Oct 20 2009
Konami’s Saw Better Than Expected
I really wasn’t prepared to like Saw as a game. I’m a big fan of the movie series, but normally games based on movies turn out to be terrible. But what I got with Saw really impressed me more than I would have thought. Of course the Saw game isn’t anything ground breaking or spectacular, but what you get is definitely worth of your play time.
The game starts out just like a Saw movie. You’re introduced to the game’s protagonist Detective Tapp, who finds himself in a rather precarious position. The gameplay picks up with Tapp regaining consciousness in a dark room, finding that Saw’s famous reverse bear trap has been affixed to his jaw. You are then tasked with matching the button sequences on the sides of the trap to disarm the reverse bear trap. You’ll have to do that quickly, or else Tapp’s skull will be pulled apart in a nice little gory game sequence.
The first trap is very easy of course, but serves as a good set up of things to come. Not to mention, including one of Saw’s most popular traps in the first few moments of gameplay is a brilliant stroke to capture the feel of the movies.
From there your entire experience revolves around surviving trap after trap in an abandoned house. The game stays true to the film’s visual style, and concept for traps. Tobin Bell even reprises his role as Jigsaw for all of the game’s voiceover work. As you travel from room to room you’ll find yourself in familiar territory, if you’re a fan of the film series. Each trap and scenario is inspired by something you’ve seen before. But always with an unexpected twist to which you’ll have to adapt.
The gore won’t make you feel as queasy as anything in the films, as the game’s graphics leave something to be desired. But they do stand up just enough to disturb where intended. All in all not a bad game, but once you’ve gone through the traps for the first time, you won’t need to do it again. So I’d suggest renting Saw, because you’ll only play it once if you buy the game.
