Blade Runner

This is how games really should be made, back when gameplay was more about atmosphere and storyline and less about pushing your graphics card to the limits of its capability. Though the graphics are clumsy and dated by todays standards, in 1997 it was more than passable, (If you are going to whine about this games graphics go back and play Doom2 then get back to me)in fact the overall atmoshpere is incredibly well done and stays very true to the vision of the film. Dark, rainy, film noir-esquire confused hero detective in a trenchcoat with a glass of scotch? It has the whole deal, and I thought it looked as beautiful as it played. I've slung an old PC together and loaded this up for the nostalgia value more recently, and its still a great game. The soundtrack and voice acting especially make it stick out. Alongside Fallout this must rate as perhaps one of the greatest, most atmospheric adventure games of all time.

I loved the film, and hoped the game would live up to it. I soon found it did, and very well I might add. You don't play Deckard, which was great because it means you aren't going to just re-create the movie. There are several different outcomes (endings) to the game all based on your actions within the environment. Gather clues and evidence, interrogate suspects and witnesses, follow and discover leads... all in the forever nocturnal and rainy world of Los Angeles 2019.

When I first bought this game, I hadn't seen the movie yet, as a matter of fact, I had never heard of the movie. Strange, if you try to realize that Blade Runner is absolutely one of the greatest sci-fi movies I have ever seen. I started playing the game, and what immediately drew my attention, was the beautiful atmosphere in the game. The music, the images from the movie, everything made it all so wonderful. Back then, when I played it, I was just a little kid, about 10 years old. Now, 8 years later, I put it in my computer, and it's still wonderful. I think that this game deserves more than just a comment on how bad the graphics were, how the game play can't give you enough tension, or anything else, because back then it was absolutely great. Of course, it's a point and click-adventure, those aren't very exciting, but the ambiance in the game, the music and the images makes it all so worth while. I especially loved the music by Vangelis. It gives you a certain sinister feeling about this game. Also the people you meet, the things that you can do, the places you can go, and that you're in the city of Angels are wonderful aspects of the game. The only bummer for me really was that the main character wasn't Deckard, he would have made the circle complete. But still, after playing the game I saw the movie, and now I'm hooked on both of them. Loved it!

Like in movie, this game is telling a story about a Blade Runner. A special police unit/man that tracks down and exterminates illegal replicants who arrive on Earth from Off-World. First thing which struck me like a lighting from the clear sky was visuals of this game. Although they are pre-rendered 3d backgrounds, they deliver the mood and this noir-like feeling which was present thorough the film right down to your PC screen. You can and will recognize many places that were in the original Blade Runner (1982) movie. The voice acting... well, it's just perfect. William Sanderson, an actor, who was J.F Sebastian in the Blade Runner movie, is one of the voice-actors of this game. A really valuable effort from Westwood to hire on of the originals. As is actually whole plot which gives you some kind of options of how the game ends and how other characters react to you. It is interesting to notice how this game takes everything from the original concept and adds couple of it's own ideas, which are, fully suitable for this kind of product. Joseph D. Kucan did a great job on this game (the man most of us gamers will recognize as "Kane" from the Command & Conquer game series (he also provided voice-acting for Crazylegs Larry)) when he wrote whole plot. As the game advances, a Blade Runner fan will be caught in it. Certain aspects of drama are also present in this game, which is, very rare in game industry overall.

I must recommend this to all those players out there who want a kinda once-in-a-lifetime gaming experience. And also, full recommendation goes to Blade Runner fans. Trust me, this is the game worth the Blade Runner license. The music, overall, is awesome. Thanks goes for Vangelis for their original score. In the last scene where everything is suddenly made clear to you... You will find out. This game is relatively old, made back in 1997 by Westwood Studios, but the age hasn't affected this one so much just yet. This is solely action/adventure game. With maybe a couple RPG elements in it. Kudos to Westwood for this. And no-thanks to EA for shutting down Westwood.

It's unfortunate that the only negative comment on the Blade Runner game is the one featured on IMDB.

While the game is now 6 years old, and it's technology is certainly not the 'latest, greatest', I found it to be one of the more enjoyable games I've played. In fact, it's one of the few games I've played repeatedly!

The ending sequence DOES provide choices which lead to several different endings. And it follows the film closely enough to make you want to watch it again.

(Now, what happened to the rumored "20th anniversary" DVD we've been waiting for??)