Die Hard: Vendetta - Xbox

Got packs, screens, info?
Die Hard: Vendetta (Xbox)
Also for: PS2, GameCube
Viewed: 3D First-person Genre:
Shoot 'Em Up
Media: CD Arcade origin:No
Developer: BITS Studios Soft. Co.: Vivendi
Publishers: Vivendi (GB)
Released: 27 Jun 2003 (GB)
Ratings: BBFC 15
Accessories: Xbox Memory Unit

Summary

The star of the world class Die Hard series, John McClane, has had more than his fair share of bumps and scrapes with terrorist organisations. And his action-packed life is not confined to the big screen. We’ve seen several Die Hard games on consoles going right back to prime time PlayStation. Now he’s making his way onto Xbox in a brand new terror-filled adventure called Die Hard: Vendetta.

The story behind this game is pretty simple. Five years after the events of Die Hard With a Vengeance, calamity-stricken McClane is back working the streets of LA, as is his daughter Lucy. Taking after her father, she has joined the police force, and at some point along the line has ended up getting herself into a whole heap of trouble. Who's gonna sort it all out? Welcome to the party, John.

The developer’s emphasis on console gaming is apparent here, with the control method well suited to the Xbox controller, especially the super-ergonomic Controller-S. Our John can jump, crouch, climb ropes, push and pull objects, lean around corners, and squeeze through narrow gaps. Switching to Stealth Mode will help him avoid the enemy, or Action Mode can enable him to blaze through the action, firing from both barrels.

A strong emphasis on AI has been placed throughout the game. Using a stimulus system, the characters react to their surroundings through sight, sound, pain, and even heat. All characters in the game have their own unique memories and can co-operate with others to engage in combat as a team. And just like real life, capturing a group's leader will result in the rest of the group standing down.

Die Hard: Vendetta on Xbox is easily the best looking of the three available versions. The environments are incredibly interactive and on-screen explosions are as spectacular as you would expect them to be. Emphasised by some impressive cinematics, Die Hard Vendetta is certainly an explosive title. But this is to be expected. Can you imagine John McClane leaving anything but total destruction and devastation in his wake? We think not.