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Conker: Live and Reloaded Review
Could it be true? Is it possible that a new Rare game has hit the shelves? Checking through my sources, I have confirmed the game sitting before me is real. Its not an illusion, dream or prank. Conker: Live and Reloaded has finally been released from the restraints of development hell and if anything, it further proves that the Xbox is still capable of some breathtaking visuals.
For all those that don't know by now, Conker is a foul mouthed squirrel with a knack for alcohol and the art of urination. With Live and Reloaded we are presented with the original Nintendo 64 game "Bad Fur Day" and in all honesty, this is the meat of the package. It seems that "Bad Fur Day" was included mostly as a bonus for those who weren't lucky enough to experience it the first time, because aside from a massive visual upgrade and a few tweaks here and there, its the same game. It was released in the final stretch of the Nintendo 64's cycle and while it received some great reviews, it wasn't exactly noticed by as many people as it should have. Not exactly a revolution for platform gaming, but it did provide an extremely varied and wacky take on the genre. From the typical green grassy field inspired starting area all the way to a scene right out of the Matrix, Bad Fur Day was sheer entertainment from beginning to end.
As far as the controls go, its pretty standard fare. You use the analog stick to control conker and you pull out his weapon using the B button. At that point the controls slow down a bit and you have the ability to strafe and move in and out for precise attacks. Its a slightly tweaked take on combat from most platform games so its welcome but in single player, the controls feel like they lack the proper responsiveness. It never really hampers the game but it feels strange sometimes nonetheless. Later on in the game you will transition into mostly shooting segments and from that point it is played mostly like a typical third person shooter.
Many games make some admirable attempts at humor but as in reality it is far from an exact science. With Conker, the jokes seem fresh and often funny even though the source material is quite old. Don't expect too much sophistication from the humor though, the game relies heavily on being "gross". Leaning on mostly poo and fart jokes, the game complements the dialogue with often grotesque visual examples. The humor might catch your attention or it might not, but most everyone will find at least something to smile at when playing through the game.
The boss battles are inventive and the game as a whole really shows off how enjoyable a polished platformer can be. Special mention must be made for the Great Mighty Poo who is by far the most memorable boss character ever for obvious reasons that can easily be distinguished through his name.
The online portion of the game has often been billed as its main attraction. The multiplayer is a mix of many different game types that you have played before in at least one other game and each map has its own conditions that must be met in order to achieve victory. There isn't a whole lot of room for math customization and once you have played every map, you know exactly what to expect. The game is of course played from the third person and there are a number of classes to choose from. Each class is equipped with different weapons that have their own strengths and weaknesses. The classes include the Grunt, Sneeker, Demolisher, Long Ranger, Sky Jockey and the Thermophile. The Grunt is the typical well rounded soldier and the Demolisher carries around the massive Bazooka. The Long Ranger and Sneaker are by far the most overpowering classes in the game and if any team wishes to claim victory they simply must know how to either utilize or take out these two classes. The sneaker is what many people in the game would label "cheap". You can simply run up to someone and decapitate them if you had the opportunity and their ability to cloak also gives them a heavy advantage. One is easy to deal with, but many times you will enter a match and be surrounded by an entire opposing team of sneakers. Not very good odds of success from that setup.
The maps are well designed, balanced and often a treat for the eyes. Some maps take on a terminator post apocalyptic setting while the others go for a World War II theme. They each have their vantage points and the maps look as if the long development time achieved something. The main gripe with the multiplayer portion of the game is that it simply doesn't feel as balanced as it should be. The learning curve is steep and for some it may not be worth the trouble. Overpowering classes and a few underutilized weapons really hamper the experience. "Dumbots" have been included for those who don't have Xbox Live and its slightly easier to get used to the game by playing around with the bots. Overall though, it leaves less of an impact than the "bonus" Bad Fur Day.
There is no point in overcomplicating the description of the game's graphics so lets make it easy. Conker features some of the most beautiful visuals to be found on any current console game. The texture detail is often astounding and Conker himself looks amazing. A few issues here and there with a lack of proper animations only slightly hurt the game but other than that, Conker raises the visual standard that Rare is known for mastering. As for the audio, the sound effects are all of exceptional quality and the voice acting is often hilarious and pulls the story along.
Conker: Live and Reloaded never reached the potential that has always been there. Adding "Bad Fur Day" as practically a straightforward afterthought seems to make the package feel a little self important since the multiplayer isn't really as fun as the aging original. Why not develop an entirely new single player adventure and have the multiplayer as the side dish? There is no doubt that Conker will return one day and when that day comes, it would be wise to expect something a little more fulfilling.
Written by Joseph Bennett. Posted year 2005.
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Released on
June 21, 2005
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