Kane & Lynch: Dead Men Review

The online multiplayer can be entertaining for a time. It's also a very good concept. Players start off in one team, with the goal to collect as much cash and valuables as possible. The fun begins when this loot needs to be distributed. You may kill a teammate at any time and grab the loot for yourself, after which you'll be labeled as a traitor. Anybody who gets killed respawns on the opposing team (which is controlled by the AI at the beginning of a match). The cool bit is that you may return and gain bonuses from gunning down the person who betrayed you earlier. Matches can get very intense thanks to all these features. The great disadvantage, on the other hand, is that multiplayer inherits the flawed gameplay mechanics from the single-player, making it difficult for players to aim, find cover and such.

Thanks to weak cover mechanics and nothing to involve you in missions, save for the story and generally mediocre gameplay, Kane & Lynch becomes a tiring experience. Due to major mishaps in design and gameplay, this turned into nothing more than a generic action game. Why generic? Because it doesn't bring a single fresh feature to the table. Every so often it even feels like you're taking part in a random on-foot mission in GTA: Vice City or San Andreas.

Then again, there are a few reasons why I didn't give a lower score to this game. The overall presentation, solid visuals, excellently directed cut-scenes and, above all, a well-structured plot, are all elements we rarely see in games today. You'll also be passing through different environments, so at least the game doesn't get dull in that sense. Another thing is that the PC version ran smoothly, even on modest rigs. In addition, the game didn't exhibit any bugs that might ward players off.

Even with all that, Kane & Lynch didn't deliver much of what was promised initially. It's sad, but true. Again, familiar elements from Hitman are felt throughout the game. While some gamers may find this a welcomed facet, it's really disappointing that after all these years Io didn't show enough determination and creativity to bring something new to the scene of contemporary shooters.