The Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay Review

By Kristan Reed Published 12 August, 2004

We couldn't resist using this week's PAL release as an excuse to play one of the games of the year again...

Version tested: Xbox

Order yours now from Simply Games.

Being greeted with The Chronicles Of Riddick for the first time back at a Vivendi press event in April created the kind of exasperation rarely seen in a sequel/me-too obsessed business where excitement can be in short supply. "Where the hell did this come from?" we all muttered as the best looking Xbox game ever played out in front of our disbelieving eyes. And then to find out the game was practically finished and being released in the US in just a few weeks time - we almost fell off our chairs. How on earth had such a top notch title just fallen from the skies like this? Did Vivendi not realise how obviously superb this was? In an era of bloated five/six-year development projects, to be told this game had been put together quietly in around two years seemed unfathomable. It put things in perspective, that's for sure.

Oddly enough, the very same week we'd reviewed a fairly mediocre game by another team at Riddick developer Starbreeze - Knights Of The Temple - and little could have prepared us for the Swedish firm's latest project. Apparently the vow of silence surrounding the game, and lack of awareness, was more down to the terms of licensing the movie than anything, and presumably the movie suits decided that advance publicity for the game wasn't fitting in with their plans. Whatever the real reason, it's great for us hacks to have actually been handed a fully formed game without feeling like the usual drip feed of information has spoiled the surprise in any way.

Pain and I have been friends for a long time

'The Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay' Screenshot 1

Naturally, we had a look at the US version of the game as soon as we could, and our impressions were of a highly impressive game. To tie in with the game's European release this week, we thought we'd offer a second opinion, this time of the PAL edition - if only to give us another excuse to play a game that is easily among the best the Xbox has to offer this year, if not ever.

The overall package simply reeks of quality. There's barely anything more than minor quibbles to detract from what is a relentlessly absorbing, engrossing, richly atmospheric and almost effortlessly entertaining sci-fi adventure shooter. Its variety is well judged and uncontrived, the storyline and voice acting out of the top drawer, the challenge is perfectly pitched, and graphically it is the best console game conceived to date.

As you'll have read countless times, the game isn't strictly based on The Chronicles Of Riddick movie, but as a prequel to Pitch Black. Apparently the movie, out August 27th over here, isn't up to much, but don't let that put you off. And even if Vin Diesel's Marlboro man laconic cool doesn't float your boat either, again it matters little to your chances of enjoying the game. The game, in fact, has performed so well in the US that it's eclipsed the actual movie, which must be something of a first.

Hand in glove

'The Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay' Screenshot 2

The reason the game succeeds is almost because Starbreeze has had the freedom to make the game work as a game first and foremost, without pulling the usual trick of simply shoehorning the main events of the movie into a game. By building the game and its story from the ground up, everything feels a whole lot more natural, and allows events to develop at their own pace, as opposed to the "and now the driving bit, and now the falling from the sky bit," of every other formulaic movie-based game.

As a game it's quite a tough one to pigeonhole. It feels like a wonderful realisation of adventure, first-person shooter and stealth, but with no specific emphasis on one element. To begin with it has a similar feel to old school point-and-click adventures, where simply talking to everyone in the vicinity grants a sense of purpose - which in itself leads to fetch quests, first-person fighting, and eventually daring stealth endeavours and the occasional need to resort to intense shoot outs.

The brilliance of the pacing within Riddick is simply that you never get bored of whatever it is you're involved in doing. The problem with most games is even the best get boring after a while if all you have to do is the same thing over and over. When you get the chance to shoot in Riddick, there's a rush, an excitement - you look forward to it. And when it's over, and it's back to a more narrative-driven section, then that feels good too, because it adds character to what could otherwise be a straight up game of escape against faceless drones. Likewise the stealth, should you wish to use avoidance tactics (because it's not always compulsory), also adds a palpable sense of tension as you creep past a slew of armed sentries, breaking their necks or leaping on them from above and dragging their limp torsos into the dark.

Anything but Normal

'The Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay' Screenshot 3

Where most games get bogged down in repeating the same mechanic over and over, Riddick feels as good as any of them, but bundles it up into a superbly well conceived package. On top of that you've got this immensely impressive layer of technical polish, which - through being first out of the blocks - actually managed (upon its US release at any rate) to trump the likes of Doom III with its ostensibly similar Normal Mapping techniques, which lend the game an instant 'next-gen' look. Evidently the power of the Xbox can never hope to compete with powerful PC rigs, but no one can fail to be impressed with what Starbreeze has squeezed out of the Microsoft machine, with fantastic lighting effects, extremely lifelike animation, immensely detailed and realistic character models and gorgeously detailed environments. Sure, the jaggies show through quite noticeably on occasion, but for the most part it's the kind of game even the most demanding graphics snob will be nodding their approval at. We await the inevitable PC version with great interest, although we have serious doubts about the PS2's ability to pull off a decent conversion - especially when you factor in memory hogging features like the amount of texturing and persistent state, which leaves your handiwork of downed guards right where they are - unlike many games we could mention.

The audio also deserves serious applause for being unobtrusively atmospheric, with a quality voiceover cast, including Mr Parody-of-himself Vin Diesel, who puts in a performance of calm menace befitting of the universe's most wanted criminal. The only time we raised an eyebrow was when the Gregson-Williams/MGS inspiration got to lawsuit levels of plagiarism during the stealth sequences. Honestly guys, did you think you could get away with that?

In terms of niggles, like we said, you'd have to work hard to think of any serious ones. The crouch toggle did annoy us on occasion, with fist fights interrupted by our inevitably clicking down on the left thumb stick in the heat of battle, and maybe the game is a little too forgiving at times, with very regular checkpoints and battles which are easily negotiated for the most part. But to counter that, you're likely to find Riddick a less frustrating and more enjoyable experience that you'll want to see right through to the end, rather than one that forces you to dump your joystick on the floor in a huff and never return to it the way it can happen with other titles. Some have mysteriously marked Riddick down for only being a 10/12 hour game, and having no multiplayer. To be fair, you could just as easily level both at Ico, and we don't recall too many people criticising that for making every enjoyable minute count.

The subject of Riddickule

Unless you have some kind of pathological aversion to Vin Diesel or enjoying yourself, there's a moral obligation to at least try out The Chronicles Of Riddick. For a licensed game to end up being one of the best released all year is something to celebrate, and other publishers should take note - there really is no excuse for licensed rubbish any more. Riddick deserves to mark the pivotal moment when movie games changed forever.

Order yours now from Simply Games.

9 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (74) Latest comment 8 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • jiroczech #1 8 years ago

    Plenty of folk seem to be saying they found this dissapointing after all the hype.. which seems a bit churlish. I thought it was great, but then I had low expectations. Better than Doom 3 IMO.

  • UncleLou #2 8 years ago

    I thought this game came pretty much out of nowhere, so how can they say it was hyped? Bit silly.

    Sounds good, nice review.

    And let's not forget UncleLou's generic comment #17:

    Really looking forward to the PC version.

  • krudster #3 8 years ago

    Heh, *what* hype. The whole point about this game is that there wasn't any at all!

  • jiroczech #4 8 years ago

    Yeah, that was what I meant about being churlish.

  • krudster #5 8 years ago

    Yeah, one of the least hyped games ever. It's all a wonderful surprise.

  • Whizzo #6 8 years ago

    Absolutely fantastic game and something Xbox owners should rush out to buy.

    First game which makes first person melee actually work too.

  • Blerk #7 8 years ago

    So does this mark the end of 'EuroChroniclesOfRiddick' and a return to 'Eurogamer', then? ;-)

  • krudster #8 8 years ago

    I guess...until the PC version arrives, at least ;)

  • Scuzz #9 8 years ago

    So, it's better than Halo?

    Now that one is done I have to admit I really enjoyed this game.

  • krudster #10 8 years ago

    49, maybe 50 times.

  • Cyhwuhx #11 8 years ago

    .::: ACtually I really find it better than HALO. The game world is much more absorbing and never boring. Combat is done brilliantly always giving you a chance, even without weapons.

    And the final part of the game... Oh god, the final part! :D

  • UncleLou #12 8 years ago

    this game goes from ok too great too crap and annoying in such a short place of time.

    This is quite convinving, and really renders the positive reviews and forumites' comments instantly obsolete. I've lost all interest in the game now.

  • Whizzo #13 8 years ago

    You'll love it UL, I can guarantee it.

  • jiroczech #14 8 years ago

    What about the homo-erotic subtext eh? Or was it just me who noticed that...

    \0)

  • Stevas mkII #15 8 years ago

    It really is a fine example of the First Person, um... Something-or-other. Don't really think it's a shooter. It's a bit more than that, isn't it? Seems to be so far to me, anyhow. Couple of questions:
    1. Anything other than simply playing it through on 'Hard' become available when I complete it? I mean, I probably will try it anyhow, but I'm just wondering is all.
    2. Anyone else notice the framerate taking a hit when you have a light switched on in certain sections?

    I only put that second one in for UncleLou, really. I'm being exceptionally picky there, I know, but he'd only think I wasn't well if I didn't have something derogatory to say about the graphics.

  • tiddles #16 8 years ago

    Starting playing this yesterday and I'm lovin' it so far... I was expecting it not to live up to the hype (from reviews etc), but in fact it's exceeded my expectations. This is the first console game I've played that's made me feel "this is how games are going to be (or should/might be) on PS3 and NextBox".

    One bit I particularly liked was the title sequence - obviously influenced by Half-Life, but cleverly spun around the whole "dead man walking" idea. Gave me the same sort of shiver as the first time I saw HL though, which is saying something.

  • Stevas mkII #17 8 years ago

    I loved the start. It did that whole messing with your head type thing that I can't really talk about without spoiling it for those who haven't played it - you know? Like, I was thinking "hang on, how could that happen? That doesn't make sense, surely?" then I play a bit more and get to - you know - like... THERE, and I go "aaaAAAAaaaahhh, riiight." Um. Well, I know what I'm talking about, anyhow.

  • Zee-Zed-Zipster #18 8 years ago

    I played the OXBM demo last night for 30 mins or so... had I had too much booze or is it actually quite difficult? (too much booze I reckon).

  • jiroczech #19 8 years ago

    The pacing, plot, voice-acting and high production values do a great job of making it feel like an 'interactive movie'.

    When Doom 3 rears its head on XBox it's going to look awfully shallow in comparison to Riddick.

  • perilikid #20 8 years ago

    For those who've played the demo and the full game, in how many ways do they differ? I can't really afford to buy this and R6:BA next week, but seeing how everyone is so positive towards it I feel like I could be missing out if I didn't look into it.

  • krudster #21 8 years ago

    Well it is, but both have totally different objectives. If you *want* an all out shooter then Riddick might be disappointing.

  • IronGiant #22 8 years ago

    Yeah, im enjoying it as a whole but i really really don't like stealth in FPS games.. damn having to wait for loading everytime you move between the prison areas! but then that's the price for graphics this detailed i suppose..

  • JC #23 8 years ago

    I heard that there are fairly long and frequent loading times in this game. Is that true Krudster?

  • krudster #24 8 years ago

    Loading times are insignificant - less than 10 seconds. You should try Res Evil Outbreak if you want outrageous loading times!

  • IronGiant #25 8 years ago

    No thanks i won't bother! i can't agree they are insignificant though, especially at the point in the game where i am, getting missions in the prison yards and moving back and forwards through areas with a load each time is annoying but this is the only part in the game so far that it's happened so frequently.

  • Tweakmonkey #26 8 years ago

    /looks forward to ugly PS2 version

  • MBar #27 8 years ago

    is this a sequel or prequel?

    some guy was trying to tell me this game comes after Pitch Black, and features other characters from that film. lies, right?

    Timeline is as follows:
    Chronicles of Riddick game -> Pitch Black -> Chronicles of Riddick movie

    thats right, isn't it?
    Edited by 1 at 12/08/04 @ 14:15

  • Whizzo #28 8 years ago

    The game is set before Pitch Black, the only other character that's in Pitch Black is Johns, the prick of a bounty hunter. You can see why Riddick doesn't like him much, even if this was actually created after PB.

  • JC #29 8 years ago

    Thanks guys.

  • MikeP #30 8 years ago

    Have the chains broken the street date on this, or are people playing early delivery mail-order/import versions?

  • ssuellid #31 8 years ago

    Mail order mainly I think.

    /cough

    As EG say

    Order yours now from Simply Games

  • mcmonkeyplc #32 8 years ago

    10 day rental it is then!

    I cant afford it other words. As for those that say its better than halo, well if its not may masterchief have his vengence on you!

  • Lutz #33 8 years ago

    Daft question: Can you alter the control settings to a varied degree? I ain't splashing out on another FPS that forces you to use the bog standard controls...

  • Whizzo #34 8 years ago

    I spotted Riddick on sale in my local WH Smiths, indie shop and I'm pretty sure Game were as well.

  • Peekaboo #35 8 years ago

    Fingers crossed theres a Chronicles of Riddick shaped parcel from Play.com sitting on my mat when I get home then.

    Played the Demo (Got it from Game a few weeks back), stunner in terms of looks and sounds and seems to play sweetly too.

  • Slim #36 8 years ago

    This review is spot on. Playing Riddick before Doom 3 is probably one of the reasons I'm so cold on ID's new game. Riddick is a superb game, exactly where modern fps's should be aiming.

  • Whizzo #37 8 years ago

    Lutz there are a few different control configs you can choose, I'll be bringing it tomorrow so you can take a look anyway.

  • mentat #38 8 years ago

    As regards timeline - i understood that the chronicles of riddick film came first, then the game, then pitch black.

    The film is about what Riddick did to get caught and be the badboy he is, the game is about him escaping and then pitch black, where he's been recaught.,

  • IronGiant #39 8 years ago

    It's not better than Halo, not by a long way.. IMHO.

  • Slim #40 8 years ago

    I don't really see them as comparable, Riddicks pretty different.

  • Whizzo #41 8 years ago

    The Chronicles Of Riddick timeline is as follows :-

    Escape From Butcher Bay (game)
    Pitch Black (film)
    Dark Fury (animated DVD, comes out Monday in the UK)
    Chronicles Of Riddick (film)

    So far there's been nothing to say what Riddick did that caused him to be put in the slam but he's certainly not a normal human even before having eyeshine bestowed upon him.
    Edited by 1 at 12/08/04 @ 15:16

  • krudster #42 8 years ago

    Does anyone actually like the movies?

  • ssuellid #43 8 years ago

    Pitch Black is excellent - especially in a dark room with a TV that does black well.

  • Stevas mkII #44 8 years ago

    Yeah, I pretty much thought Pitch Black rocked. Got it on DVD.
    Little did I realise that Mr Diesel's acting talent stretched no further than looking hard and drawling menacing gravel around his voicebox.

    Oh, how that part was made for him.

  • jiroczech #45 8 years ago

    Pitch Black is passable. Chronicles of Riddick might be a bit rank, I suspect.

  • Zero Beat #46 8 years ago

    Hard difficulty's selectable from the start, in the NTSC version anyway and I recommend most people play on that difficulty. It forces you to take cover a bit more often and not just run in shooting or dodging bullets so you can close melee counter.

  • oceanmotion #47 8 years ago

    "No thanks i won't bother! i can't agree they are insignificant though, especially at the point in the game where i am, getting missions in the prison yards and moving back and forwards through areas with a load each time is annoying but this is the only part in the game so far that it's happened so frequently."

    Thats the only time in the whole game that it happens. All other areas don't have that problem. Great game. I am going to play through it on hard and do some side missions this time.

  • IronGiant #48 8 years ago

    and i thought Pitch Black was one of the worst sci-fi movies i've ever seen.. and still do.

  • Lutz #49 8 years ago

    Cheers Whizzo! :)

  • Zee-Zed-Zipster #50 8 years ago

    "has OXM come out early? damn those heathens at future! making me wait for my riddick demo!"

    I picked a copy up from Tesco on Wednesday morning... though a lot of my local shops (Game, Gamestation etc.) don't have it yet. Saw it just going on the shelves in HMV at 2.30 today too! :/

  • UncleLou #51 8 years ago

    What do you think of Doom then, Ahab, I was wondering if you'd like it?

  • Scuzz #52 8 years ago

    I dont know if you can kill it I think you have to run around it.

  • Whizzo #53 8 years ago

    Weak spot on the big armoured guys is on the back. In the full game it tells you in the manual, I hadn't read the manual at all, so just pegged it up the lift.
    Edited by 1 at 12/08/04 @ 18:00

  • hulahoops #54 8 years ago

    Can't believe you managed to even fit Wizardry 8 into a Riddick thread, Habs.

  • Feanor #55 8 years ago

    When I played the demo of this I found the coarse swearing to be a bit jarring. I know the f-word gets used a lot in R rated movies, and this game has an equivalent rating. But I guess I personally just don't care for being called a motherf**ker when I'm playing a videogame.

  • krudster #56 8 years ago

    Ah, f**k you.

    /couldn't resist

  • lordofdeadside #57 8 years ago

    perhaps the very fact you found it jarring and didnt care for it, proves it should be in the game. my guess would be that the guards arnt saying it to put you at ease. ;)
    Edited by 1 at 12/08/04 @ 23:08

  • WoodenSpoon #58 8 years ago

    Review made it sound a little like Deus Ex, I though, which is interesting.

    Maybe I shouldn't have pre-ordered Rome:Total War...

  • EVERYGAMER #59 8 years ago

    Bought this at 5 o'clock today and just finished the mines. I just could'nt tear myself away from such an amazing game. I've had to stop myself playing so I don't finish the whole game in one night. mind you with Doom 3 out tomorrow it might not be a bad idea.

  • jx++ #60 8 years ago

    Spot on review.

    Very few games (less than 5) have had the sense of immersion I felt when playing this game.

    I felt as though I was really in a max security prison. (And yes the language used adds to this.)

    Cutscene/Action changeover sequences at the very end of the game were also brilliant.


  • 3william56 #61 8 years ago

    "Does anyone actually like the movies?"

    CoR the movie is not half as bad as it sounds or has been made out. Despite vowing to avoid it cos of the stinker reviews and my general pathological adversion to VD (!) I was stuck on a solo biz trip with nothing to do, so went in ready for a brain-painful Van Helsing Idiot-o-thon, but was pleasantly surprised. Daft plot - check. Silly names - check. Bad guys in leather - check. Big guns - check. Overdone sub-bass - check. Lots of shiny eyed ass kicking - check. Expensive CGI - check.

    But somehow a couple of unconventional characters (like Riddick), a surprising amount of restraint with the CGI, a bit of style, a bit of decent dialog, a smattering of originality, a bit of humour, and action sequences that actually fit within the "plot" dragged it gasping out of the Catwoman / Van Helsing mire.

    Not great by any means, but certainly worth your ten bucks. Watch it in a cinema with good sound - the bass is mad.

    (interestingly, I wonder whether the decision to separate the game from the movie helped the movie too - it didn't have the obvious spin-off video game action sequences badly shoehorned into the plot like other multiplex movies do)

  • krudster #62 8 years ago

    Good point. Half the action movies these days appear to be entirely designed around sequences that they think will work well in videogames. Episode One anyone?

  • Tweakmonkey #63 8 years ago

    So when is the PC version coming out then?

  • krudster #64 8 years ago

    As a single player experience, I'd say it ranks up there with HL, and arguably more consistently entertaining and polished than Halo. It's that good. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

  • p3rks #65 8 years ago

    Anyone got any tips for the hand-to-hand - i've got to be honest, im not enjoying it much, but have got a feeling cos thats cos im not any good at it. keep getting me face kicked off...

  • krudster #66 8 years ago

    Nah, fair enough to make comments, it's just hard to fathom why anyone would have much issue with this game at all. It takes nit picking to a whole new level - just enjoy enjoy enjoy!

  • Feanor #67 8 years ago

    lordofdeadside, I think you are right that the swearing is in the game to make gamers feel uncomfortable, and in that light is a worthwhile addition to the game. I just personally didn't like it, and I wonder if games that are going to use the f-word should include an option to beep it out. Many violent games already include the option to turn off the gore, so this would be a similar thing.

    My wife was quite interested in getting Psi-Ops until she found out it was going to have heavy duty swearing in it. Midway basically lost a sale by going that route. Of course, I'm sure a lot of people found the swearing in Psi-Ops part of the attraction. So again, I think games with the f-word in them might do well to include a beeping option.
    Edited by 1 at 14/08/04 @ 01:25

  • lordofdeadside #68 8 years ago

    feanor - your probably right, a bleep option does sound like a good idea. i can't see many people buying a game because it has swearing in!, but it definatly adds to the atmosphere. is the game an 18? (cant remember), 18 rated films dont give u the option not to hear bad language (or gore though), so maybe games shouldn't either? COR is tring to portray a uber-violent, hellhole of a prison after all. If the game isnt bought because of the swearing, perhaps its not a lost sale, because a game cant be all things to all people. you wouldnt say, i'd play pokemon ruby, if it was more adult, therefore nintendo has lost a sale. I dunno though, i cant say it was really a big issue for me to be honest. i didnt want to turn this into a big debate!....errrmm...too late!

  • tiddles #69 8 years ago

    swearing is the new ragdoll...

  • Whizzo #70 8 years ago

    Oh no a game's got some swearing in it! I won't buy it then it'll make me uncomfortable.

    Jeez snap some guard's neck like a twig or blow some mutated person apart with a shottie is ok but someone using fruity language in a maximum security prison is too much and there needs to be a bleep option...

  • p3rks #71 8 years ago

    Finished it in a weekend and loved it! I know a couple of people have said it's too short but personally i'd rather games were that long and of that standard, than 40 hours of mediocrity.

    Not quite as involving as HL, and possibly not as much fun as Halo, but a fantastic game nonetheless, and few of the set-pieces are up there with anything thats gone before, if not better.

    A real gem.

  • Lutz #72 8 years ago

    Gah! I can't believe this doesn't support "Legacy" controls!
    It looked really good too. :(

  • Feanor #73 8 years ago

    Whizzo, the difference is that swearing in a game or movie is actually happening. In a sense it's as real as someone sitting next to you on the bus swearing. But since the violence is fake, personally it doesn't bother me.

    Given its short length, I wonder how many people going to rent this rather than buy it?
    Edited by 2 at 16/08/04 @ 18:26

  • Whizzo #74 8 years ago

    In a sense it's as real as someone sitting next to you on the bus swearing. That has to be one of the most bizarre viewpoints I've ever read, it's a prerecorded sound in a game, that's nothing like a real person next to you at all.

    And anyway they aren't calling you names but Riddick.

  • #75 8 years ago

    This game, without a shadow of a doubt, is one of the best I have ever played. It's right up there with Half Life, ICO, and Final Fantasy 7.

    I played it all day Sunday, and all evening Monday, finishing it after around 10 or 11 hours play. Too short? Nope, perfect. I have a job and a life and this is how I like my games. I've a pile of games never finished because I simply got bored of them. Bad value for money? Nope, cost just £24.99 from Powerplay.

    The graphics are superb, they really draw you in. The tremendous atmosphere that is generated by the superb vocals and sound is worth it's weight in gold.

    This is just how I imagine a prison like this should be.

    The stealth is so much sweeter than splinter cell, which just frustrated me. The action, because it's spread around a little bit, is all the better for it. You don't half appreciate it when you finally get your hands on the big guns.

    And oh my goodness, that ending, how nice is THAT!

    Get it in lads, or your missing out on one of the best games you'll ever play.

    Oh, and good review too EG ;)

    Mapster.