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While most action purists consider the original Dead to Rights to be an explosive thrill, it would seem the series' creative mileage is approaching a dead end. It became evident to me right after reading Aaron's report on Namco's second effort, Dead to Rights 2, ultimately making it difficult to be optimistic about how the PSP edition would fare. And while my interest didn't originate as a longtime fan of the series, it's safe to say that I won't be signing my membership card anytime soon.
In similar fashion as DTR2, Reckoning is set up as yet another prequel to the original installment. This time, an innocent girl is kidnapped and used as bait to draw Jack into the seedy underbelly of Grant City. Of course, it's a twisted scheme devised by the criminal element as a means to turn our hero into human cheese, or something that's too graphic for me to discuss on paper. But in short, the story is rather forgettable, as I am sure it will end up for you as well.
Reckoning may as well be acknowledged as a port since it mirrors the same dreadful faults including quirky combat mechanics and an unreliable camera. Initially, I expected the controls to offer a fluid, instinctive feel, but the analog nub failed to live up to the task. You should consider it a miracle if you can manage to deftly navigate throughout an area without getting nicked by crossfire attacks. The targeting system is also pretty flawed, as locking on enemies not only gives you a false sense of direction and depth, but it often targets foes that tend to hide behind non-destructible objects. This leads to an endless amount of duck-and-roll tactics until you finally manage to get the shot you wanted – if you're that fortunate to stay alive, that is. Naturally, this entire process wouldn't be half as frustrating if the camera was more functional and cooperative.
Although Jack does benefit from some new added moves, including the ability to roll or fire while prone, it's a struggle to seamlessly pull them off in a heated firefight. On a related note, the disarms are pretty sweet and I often found it a lot more enjoyable to rush down enemies in order to peep all the various moves Jack can perform. Then of course there's Shadow, your trusty K9 partner, who can be periodically unleashed upon your foes to even the odds. It's a nice gimmick, but there's not a whole lot of strategy required as Shadow can be dispatched as often as the adrenaline meter allows. I found that he's most effective during situations such as the one I discussed earlier, ultimately making it a lot easier for Jack to advance throughout the level with ease. Sic 'em Shadow! Good dog.
All that aside, the single-player action didn't offer a whole lot to get me particularly enthusiastic. In fact, I'd go as far to say it was pretty boring. Thankfully, the game does offer a multiplayer mode that will allow you to hop online and face off against three other players via the ad-hoc or infrastructure modes, respectively. But jeez, only a deathmatch mode? I am sorry, but that's pretty weak. This could have been a lot more enjoyable if it offered just a bit more variety.
It's unfortunate Reckoning suffers from the same endemic faults as its predecessor -- clumsy gameplay mechanics and the game being a wee bit too short for my tastes. Regardless, diehard fans who realize what they're getting themselves into may still find the game serviceable. Should Namco decide to take another shot at making up for brilliance lost, hopefully their next effort will turn out to be something worth our time and investment.
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