The Saboteur:

EA’s Saboteur reminded me of a cross between a GTA title (free roam) and a good adventure title, like Assassin’s Creed 2 (do this task for a reason important to saving the world). Granted you’re not looking for treasure, but you are looking for ways to liberate different parts of France from Nazi rule. The treasure one might say would be the bright & colorful outlook after liberation each city takes on, literally. To start, let me say I would and have recommended this game to several of my fellow gamers.

The draw to this game was that it doesn’t hold back in transporting you back in time to a period of oppression and fear. Where the streets, heck the entire everything is cast in shades of gray until little by little you accomplish certain catastrophic tasks that help bring down the Evil Nazi regime city by city. Everything appears like a majestic painting down to the posters on the walls in some alleys promoting some burlesque show. Character models look realistic and react intelligently. It’s a game that forces you to take on different roles at times: stealth, shooter, race car driver…yup!

The plot, as I slightly mentioned above, focuses on a fellow by the name of Sean Delvin. A lovely irish’mon who wound up taking on the cause to fight the Nazi regime that has invaded Paris. The reason being, stop it there before it spread to [his] homeland. Made enough sense to me to want to play it. Missions aren’t too linear where they prevent you from being able to free roam. At random you can just blow up towers, satellites, or anything having to do with the Nazi camps advancement at anytime..and it will help your cause. The more you do as a “saboteur”, the more you see how the patrons of each city react and begin to aid in the fight. The game could get repetitive for some..but does blowing up stuff belonging to evil dictatorship empires ever truly get old?!..naaaah. You can and will have to swap outfits with some poor unsuspecting militia you take down. I have to admit, I love this feature!! After which at some parts of the city, you have to sneak in heavily guarded areas by not sneaking at all. You’ll understand what I mean. Awesome.

Sound is your standard HD quality that at this point you come to expect so I won’t focus too much on that as much as I’d like to mention the amazing soundtrack that plays throughout the game. When hopping in a vehicle the radio comes on with tunes of that era and not stuff just any old 1940s jibber jabba. I actually recognized some mainstream well known period piece tunes still heard today. Kudos. A nice touch overall to keep you in the game whether in a shootout (where of course theres a more intense and appropriate score in tune) or in an auto moving about to tunes on the radio.

The controls are solid. Button configuration is logical and doesn’t even warrant discussion here.

The Saboteur IS worth the money, but is it everyone’s cup of tea if you’re all GTA’d out?..dunno..but I will say that it’s 100% worth a rental at minimum. If purchased I honestly don’t think you’ll regret it. This game is solid. Good show EA. Good show indeed!

Pros:

  • Above average detail in cinematic style and detail to pretty much only EVERYTHING.
  • Great ambient background noise and character AI.
  • The guy carries a man purse throughout the entire game and you – as him – have the cajones to silence anyone who says a word about it. Sweet!

Cons:

  • Load times between almost every minor/major environment change (think old school RE games..going out a door =looooooading…) aka = annoying.
  • Communism.

Feed Your Console gives The Saboteur: 7.5 out of 10