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THQ's lineup is pretty much about sequels, with the crazy Saints Row: The Third, Metro: Last Light (as dark as the previous game) and the rough Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine. Their booth was probably one of the most beautiful. An angel statue straight from Saints Row 2, a jet doubling as a lounge, and a Warhammer's cockpit containing the stand. While Space Marine was playable, Metro: Last Light and Saints Row 3 were not, as they've been shown behind closed doors. Now let's take a look at these three promising games, and don't forget to thank Plumb again for his sharp eye.

Saints Row The Third

Besides the angel statue lauding proudly at the entry, the room itself was quite nice with genuine seats, a concern we appreciate. Back to the subject, it starts rough as the main character walks and then fights, hand-to-hand, the poor guys in his way. That brutality was necessary to show us some finishing moves, whether they be violent or funny: an aerial suplex followed by the character striking a pose, a free kick right after jumping on the victim's back or a brutal blow straight to the balls that reminds of a cult scene from Hot Shots! Part Deux. As if it was not enough, originals and unexpected melee weapons were unveiled: the giant dildo and apoco fist that allows you to blow up the innocent pedestrians as if they were spineless, the whole slew of them ending up in a shower of blood.

You may know what to expect of this third and overexcited game of the series, but that was just the beginning. If you need to steal a car, all you have to do is sprint in its direction and jump through the car's window and then you're ready to drive. Sure this is not realistic but the game intends to be funny and it is. The driving seems to be streamlined to increase the amusement while behind the wheel of those different racing cars. To amaze the girls you'll be able to start a drift showoff that will liven things up in the street. The Saints being the wealthiest gang of the city, they have access to leading-edge military technology: tanks, advanced assault rifles, even air strikes straight out of Modern Warfare.

The military highlight comes from the interceptor that doesn't takeoff but liftoff, making the Hawker Siddeley Harrier a tiny toy next to it. This aircraft and the jet from Nintendo's Super Aleste are like two peas in a pod. The fighter plane can hover, or propel itself at great speed, fire in bursts or shoot fearsome homing missiles. Still from the delirious part of the game, there's a human cannon truck that allows one to launch any passerby, or even your own character. A new feature borrowed from Just Cause and Rico, the parachute, which can be used as much as you want while in the air.

General impressions


Saints Row: The Third carries on with a great frenzy and banks its open world universe on the theme of pure entertainment. We didn't see how the side missions look, but we should expect anything (in a good way) as always. A main mission has shown us that the dialogue is still filled with humor and that the objectives could be even more wild and crazy. On the other hand, graphically, don't expect something wonderful even if the engine is still effective. To conclude, I think that this third episode will remain faithful to its elders with a touch of madness.

Metro Last Light

Metro 2033's sequel was also shown away from prying eyes, and even though the room's decoration wasn't as impressive as Saints Row: The Third, or Warhammer 40,000's, the game itself was worth seeing. Metro: Last Light is the direct continuation of the first opus, thus we come across the same dark atmosphere as in 4A Games' first title. This presentation unveiled what we could briefly see in the last official trailer. The first scene gives us the opportunity to both admire the outside world covered with vestiges from the modern civilization, and to notice that the game's engine is still appealing. After having roamed a while through this lifeless land, the camera plunges into the depths of the Moscow's sewer. There the player takes the control of the hero, Ayrtom, who seems to be infiltrating an enemy's camp.

First surprise, it is now possible for the player to play in a totally furtive much more easily than before; he can unscrew light bulbs which are within reach to squeeze in the dark. Equipped with a weapon with a silencer, he is also able to destroy light sources from a distance, or kill enemies, when a hand-to-hand encounter is not desired. This feature is really pleasant and all the more so it leads to very nice lighting effects. Once successfully infiltrated, Ayrtom attends a speech from a Russian officer to a gathering which reminds one of the Third Reich. The allies present in the room take advantage of an argument between two men on the Officer stand and coldly kill them before running away, while shooting their pursuers. They then jump in a mine cart and rush down the railway. With their enemies hot on their tails, our hero screws a big machine-gun on the cart to liquidate them. Although this sequence is scripted, it brings some rhythm.

General impressions


Metro: Last Light retains the dark atmosphere of the first game and it is even more impressive from a technical standpoint. We only got the chance to see the PC version, so it can be assumed that the console versions may not look as good. Since infiltration has been improved greatly over the last game, the only thing that could bother some of you may be the scripted sequences. If 4A Games manages to propose a good mix of gameplay elements, then this sequel should make it big.

Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine

Warhammer was the only playable game at the booth, with a giant ship as the setting of the playing area. With our special privilege in hands, we board the craft to get a closer look at Relic Entertainment's game. First observation, the hormone-fed Marines don't go for half measures to take down their targets. The machine gun, equipped with enriched uranium bullets, can explode a head as if it was an ordinary melon. The shotgun may simply shred to pieces the poor fellow crossing its sight. A laser sniper rifle allows you to disintegrate any opponent at long range, and a grenade launcher which uses remote charges that you can trigger whenever you want. If this arsenal seems altogether traditional, you can also draw your chainsaw equipped sword to finish the survivors in a bloody melee. So it's obviously the type of game that will help you let off some steam.

No doubt that there's some Gears of War influence here, though without the chainsaw animation. To replace the most violent attack in the video game history, you can cross "swords" with an equally armed enemy. So you have to hammer a button to win the duel to finish your opponent by driving your blade in his head; a very pleasing action, it must be confessed, sadistic or not. We find the usual mechanic of life and armor, the latter recharging quickly while health is recovered much more slowly. A power gage also allows you to launch devastating special attacks unto the hordes, which will eliminate many enemies in the blink of an eye.

General impressions


This new episode of the Warhammer license does not invent anything new, but it still provides good entertainment. The ultra violent actions are clearly not for the most sensitive amongst you, and there is so much blood being splattered around that it becomes totally unrealistic and over the top. The graphics engine is nothing transcendent compared to other games of the genre, but it is definitely gets the job done. We will have to delve into the story to make a more accurate opinion, but for now, Warhammer 40,000 did not succeed in convincing the team.
bleachedsmiles
bleachedsmiles
Commented on 2011-06-28 21:16:21
"We will have to delve into the story to make a more accurate opinion, but for now, Warhammer 40,000 did not succeed in convincing the team." - Warhammer.

Did not succeed in convincing the team of what? I'm abit confused as you said it was good entertainment, and the visuals get the job done.
In reply to
IRAIPT0IR
IRAIPT0IR
Commented on 2011-06-28 21:30:47
The Space Marine impressions are Godly that I must ask if there was a mistake in the last paragraph of the "General Impressions"

game sounds insane and just what I wanted it to be.

Just a question I know you mentioned but can you confirm heads exploding with the sniper headshots?

Thanks in advance!!

Im very pumped!!
In reply to
Sath - Missed the<br>hay
Sath
Commented on 2011-06-28 21:34:21
Space Marines for me, looks badass!

IMO, this is how 3rd person shooters should be lol
Not the generic "lets take cover to heal".

These guys actually encourages you to go into battle and go for the brutal melee combat to gain health, so awesome!
In reply to
Driftwood - Dictateur en chef
Driftwood
Commented on 2011-06-28 22:25:54 In reply to bleachedsmiles
The game looks rather entertaining but Ghost did not think it had anything really special in the end. So what he means by that is that the team was clearly not blown away by the game and that we have seen has not made us that impatient to play more. For now that is.
In reply to
KORNdog
KORNdog
Commented on 2011-06-28 22:37:32
can't say any of these interest me at all. i don't expect any of them to fair that well critically. but we'll see.
In reply to
FreeSwag
FreeSwag
Commented on 2011-06-28 23:35:21 In reply to KORNdog
Posted by KORNdog
can't say any of these interest me at all. i don't expect any of them to fair that well critically. but we'll see.
So basically what you are saying, is that if critics don't like it, you don't like it. Wow, how enlightened.
In reply to
KORNdog
KORNdog
Commented on 2011-06-28 23:38:53 In reply to FreeSwag
Posted by FreeSwag
So basically what you are saying, is that if critics don't like it, you don't like it. Wow, how enlightened.
no, I'm saying I'm not interested in what I'm seeing, and that I don't think critics will review the games that well. it was in plain English the first time. didn't think I needed to spell it out? guess I expect too much of people eh? oh well :S
In reply to
abcgamer
abcgamer
Commented on 2011-06-29 00:35:36
SRTT is just lol. That game will be fun but it is coming at November which is very crowded
In reply to
Akumajo
Akumajo
Commented on 2011-06-29 02:15:37
Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine, that is all I care about from THQs line up, if they screw it up I will just go back to playing the old Dawn of War and Winter Assault and pretending while manipulating the camera that its a third person shooter instead of an RTS.
Basically you can play that old 2004 game and see all of the Ultra Violence as evidence of the Warhammer 40k universe instead of seeing it as a Gears of War like game.
In reply to
inkyspot
inkyspot
Commented on 2011-06-29 05:17:43
Saints Row for me, not too sure about the other two.
I see Saints getting a 7 or 8. something.
Doesn't matter, I'm still getting it.
In reply to
munkini
munkini
Commented on 2011-06-29 10:11:00
While I am not a prior fan of Warhammer, this new title looked pretty polished, fun and violent enough to be entertaining but may suffer from becoming repetitive.

As for the amount of blood being "unrealistic" now that's just silly, I watched the footage and it's pretty much the correct amount, considering the violent evisceration. Also this preview fails to mention one of the key mechanics of attacking harder to regain health, instead talking about the "usual mechanics" for health recovery.
In reply to
PlumbDrumb - Still drinking
PlumbDrumb
Commented on 2011-06-29 10:15:53
the Warhammer preview did seem to be rushed...

people probably have other facets of their lives to attend to.
In reply to
Driftwood - Dictateur en chef
Driftwood
Commented on 2011-06-29 10:17:14 In reply to PlumbDrumb
Or did not have that much time tp play the game because they had to attend to many more presentations in the three days they spent there. ;p
In reply to
PlumbDrumb - Still drinking
PlumbDrumb
Commented on 2011-06-29 10:29:12
Like I said though, all of these triads you've been covering have me salivating.
Every. Single. Game.

Great work bringing it to our attentions.

Now it's just a matter of narrowing down the personal winners of my life's savings.
In reply to
Driftwood - Dictateur en chef
Driftwood
Commented on 2011-06-29 10:39:38 In reply to PlumbDrumb
And for the guys who were there, Space Marine is not the one to go for, whether some of you guys like it or not. ^^
In reply to
Sath - Missed the<br>hay
Sath
Commented on 2011-06-29 11:54:11
You saying it sucks?
Isnt that an opinion though? Lol
In reply to
PlumbDrumb - Still drinking
PlumbDrumb
Commented on 2011-06-29 12:03:36
yeah, you better watch it with those opinions, Drift.

Wouldn't want anybody to think you had one, or anything.
In reply to
Driftwood - Dictateur en chef
Driftwood
Commented on 2011-06-29 12:04:09 In reply to Sath
Posted by Sath
You saying it sucks?
Isnt that an opinion though? Lol
We're saying, with all the great titles to come, Space Marine is not that exciting. And yes, that's what you call an opinion. :p
In reply to
Sath - Missed the<br>hay
Sath
Commented on 2011-06-29 12:07:32
Depends.
IMO Space Marine offers great combo between my favorite genres, sci fi shoting and melee.
In reply to
IRAIPT0IR
IRAIPT0IR
Commented on 2011-06-29 15:50:03 In reply to Driftwood
Posted by Driftwood
And for the guys who were there, Space Marine is not the one to go for, whether some of you guys like it or not. ^^
:(

God damn, the only game I wanted and is the one you guys says is not the worthy one.

Will buy either way.

Oh and in the preview says that it does nothing new but what other game blends melee and shooting as this?

I want more.
In reply to
twitchfactor
twitchfactor
Commented on 2011-06-30 20:21:43
The only thing I want to hear out of THQ is that Darksiders 2 is on-track and going to smooth out some of the rough edges of the previous game. Otherwise... whatever.
In reply to
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