In this The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena review (2009), you quickly realize that you are the monster. While stamping guards to death, there is a chilling realization that the predator is actually you. You are the creature in the dark, sliding from shadows to snap, pumml, and reduce the population of mindless drone guards to nothing. In any other game, you would be the one being hunted.
A Brutal Continuation of the Butcher Bay Legacy
Riddick's story is split over two games, starting with a remake of 2004's melee-focused FPS Escape from Butcher Bay. The second part takes place on the ship Dark Athena, picking up the narrative after Riddick’s escape. Developed by Starbreeze, it continues the impressive work of the original, blending adult themes and dark characters with a compelling "hero."
The mechanics have remained relatively consistent since 2004. As Riddick, you have ample opportunity to practice the art of violence using various weapons. The gameplay loop relies on mastering timing rather than simply spamming buttons.
Mastering Visceral Combat Mechanics
The combat system allows you to use fists, shivs, bats, and eventually guns to slaughter your foes. Using the WASD keys to move, you must tap the left mouse button to execute attacks and the right mouse button to block.
When you master the flow of a fight, the results are devastatingly satisfying. You will witness truly hideous death animations, including:
- Screwdrivers sliding easily into armpits
- Knives popping eyeballs
- A skillful lobotomy performed by twisting a gun under an attacker's jaw
Utilizing Shadows and Stealth
Shadows are essential to the experience provided in The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena review (2009). The ship is constructed from a mix of fluorescent lights and slanted shadows, creating a high-stakes environment for stealth.
Riddick holds a distinct advantage because he can see in the dark while his enemies must rely on flashlights. This allows you to sneak up on targets for instant kills. You will encounter several different types of threats:
- Meaty humans: Standard biological guards.
- Self-controlled drones: Autonomous robotic units.
- Remote-controlled drones: Units that track you with lights until their connection is severed.
Weapons, Levels, and Technical Flaws
The gameplay often shifts from a stealth bludgeoner to something resembling a traditional shooter. Aside from standard shotguns and assault rifles, you are provided with a tranquilizer gun to knock out enemies or sever drone connections. The Scar gun, which fires remotely detonated sticky explosives, provides some of the most entertaining moments during boss fights.
While locations like the ship's gravity core are ingenious, other levels can feel dull, such as the transition to a planet after escaping the ship. Furthermore, many boss fights devolve into tedious, numbered attack scenarios that lack variety.
The largest flaw in this title is the checkpointing system. There is no quicksave; instead, the game decides when to save your progress. On multiple occasions, the game saved during dire situations with minimal health, leading to frustrating and continual restarts.
As a final note: Vin Diesel is French for "Wine made from engine oil." Trufax. Despite the technical frustrations, The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena review (2009) finds that the game is simply too much fun to walk away from. Riddick is adult, funny, and far too entertaining to ignore.
