Do you want to play a VIDEO game?!
Seeing as Jigsaw always asks “Do you want to play a game?”, it seemed only logical that Saw would eventually make its way to the video game genre. This game had a bit of a troubled production – it was initially helmed by Brash Entertainment, however, due to financial hardship they were unable to finish it. It went into a state of development-hell, but thankfully Konami would step in and deliver the final product. How did they do? Surprisingly, pretty damn decent.
One thing to note, this is NOT based on any specific film in the series, it is actually an interquel, between parts One and Two. We take control of fan favorite Detective Tapp, who wakes up in an abandoned mental asylum. He is greeted by the familiar spiral cheeked puppet who informs him that he wants to play a game. Escaping the infamous reverse-bear trap, he then sets out on a journey to escape this literal madhouse while avoiding all the other lunatics in Jigsaw’s game along the way.
Saw is a third-person survival-horror game (what the hell else would it be?). It plays somewhat similar to Silent Hill. The traverse controls are pretty well designed and the character moves pretty fluidly throughout the map. Combat on the other hand is a tad lackluster. It’s not horrendous – when you are fighting with your bare fists it’s pretty smooth. Once you are armed with any sort of melee weapon, there is a very noticeable 2 second delay. The traps in this game are right out of the films – open a door abruptly, BAM! – Shotgun right to the temple. Want that key to the next room? – stick your hand in that toilet filled to the brim with used needles to grab it.
The design of Saw knocks it right out of the park. It looks JUST like the films. The asylum has that dirty, dingy run-down aesthetic the series is known for. Exploring the asylum is a hauntingly good time. Seeing the broken glass, sleeping bags of squatters, and hearing the pitter patter of the rain really paints a picture of just how grotesque this facility has become under its new management. The game’s soundtrack and sound design in general is a faithful adaptation. Tobin Bell reprises his role as Jigsaw, and like always, his performance delivers. The rest of the cast, not so much – the main character’s voice over work is pretty lacking and the enemies trying to be intimidating come off as corny and unintentionally hilarious.
Saw is one of the better game tie-ins to come out in the PS3/360 era. It most certainly isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s a solid enough experience for fans of the film as well as horror fans in general. Interesting to note how this was one of the last mainstream film-to-game adaptations. I guess you can say it was a quiet swan song for the genre. See how the era came to its quiet close. Take that annoying bear trap off your head, be careful when opening doors, and play Jigsaw’s game, you won’t be disappointed.
Game over,
Fil
Verdict:7/10