The elephant in the room - Kane & Lynch reviews :D

[Mazy]

Part of me wanted to post this thread a while ago, but I have been kinda busy (GAEMZ!) plus I was a bit pissed initially to post anything proper.

Anyway, the scores, they're not that good. 360 has a metascore on Metacritic of 69, Gamerankings is 71. PS3 and PC are generally better tho, but honestly it doesn't change anything.

The game is very unpolished and rough in many ways, and giving it more time probably wouldn't have changed much in the end. Lets just say there's a long and painful story behind the birth of this game. I'm just glad that this is over so I can move on and use the many things I've learned from this experience when I get working on new things.

I will however say that there are also plenty of things that turned out pretty great, and theres definitely enough good stuff to try it out. After playing through the game the other weekend I hate how my own levels turned out (Hardest levels in the game ), but a lot of the character stuff is really cool, definitely has potential to become really good in the next game. Plus theres a good share of really original levels and locations, and although it doesnt have technical muzzle of the competition then the style of the game definitely has a pretty cool and unique look to them. Also Fragile Alliance (MP) is really good fun, definitely a nice change in these DM/CTF infested times.

It sucks that it haven't turned out as well as it could've, but hey, we cant all make Crysises and Call of Duties . Next time boys!

Release party tomorrow, time to get drunk!

[ctswin]

Still looking forward to it, hopefully the postman will bring it tommorow or saturday

(make freedom fighters 2)

[Thrik]

It's really a shame it's apparently turned out to not be as good an overall experience as it showed all potential of being, but I'm sure I'll give it a play anyway. It looks like it had a lot of great components that weren't quite put together cohesively enough to become a complete win.

Must be really horrible to be working with people who all know about the reviews, though. Do you just all avoid the subject or something?

[Grinwhrl]

Still looking forward to it, hopefully the postman will bring it tomorrow or Saturday

(make freedom fighters 2)

Freedom Fighters 2 is about to come out early 2008 lol.

Hey Mazy, I haven't gotten to try the game yet. Ive been a fan of the Hitman series and IO since the Birth of Hitman. Its to bad Kayne & Lynch got harsh reviews. At least IO is still make games original and its something different from all the same old rpg and fps genres. The MP got some good ratings for its fun and original gameplay, always a thmubs up for IO innovation. I think I will still pick it up eventually. Looking forward to the movie too, epically if Bruce Willis is one of the main Characters.

anyway good luck on your next works.

- Cheers

[Rick_D]

yeah, it's different - that's probably the problem.

i'm probably going to end up buying it (i saw a few cracks/rips a few days ago but tactfully avoided them reminding myself I'd only be stealing from the tilde-master) at the end of the month, if only to see what you guys have achieved. Is it true that there is no online co-op (xbox or pc) ?

[ReNo]

My copy arrived in the post this morning, but I haven't given it a shot yet. Trying to get Assassin's Creed polished off first, and I'm taking my time doing that it would seem Looking forward to seeing K&L though, despite the mixed reviews. My flatmate was just about drooling when he saw it had arrived, but he wasn't gonna get to displace me from my Assassin's Creed session this evening

[Minos]

Maybe you could post screenshots of the levels you worked on mazy, can't wait to see your latest work, since you haven't done any "community maps" in ages

[Bl1tz]

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showth ... id=2691242

[Mazy]

(make freedom fighters 2)

Yup

It's really a shame it's apparently turned out to not be as good an overall experience as it showed all potential of being, but I'm sure I'll give it a play anyway. It looks like it had a lot of great components that weren't quite put together cohesively enough to become a complete win.

Must be really horrible to be working with people who all know about the reviews, though. Do you just all avoid the subject or something?

Nah, people kinda joke about the 6.0 Gamespot all the time. It sucks but the general feeling is to back on the horsie and get it right with the sequel.

Still looking forward to it, hopefully the postman will bring it tomorrow or Saturday

(make freedom fighters 2)

Freedom Fighters 2 is about to come out early 2008 lol.

Hey Mazy, I haven't gotten to try the game yet. Ive been a fan of the Hitman series and IO since the Birth of Hitman. Its to bad Kayne & Lynch got harsh reviews. At least IO is still make games original and its something different from all the same old rpg and fps genres. The MP got some good ratings for its fun and original gameplay, always a thmubs up for IO innovation. I think I will still pick it up eventually. Looking forward to the movie too, epically if Bruce Willis is one of the main Characters.

anyway good luck on your next works.

- Cheers

Hehe yeah, its gonna be interesting to see how that entire movie thing works out now that it might not have gotten the most desirable reviews. But yeah, the MP is definitely the gem of this package, really good stuff, and more better maps are coming as DLC (Which I'm working on atm)

yeah, it's different - that's probably the problem.

i'm probably going to end up buying it (i saw a few cracks/rips a few days ago but tactfully avoided them reminding myself I'd only be stealing from the tilde-master) at the end of the month, if only to see what you guys have achieved. Is it true that there is no online co-op (xbox or pc) ?

No online co-op :G

Maybe you could post screenshots of the levels you worked on mazy, can't wait to see your latest work, since you haven't done any "community maps" in ages

Havana levels. They're at the bottom of this page: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/ ... images;all

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2691242

And for those without a SA account?

[FrieChamp]

I've felt a bit sad for you IO chaps, there is obviously a lot of work that has gone into the game and while some parts are truely great according to the reviewers (story, voice work, scenarios), other fundamental things like the cover system and friendly AI seem to be flawed. I've read the game "feels rushed for a christmas release", do you think that is the case or wouldn't it have made any difference if the game came out next year?

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2691242

And for those without a SA account?

So Jeff Girthman gives Kane & Lynch a 6.0 in his Gamespot review.

Well I've got news for you Jeff.

You're a stupid dipshit with no taste.

K&L is an old school, no-frills shooter with ruthlessly badass attitude dripping out of every pore. It's fucking hardcore and it FUCKING RULES.

Okay Jeff, so it's not about a big burly green man in outerspace running down hallways. I know you love that shit. Instead it's about a guy on death row who's pulled back into the criminal underworld by the syndicate he betrayed. So it's about, you know, people, instead of shooting lasers at rocket ships. Sorry that's not your thing.

And yeah it's not the most polished game in the world, I'm not gonna say it is. I'm gonna say that's not the goddamn point and it does what it does extremely well. Yeah the cinematics don't look like a million bucks, they look like a few grand. But they get the point across and paint a vivid picture of Kane and his unhinged partner Lynch. They're just the connective tissue, and what they connect is PURE BADASSERY. NOT THAT YOU'D BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU CHEETO STAINED SLOB.

I'm sorry, let's keep this civil. What I'm trying to say is, what other game lets you storm a bank with your crew, plugging cops with your shotgun and tossing their own tear gas grenades back at them? What other game puts you on the run underneath a knot of LA overpasses while you scramble to make it back to your getaway van in one piece? Where else are you going to bust INTO a maximum security prison to free your crew of old-time bandit motherfuckers, then take them to JAPAN to wreak havoc on a bunch of suited goons in a massive highrise over Tokyo? Where else are you going to play out this scene in a video game?

Bottom line: you do badass shit like this, blowing up cop cars and laying down the hurt with your hand-picked crew. It's awesome.

And it's all fucking fun! Ordering your dudes around, swapping weapons with them, sticking to cover and shooting the shit out of a bunch of mercs/gangsters/cops/guards/fuckers that deserve it is really satisfying. First thing every level, I always take Lynch's magnum and spend half the level clipping dude's skulls open with that beast of a revolver. It's fucking awesome. There are some rough spots: it's not easy, for one. You'll get downed by sniper rounds if you're not careful. But you have to be careful! And point out the sniper to your crew and have them suppress him with cover fire! Holy shit, you'll die if you don't actually use all the tools available to you?? Why I never! There are a couple of stealth segments which last like 10 seconds and consist of you sneaking up on a couple guards and then stabbing them. And there's a couple parts where if Lynch or a hostage dies you have to load your game but again, boo fucking hoo! Sorry you forgot what playing a video game was like 3 or 4 years ago before every game became a variation on Call of Duty and you don't have to do anything more complex than run forward and shoot gun!! You dumb fat fuck!

Listen. Kane & Lynch isn't cutting edge. It looks pretty good and the levels are really cool but it's not super slick CGI time like Gears or Crysis or Halo 3. And it's not forgiving and it's not gonna hold your hand and it's not polished to a blinding sheen. It's pretty raw and it's old school, but it COMPLETELY CUTS THE SHIT AND ONLY GIVES YOU THE GOOD STUFF. An excellent story that doesn't involve any fantastical bullshit, a story about some old dudes trying to get their last job done and get away clean. One that takes place in the real world-- LA, Tokyo, in the streets, bright as day-- and delivers that gritty, badass feeling that all the slick sterility of Halo are never going to deliver.

Maybe it's because you played it on 360 and I played it on PC? Maybe it sucks dick on 360? Because Io Interactive is a PC developer down in their genes, from back in 2000 when they released Hitman 1 on PC only. Their games have always been at home on PC and I know I wouldn't want to play K&L without the precision of a mouse (or Hitman Blood Money or Freedom Fighters for that matter.) The PC version doesn't change the intriguing down-to-earth story you hated so much, or the graphics that you thought looked oh so terrible, but maybe it'll give you a change to calm the fuck down and get used to the controls, like the excellent cover system that actually works really well if you're not a complete spaz.

So here's your chance Jeff. Let's see that score for the PC version go up a few points. And lay off the twinkies you sack of shit. Toodles.

[Zacker]

I find it kinda sad with the bad reviews, as I know how much work and dedication that have been put into making K&L a great game. Also I personally feel that it is flawed, but still really good game which deserves slightly better scores.

There are lots of places with fucked covers, last gen gfx, etc. but there are so many things which makes up for that imo. It's a shame that I can't take any kind of credit for K&L:)

Releasing the game later on would most certainly not have helped anything. Looking back on it, I think there is a good chance of that the game would have received better reviews if it had released 3-5 months ago. We would not have passed submission back then though.

[Buddy]

Don't get me wrong but I thought it might end up like this, the trailers were ok but ingame shoots looked really ps1/ps2 and I was worried, damn shame it's not as good as it could've been. It's still good in places so it's not that bad too.

[Zeta]

whoops my bad

[Rick_D]

he did.

also I got the game but it doesn't seem to work - it crashes after loading the first level!

is this game even compatible with XP? it keeps asking me to sign into windows live (shame on whoever let microsoft riddle the game with that bullshit!)_

[D3ads]

I don't listen to reviewers really, it's entirely upto you at the end of the day whether the game is good or not, critics aren't always right.

Congrats on finishing it anyway Mazzle~