Summary
A survival-horror game that can't quite reach Resident Evil.
The Good
The game, in general, is very well done. Allow me to go into detail on each aspect.
Graphics - They are great. One of the best looking games so far on the PS2. Character's are nicely detailed, backgrounds look great, environmental effects (sparks, falling debris) are well done and don't look out of place. The character animations are very lifelike, and they really enhance the value of the game.
AI - Good. The creatures you face don't just waltz around in circles waiting to be attacked. They will rush you, run from you, cover their "core" (weak spot) and generally act like someone who's about to die.
Acting - Fairly good. Most of the acting throughout the game fits in well, and it doesn't have any of the campy horror feeling that made the Resident Evil games good.
Story - Although it's been done countless times before (viral outbreak somewhere turns people into creatures), it is well played and adds some clever additions, such as the fact that if one of the creatures touches water, they become more powerful.
The Bad
Graphics - How can this be good and bad? Simple. When the characters are speaking, their lip syncing is totally off. It reminds me of the games "Shenmue" and "Blue Stinger"; the lip syncing was done accurately to mimic Japanese voices, but they didn't bother to change it for the American release. Quite a shame.
Subtitles - If you play with the subtitles on, you will notice lots of spelling errors (such as " I " when it should be "I'm"). The subtitling also gets ahead of the characters at a time, like a badly dubbed movie. The characters also seem to say words that aren't shown, and sometimes there will be words that aren't spoken.
Dialogue - Poor to bad. The acting is good, but what they say isn't. Some parts sound like a bad William Shatner impersanator.
Music - Too much rock. Most of the soundtrack is comprised of rock and metal music, which suits the action sequences, but not the majority of the game. The first song during the ending credits is called "Candy Girl" and sounds like something sang from the '60s, which is just out of place.
The Bottom Line
If you like these kinds of games in general, then you're bound to enjoy Extermination.
If you want something that rivals Resident Evil, then don't get Extermination.
