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Alone in the Dark
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games. |
 GAMES: 
Namco extends its popular Tekken franchise by focusing on the voluptuous operative, Nina Williams, as she confronts demons from her dark past in order to carry out a perilous mission. Dispatched to investigate the whereabouts of a stolen high-tech weapon, Nina must infiltrate a shadowy organization and reveal a conspiracy on a global scale. Death By Degrees blends a unique mixture of combat and adventure. Beautifully rendered environments set the stage for game play, including combat in a weapons research facility, a cryptic prison and a level onboard a luxury cruise ship. An intriguing storyline with challenging scenarios, recognizable characters and interesting character development will allow players of all skill levels to grasp Death by Degrees game play mechanics and participate in over-the-top, fast-paced action combat. Surrounded? An intuitive control system offers hundreds of possible attacks in all directions using both analog sticks. The game offers cutting edge action, featuring fighting techniques at speeds similar to that seen in action films. Use an on-screen "X-ray scan" to target the weak points of an enemy's body such as bones and internal organs to inflict massive damage. Sneak up behind enemies, use evasion maneuvers, and put unsuspecting guards out with sleeper holds. Fans will recognize Nina's Tekken moves including Evil Mist, attacks, throws and submission techniques. Master a nearly unlimited combination range of acrobatics, throws, grappling techniques, hand-to-hand weapons (including katanas and tonfa), and firearms. [Namco]
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more... 88
Play Magazine
Filled with enough espionage, illegal arms trade, intrigue and terrorist activity to make James Bond run for cover. [Feb 2005, p.63]
70
PSM Magazine
Why there's no training mode to practice the thumb-blistering combinations is baffling and only the truly dedicated will be able to pull off some of the harder moves in battle. [Feb 2005, p.83]
70
Sydney Morning Herald
Nina's solo outing fails to rise to the calibre of the Tekken series, though her fans will have fun.
 69
WHAM! Gaming
For some absolutely unknown reason Namco decided it’s was a “good” idea to hide the save points, and make you look for them.
69
Worth Playing
It's like a Tootsie Pop, only the sweet chewy center is covered by the bitterness of gameplay mechanics and camera troubles.
65
Warcry
Challenging and simple, Death by Degrees is loaded with quirks to keep it going despite the annoying camera and mediocre graphics. Nina is quite the addiction.
63
Next Level Gaming
And really once you've been in two or three fights, you begin to simply say "ho-hum, now what"? You quickly get bored of things and start losing your concentration. By that time you also start losing interest in the game itself.
60
GameSpy
Various elements of the game are solid -- graphics, combat, mini-games -- but they're dragged down by the mediocre adventure elements, unsatisfactory controls, and borderline-obnoxious load times.
60
G4 TV
The camera issues simply ruin the whole experience, though. No matter how solid the control scheme or how shiny the graphics, when you can't see who you're fighting or what's down the next corridor, it's all moot.
60
AceGamez
At the end of the day, a very basic beat em' up. It's just kick, punch, shoot, with the odd focus moves here and there to break up the action.
59
GameZone
With a camera that's less wieldy than a shaken pop bottle, Death by Degrees leaves the player with few reasons to return for more. The gameplay nearly redefines the word repetition.
58
TotalGames.net
Namco's game seems content to be mediocre, and for a game that carries the Tekken legacy on its shoulders (and will probably sell a huge number of units as a result) that's just too disappointing to forgive.
57
Game Chronicles
If you really need a Nina fix then go get "Tekken 5," a flawless game by all counts. Then again, if for some unfathomable reason you enjoyed the fighting style of "Rise to Honor" and can tolerate load times that exceed gameplay times then by all means, check out Death by Degrees. Just consider yourself warned.
56
GameSpot
A half-baked attempt to combine a combo-based fighting system with some light stealth and puzzle-solving. Unfortunately, no one aspect of the game is done especially well.
55
DailyGame
The included demo disk for "Tekken V" is far more enjoyable.
55
eToychest
Gamers will tire of each and every gameplay mechanic long before the game has reached its completion, and the rest of the presentation—i.e., the story and the characters—is not compelling in the least.
55
Game Informer
This game will please neither action fans nor followers of the "Tekken" franchise, and comes off as a marketing scheme gone horribly awry. [March 2005, p.132]
53
Electronic Gaming Monthly
All of Death by Degrees' good points - impressive graphics, entertaining sniper scenes, solid upgrade and combo systems, unorthodox analog fighting that actually works well - are offset by poor enemy A.I. and one of the most user-unfriendly camera systems I've encountered in a long time. [March 2005, p.121]
50
IGN
A disappointment. It's a game that wrongs its user over and over again so that after only a few short hours, the novelty of analog combat wears extremely thin.
50
Cheat Code Central
Replay value is limited. It's doubtful that the average gamer would even care to finish this game. The story is predictable so there's little incentive to complete the game just to see the conclusion.
50
Edge Magazine
The game’s sluggishness is all-pervasive, from Williams’ lethargic climb to the pauses between moving from third- to firstperson when you duck underwater... Death By Degrees progresses at such a sedate pace it’s almost relaxing. [March 2005, p.89]
50
GamePro
In the end, fans of Tekken will simply ask, "Why?" [Apr 2005, p.80]
50
Electric Playground
Stick with "Tekken 5."
50
Total Video Games
Linear to the point of offering little challenge beyond heading in a straight route through the entire game at an extremely sluggish pace, occasionally demanding you to pick up objects to solve frustratingly cryptic puzzles.
50
PALGN
It would have worked better as a unlockable inclusion in "Tekken 5," rather than a standalone game.
50
GameSpot AU
Shows some potential, but an unpolished execution and an overall sluggish feel means it's for die-hard "Tekken" fans only.
50
NTSC-uk
Without that depth though, this is an average attempt at game design that occasionally sparkles. Only occasionally though. [JPN Import]
45
GameBiz
Simply a mediocre action adventure composed of recycled concepts and poor attempts at innovation that not even Tekken fans will enjoy.
45
PSX Extreme
I can’t take any more, this game is awful.
45
VGPub
There’s nothing done well here that wasn’t already done in the Force modes, which is quite sad.
42
Game Revolution
The depth of unlockable modes and challenges is a welcome surprise and allows for plenty of action without the mess of searching for keys without a decent map. Did I mention that the map is worthless? It is.
42
Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)
A game that will appeal to easily-impressed foetuses, but alienate the rest of us by being incredibly simple and simply unfulfilling. [PSM2]
40
BonusStage
Pause menus that take at least five-ten seconds to load up are downright pathetic, a lack of intriguing gameplay definitely drew me away quicker and quicker, and mostly, the inappropriate use of a beloved-by-many-except-this-reviewer fighting franchise’s moniker is foul play indeed.
40
GameShark
Add some quite wonky camera controls, only slightly above-average graphics, voice acting that is little better than House of the Dead’s, and load times that are so slow and frequent that they would test the patience of the Dali Llama himself, and what you have is a game that is a chore to play.
40
GamerFeed
If the mindless action of mashing your analog stick to death won't bore you into using Death by Degrees as a coaster, the horrible soundtrack will at least guarantee you will make use of the mute feature on your TV.
40
Maxim Online
We're used to crappy stories. What we're not used to is disorienting camera angles and lousy controls that have the lithe, lean, fighting machine Nina plodding around like the bastard love child of Kirstie Alley and a three-legged Clydesdale.
40
1UP
A tired, sluggish, and uninspired action adventure that would have barely cut the mustard six years ago on PS1.
40
TotalPlayStation
Poor controls, poor camera, poor combat... Poor us for having to suffer through this dreck.
40
PSX Nation
From generic level designs to Nina Williams’ busted right analog control, and from amateurish voice acting to an unbearable amount of never-ending loading pauses, this game is inexcusably poor and no fun to play whatsoever.
40
Gamer.tv
The control system is nothing but a pain, with the analog stick used mostly for combat, and no camera control of movement. Even making Nina run is a button-mashing effort.
40
Siliconera
A mindless brawler with shoddy control... An interesting experiment with the Tekken franchise. Too bad it plays like a train wreck.
38
netjak
It is games like Death by Degrees that make the public shun games and dismiss them as the trifles of a child. Overt sexual overtones, but no actual nudity, and gameplay that consists of an insipid story combined with shallow, random acts of nigh-impossible, pseudo-heroic violence. Sounds like something aiming straight for the 12-15 year old demographic to me.
30
EuroGamer
It's one of those games that reminds you how far we've come over the years, because it's just full of the old bad design habits that we all used to take for granted.
30
Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
Note to the videogame industry: Mapping attacks to the right analog stick isn't a good idea. Put all the crossover dribbles and jukes you want on the analog stick, but for brawling games like Death by Degrees, this method of control simply doesn't work.
20
games(TM)
It’s an unparalleled mess of a game that manages top bore and anger in equal measure, exhibiting the occasional glimmer of a good idea only to snatch it away and laugh in your face. [Apr 2005, p.116]
King Junior gave it a10: Pedro G. gave it a10: Peter J. gave it a10: Jack T. gave it a10: Bonbon A. gave it a5: Dave R. gave it a0: Kavveen K. gave it a0: |
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