pass on this one.

Overall: 4 Olives