Reviewed: Kane and Lynch 2 Xbox 360 & PS3

We take a look at gaming’s most notorious criminals on both platforms. Is it worth heading to Shanghai or is it worth missing the flight? Find out in this review.

Co-Op Special Video Review will be appearing on our YouTube shortly.

The original Kane & Lynch caused critics to be very critical of a game we acclaim to be a brilliant title, we do understand its not 100% perfect, but what game is?  As many of the critics were somewhat surprised that a sequel was announced so quickly it caused a lot of controversy, and a lot of other reviews have been slagging the game off. Our review is non-biased, and heck we are GAMERS, we appreciate games more. Anyway, lets get on with this review before we end up virtually shooting someone.

Dog Days really does make a strong impression, on the 360 anyway. The PS3 has terrible loading screens, and the start up instillation takes a good 20+ minuets! So make sure you have 20 minuets spare. If your a X360 owner then just expect a 5 second update.  Once you get through this barrier on the PS3 you can commence to the game. The game will start you off in the role of Lynch who you will play through the campaign as since the story is focused around Lynch. In co-op however you can choose between Kane and Lynch.

You will notice a lot of difference between the two Kane and Lynch titles. The original Dead Men was more of a “cinematic” film appeal, with a lot of references to previous gangster/mafia films. This time around the game is set from the eye of a handheld video camera, presenting its visuals, shaky cameras, fuzzy effects, the whole shebang. This is a nice use off visual effects and really does make the game very unique to the original and other titles out their.  The violence is still here, with lots of mature themes, the same mature themes that defined the previous Dead Men title.  We are sure your questioning, “Does Kane and Lynch: Dog Days have the same flaws as the previous?” We are referring this question perfectly aimed at the controls, the story which got slightly confusing and the split endings (even though a nice option) didn’t help,  the lack of online co-op and un-played multiplayer.Well sadly, to a degree, it does,  but the issue is still IO’s way of presenting the criminals in a desperate situation.

The gameplay focus of Dead Men is no longer here, remember those ‘classic’ Dead Men heists? Well Dog Days is a considerably different in comparison to the first title. This time around its all about all guns blazing. Their is not much need for stealth anymore as your mainly always on the move, going through alley ways, buildings, shops and street streamlined affair. It’s actually a brilliant approach and does somewhat make the game more enjoyable, shot gunning people to the face to see a blurred pixelated camera effect couldn’t be more enjoyable.

There is of course a downside to this, it becomes very repetitive, very quickly. The shooting of course is more improved compared to Dead Men, but their is a lot of competitors on the market for the 3rd person shooters this year including the upcoming Mafia 2 title. You will find yourself pointlessly dieing from cover, cover this time around just doesn’t work as well, you will either cover correctly or end up coming out of cover to end up dead. Its a 50/50 win/lose situation, which is a shame since the covering system in the first one worked pretty well. It is bearably this said and doesn’t effect the gameplay to much since you can pick yourself up once you have been shot, but this only works every so often.

in comparison to the first game. There are no more heists, not much in the way of stealth missions, hell, there’s not even much variety in the whys of what you’re doing. You’re pretty much always shooting and moving forward. In a way, this is refreshing – that other stuff was not executed well in the last game.
Of course, the flaw there is increased repetition. The shooting mechanic in Dog Days is more functional than it was in Dead Men, but it still feels a little behind the times in comparison to third person shooters in 2010, and the cover system still frustrates as much as it helps. This is compounded by weapons that have been hobbled in effectiveness by IO’s desire to make them feel more realistic. Guns early in the game are inaccurate pieces of junk, and you’ll spend as much time looking for better guns as you will your plan of attack. This is more a problem for you than the enemies you’ll face, as Dog Days is one of the few games I’ve ever played where fodder opponents take more punishment than the player can.

The real draw of Kane & Lynch 2 is the story and presentation. At this point, you probably know about Dog Days’ particular presentation style,  the very creative video camera system, evoking he use of a video camera used at a handheld point. This time around Dog Days feels similar to a film due to its presentation which isn’t to much of a bad aspect to take into consideration and actually does play like a movie such Collateral and The Departed, and also can slightly refer to a bit of Pulp Fiction.
The narrative is a confusing, but Dog Days actually holds it self together very well.  It’s rare that a game can actually make you Jump, especially a title like this. This title really does make you disturbed. You will watch awkwardly as a character cry’s out for help as if everything has been taken from them, its an unexpected twist to the narrative. It’s always hard to take a game’s story seriously enough that it can actually be criticized due to its emotional outcomes and violence. It’s a shame that everything happens in one go and takes away the realistic appeal.

The game’s story at times is though, and this time around doesn’t feel to essential due to the body count in Dog Days, the numbers in the hundreds (with an achievement/trophy for 1000 kills in campaign), moving Kane & Lynch beyond mass murder and into wartime atrocity territory. In can be taken note as just being one of those mindless action games, featuring two people who can mindlessly kill hundreds and thousands like a terminator. Like I stated before the realistic edge in this title holds on with hardly any grip but it’s easy missable if your all in for mindless action. The narrative is still effective, still intense, still emotional, but it’s weaker perhaps than it could have been.

The multiplayer and the new Arcade Mode bring something new and better that the previous title didn’t pull-of too well. Multiplayer is broken down into three modes: The returning Fragile Alliance, and a pair of variations on the theme, Undercover Cop and Cops & Robbers. Fragile Alliance partners you with other players on a heist on a strict timetable. You’ve got four minutes to get in and out alive with as much money as you can collect, don’t forget any player can betray the other players, collecting more cash. Of course, the payoff might be bigger working together, and traitors face the wrath of other players and enemy AI alike. Undercover Cop randomly assigns a Serpico amidst the expat thieves, who’s goal is to stop the other players once the heist is in motion. Cops and Robbers divides players into opposing teams, with Robbers attempting to pull off a score and escape and Cops attempting to stop them. Arcade mode takes the multiplayer modes and fills them with bots.

While multiplayer’s concepts are strong and interesting, they rely even more heavily on the shooting and cover aspect of Kane & Lynch 2 than single-player. It’s nice that they’re there, and fun can be had, but the online aspect fails to lift off. The online isn’t amazing but were glad its improved, not forgetting the new online co-op.

Overall 7/10 – Purchase

K&L:Dog Days has took everything the one previous had, made it either better, recreated it and giving it a new appeal, more enjoyable and a better experience. This sequel has it’s flaws but shapes up well in the multiplayer department and the online co-op. Without the online co-op we feel Kane and Lynch 2 would of suffered dramatically. The online co-op is solid on both platforms and is the only way to play Kane &Lynch 2, ignore the singeplayer if you can, find some friends online, get together and kill some people. If you’re just not a person interested in crime thrillers, then there’s probably not much point purchasing Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days as it wouldn’t have much to keep you playing. Kane and Lynch continue to stand as gaming notorious criminals.