OFoglada
Reviews
Headhunter (PlayStation 2)
Starship Troopers meets Metal Gear Solid
The Good
The high point for Headhunter is the storyline. From the title screen the player is drawn into this not so distant future world. With a nice mix of cut scenes and actual game play the story becomes even more believable. The characters in the game really take on a personality of their own through various encounters. There is also a good mix of action and puzzle solving in this game. At sometimes you may reminisce about playing Resident Evil or any one of the Metal Gear series games. There is a lot of hunt and peck game play where you have to find the battery to activate the generator to move the engine out of the way so you can get the coin to open the car wash doors and so on. This can be both involving and discouraging based upon what kind of game player you are. Overall in my personal opinion this is a wonderful game to add to your PS2 collection right next to Metal Gear Solid 2 and WinBack games.
The Bad
At times the game can become rather difficult when trying to control Jack. Certain techniques like strangling or breaking someone’s neck can be near impossible to perform. They take an extreme amount of practice and can be very discouraging. In addition using weapons such as grenades can be rather discouraging as you have no control over how hard or high Jack throws the grenade. Often times you will find it back in your lap before you know it. In addition riding the motorcycle can be a little tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it you will be cruising the streets in no time. All in all, the only real issue this game has, lies in the lack of control. It is only a minor downfall, as once you get used to it, it does not alter or prevent game play.
The Bottom Line
When you first boot up Sega's title Headhunter the first thing you will see is a few news clips from the evening news. Right off the bat you will realize that you have just entered a twisted society where criminals are subjected to involuntary organ donations based on weightier or not they can afford the current price of government owned bail bonds. You assume the role of Jack Wade, an ex-headhunter who wakes from a coma to find himself fighting his way out of a mysterious compound. After he makes his escape he then falls into a second coma only to be revived two weeks later with a case of amnesia. His boss then enters the room and promptly fires him for no apparent reason. Now if that’s not what you call a bad day I don’t know what is.
The overall aura of this game is somewhat off the wall and at times even comedic, very much like the movie Starship Troopers (1997). The action is plentiful as you work your way back to being the best Headhunter in America. The game is divided into two major game play sections. The first being similar to the Metal Gear Solid / WinBack style, of using stealth to accomplish your goals. The Second is more of a racer game where you mount your stylish motorcycle and cruise the streets driving from one location to another.
By OFoglada on May 21, 2002