The game’s saving grace is almost certainly its multiplayer offering.  It’s unfortunate that Bizarre Creations didn’t include some of the standard multiplayer modes like CtF, but modes like Hunter Hunted, which plays like a game of tag, offer many hours of fun.  The ability to host your own match or play in someone else’s game is pretty solid, though a more robust set of options could never hurt.

Choosing one of the eight characters over another doesn’t effect your success much in the single player modes, but the Rochambeau effect is sizeable in multiplayer.  Fast characters, like the ones I usually play, die quickly and hit less hard, but can easily back out of a combat or rush into melee range; characters like Adjo are built like tanks and move like them, but can mow down crowds with relative ease.  Each character caters to a slightly different play style and I can only applaud Bizarre Creations for such a simple yet elegant balancing act.

There is, however, one major flaw that crosses between single- and multiplayer:  controls.  They’re slippery and slow to react, no matter how high you turn the sensitivity. While it’s not hard to adjust to the loose feel, it can be a major frustration for anyone used to tight and responsive setups.  Whether this was a design choice or an oversight I can only guess, but shooter fans should be prepared for a few tutorial sessions before jumping into multiplayer or attempting to climb the leaderboards.

All in all, I’m happy to have it in my collection as a game built to satisfy my need for slaughter in short bursts.  I might even bust it out at a party some time and let others try it out, but until the formula can undergo a bit of refinement, I don’t forsee the game finding mainstream approval.  Give it a rent before you buy and possibly wait until the price drops a bit.