Overall- SAW’s promising gameplay mechanics are let down quite heavily by some surprising gameplay decisions, which is a shame- but it’s a good cross of visceral combat and brain-work whilst it lasts. For those who are interested, it should also be noted that the game offers some pretty easy achievement points- I got over 850 in a single runthrough.

 

Graphically, the game is decent. The developers used the Unreal 3 engine, and they’ve pulled it off pretty well. There are the usual engine problems (texture pop-in, textures still loading after a background load), but they are no worse than any of the better games using UE3. Lighting effects, however, are particularly good, with moody effects that really do affect how you see the rooms. Also, there are different sources, including lighters, torches and cameras and the like, all of which are pretty different.

 

 

Character models look great too, and have some good lip-synching, but at the same time, animation is average at best. It looks fine when you are in control- but it cut-scenes it looks really lifeless and stilted. Blood and gore is done nicely too- in essence- this is a fine looking game that never excites, but doesn’t really ever look bad either- which is probably about as much as you can ask for in a licensed game.

 

All the dialogue in the game is spoken, and the script is pretty good- it certainly has a very similar feel to the films, at any rate. There’s plenty of banter between Tapp and Jigsaw, and loads of other dialogue too. Lines from the minions repeat fairly frequently though- which is a bit of a letdown. The music is decent enough, sounding a bit like stuff from the films, and certainly adding a decent amount of atmosphere and tensions where required.

 

 

n/a

 

"SAW" could have been one of the best licensed games of all time to be honest. The fact it isn’t quite up there really beggars belief. The slight brevity of the game I can take. The non-randomised puzzles in a time-based environment I can’t. Nor is it original when I put my hand in a toilet full of syringes for the tenth time. I was also surprised that you probably have to have seen all of the films for it to make total sense too. With a clearer story, better puzzle direction and less repetition, this would have been an excellent game.

 

As it is, it’s still worth to buy at least for fans of the films and those who like a good old-school survival horror game.

 

 

 

 

+ Atmospheric
+ Captures essence of films
+ Gritty combat