There are a few things which let the overall game down, making it seem under-polished and rough around the edges. One aspect in particular the game does fall down on is the lip-syncing. Whether it is in the middle of a cutscene or during general play throughout levels attention is often drawn away from the game itself and towards the awfully timed lip movements. Players can’t help noticing it which is a shame when the rest of the game looks as nice as it does.
Another issue is the inconsistency of the AI. While playing through on Normal mode the AI are supposed to be easy, but at times they are overly useless while at others they have pinpoint aim. One group of AI will be found missing all of their shots, like a Star Wars Storm Trooper, and the next enemy shoots half your health off instantly, like a professional Hitman. On Normal mode, this isn’t a huge issue as enemies aren’t exactly hard to kill but on Hard difficulty this proves problematic.
It isn’t a game breaking issue, more of a slight sign of an under-polished game, but it should be mentioned that the shooting mechanics aren’t as smooth as most standard first person shooters. As part of the action adventure genre, this is almost to be expected but that cannot be an excuse – if shooting is a major part of the game then it follows that it should have as much care lavished upon it as any other element. The ability to customize the control layout would aid gamers, although the inclusion of controller support on the PC version is a welcome feature.
In terms of multiplayer, there are a number of modes available. Alas, they seem unused by other players and it is really the single player storyline that gamers will be purchasing Deadfall Adventures for. Survival mode is not something to be enjoyed alone; if played cooperatively it may offer some entertainment but it doesn’t feel balanced for only one player.
Deadfall Adventures captures the action adventure genre perfectly. Action filled scenes are spaced around puzzles and are interwoven with an engrossing plot. The late 1930’s era suits the game in terms of fitting with the story and its unique characters. The different themes and their respective unique gameplay elements keep the gameplay fresh. While the shooting mechanisms could have been a smoother experience it doesn’t hamper the overall playability of the game. All in all, the game may not feel as polished as other action adventure titles but it offers a fun experience based on solid gameplay.
[Editor’s Note: Deadfall Adventures was reviewed on the PC platform. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]
