Can you get passed the gimmick?
Wanted is a decent looking shooter that borrows elements from both Max Payne and Gears of War, but is the "hook" enough to make this more than just another movie licensed game?
You follow the exploits of Wesley chasing after The Immortal in this rather "by the numbers" third person shooter. The story isn't tied to the movie, it's more of an extension. You learn more about Wesley's mother and father and how his mother is killed. The main villian is The Immortal voiced by and modelled after Peter Stormare.
For the sound, the soundtrack is pretty unmemorable and most of the voice acting is unremarkable. The characters are voiced by sound alikes, but the voice for Wesley was convincing and I could have sworn James McAvoy reprised his role for the game. On another note, the Morgan Freeman "sound alike" was atrocious.
Visually, Wanted is not a bad looking game, but it won't blow your socks off neither. The framerate for the most part stays solid, however my disc did have some freezing happening. I do believe this was my disc in particular, so I will give it the benefit of the doubt in this respect. Models are rendered well, but the enemies save for the "boss" characters are bland and generic. The bosses and Wesley (especially his cover art costume) do look great.
As a third person shooter, the controls and gameplay are serviceable. Gameplay consists of taking cover behind various object ala Gear of War. Moving between cover is relatively simple, but has it frustrating moments as you accidently turn the corner of the cover rather than moving to the next. The key difference are the assassin powers. As you kill enemies, you gain Adrenaline. Adrenaline give you the ability to curve bullets, much like in the movie. In general, the controls for this feels good, however, it can become a crutch to make the game easier. As you progress in the game, you learn new Adrenaline moves as your meter grows.
Overall, I had fun with Wanted. I wasn't playing so much for the story, as I only thought the movie was ok, but for the gameplay. Unfortunately, there is no multiplayer, so the replayability is limited. There are new modes unlocked as you beat the game , to replay the story mode with only headshots, etc. Still, the gameplay is satisfying, and Wanted is the perfect rental to take over a weekend.
