The Saboteur

The video games industry can be harsh. It's a cut throat business and there is no place for sentimentality or reminiscing on a glorious past. The only thing that counts are sales numbers and a game developer is never worth more than its latest title.

That is true for Pandemic Studios. They were picked up in 2007 by EA, and it looked like they were heading for a bright future. With titles like Full Spectrum Warrior and Mercenaries they had built a solid reputation in the industry. Today Pandemic Studios only exists on paper. With EA cutting 200 people, including its founders, closing down the Westwood facilities and moving the few remaining staffers to the EA Los Angeles studio, there is no way around the fact that Pandemic Studios is dead, despite the fact that the brand lives on.

The timing could not be worse for The Saboteur. From the sidelines it appears like EA don't have much confidence in the game and its developers. Would they have shut down the studio if they had full confidence in the game?

Unfortunately EA acted correctly. The Saboteur is not a very good game. Neither is it particularly poor. But in a competitive market, with tons of quality titles there it is easy to understand why EA came to their decision.

But let's forget about all that and start at the beginning. A very sparsely dressed night club singer appears on screen accompanied by some laid back jazz notes. She has a seducing air about her as she sings while the sleepy house band fall back into the background.

It's 1940 in Paris. The night club is called The Belle, a place that has certainly seen better days. Tonight it is filled to the brim with drunk and rowdy German soldiers. I'm standing at the bar and one of the first thing to catch my eye is a booth with five men caught in a synchronised animation loop. It's almost hypnotic. Not the most polished first impression.

Within short I'm contact by Luc. He is the leader of the local resistance, and despite the fact that the club is full of members of the German Wehrmacht, he is persistent in his attempt to get me to join the course. He has heard of me - Sean Devlin. Irish race driver who fled to France after a race just as World War II broke out. My best friend was murdered and I'm out for revenge.

The Saboteur is best described as a mix of the climbing and stealth elements of Assassin's Creed, the open world and mission structure of Grand Theft Auto and the relaxed action of Pandemic's own Mercenaries series.

At one point in the game I'm at the top of a building. The climb was an uncomfortable as it showcased the stiff animations and poor texture work. As I finally arrive I take out my MP44 that I've purchased on the black market. A lonely German soldier is patrolling the street below me. As my first shot hits his body the street is swarming with Nazis. Fortunately none of them know how to climb buildings so I'm safe on the rooftop.

I clear the streets below of soldiers but only to my left, because there is no way I can shoot those on the right as the aim is fixed above my right shoulder. A fact I have found myself cursing several times as I play through the game. It often means the enemies can see me long before I can spot them.

After a few minutes on the roof I get restless. I've run out of grenades. I run up to the German loud speaker that was my objective for the mission. With a well placed explosive I end the constant stream of Nazi propaganda.

These loud speakers are just one of the many German installations that are marked on my map over Paris that I can make money sabotaging. Unfortunately it is an hopelessly trivial task to destroy the hundreds of German installations that are spread out on the map.

Despite the fact that the building is surrounded by German soldiers, my exit is fairly undramatic. There is a conveniently located hiding place right beside me. I crawl in and after a few seconds the German hostility has blown over. After quickly climbing down from the roof I happily stroll passed the same German soldiers who just a brief while ago were trying to put holes in me.

The main story missions are more exciting than this. Most notably the stealth mission are enjoyable. The stealth action is rudimentary, but consistent, and rewards you for tackling things patiently and methodically.

Despite the fact that the cross hair is fixed at an annoying angle above my right shoulder, and the automatic cover system is causing me trouble, the shooting sequences are actually quite entertaining. The weapons feel solid, and there is a certain sense of satisfaction as I drill holes in my enemies.

The black and white Sin City styled graphics, where certain colours are allowed to shine works well. This graphical style is used in the parts of Paris where the resistance have yet to gain a foothold. If only Pandemic would have gone for this style for the entire game, cause the colour scheme that takes over once you start liberating Paris is truly uninspired.

The Saboteur comes across as something you have played a hundred times over. It feels mechanic and stiff, and the game could have done with more flair, imagination and innovation. Simple and functional gameplay lifts it to an acceptable level and dedicated fans of the open world genre will be able to derive enough enjoyment out of it to warrant a purchase, but for most people you will be best advised to wait until it hits the bargain bins. Because as it stands it is one further example of what happens when a developers opts for quantity over quality.