What sets Kane & Lynch apart from the majority of other games out there is that it puts players in the role of violent, morally bankrupt criminals who are only looking out for numero uno. It gives things the tone of a gritty crime-drama. The kind that would usually make for a successful movie. The grimy locations and unsympathetic, scumbag characters who make up this seedy experience allow the title to have a unique sense of style. Where Dog Days stumbles is in it's gameplay, and it's enough to kill the whole package.

The story is presented in a unique found-footage sort of way. It's as if you, the player, are following the leads around with a camcorder. A cool concept, but one that works better in theory than in execution. The grainy visuals and the way the camera shakes when you run do add a sense of believability, but can obscure the action and honestly seems like a way to try and hide the dated graphics. The looks aren't quite up to par with other 2010 games. The plot itself is little more than a "we ticked off everyone" setup. The ending is laughable in it's immediacy. There's a missing final act.

Not that I would've liked to play through any more chapters than what's here. This is some very flawed 3rd-person cover shooting. Most guns feel underpowered, level design if often haphazard, and there were plenty of times where I was getting shot despite being in cover. Mix in the fact that enemies often take way more punishment than they should and you've got a recipe for some frustrating shootouts. What really sucks though is how basic it all feels. Gunfights play out like a slow game of whack-a-mole as you wait for the numbskull, generic-looking enemies to pop their heads out of cover. These certainly aren't the brightest AI combatants out there. I swear their positions are not organic at all. Sections I was forced to retry often found my attackers going to the exact same place they were before I died. When they do have to move locations it all breaks down. They often just run out in the open or take cover beside a barrier instead of behind it, allowing for easy kills. What caused my death more than anything was the shear number of them, along with the fact that sometimes they'll just bumrush you. The campaign simply isn't much fun. Even if you decide to bring a buddy along.

Multiplayer fares a bit better. It really makes use of the whole backstabbing criminal element by allowing you to screw over teammates at any point in the game across all game modes. Unfortunately there's nobody online. This also causes the arcade mode to be rendered practically worthless as well. It puts the larger emphasis on potential treachery in the group, and while you can play with AI, it's just not the same as playing with randoms and constantly looking over your shoulder. You could get some friends together, but that would force all of you to own this crappy game.

With a dull single-player offering that honestly isn't that gritty or shocking in content, flawed gameplay, and a basically dead online component, there isn't much reason to give Dog Days a look. A shame because there is potential here. It's just not capitalized on very well. Instead of a realistic, dark, and disturbingly violent glimpse into what it's like to be on the other side of the law, what we got is an unremarkable 3rd-person shooter. One that's just not worth playing.

5/10

Reviewed on Oct 04, 2021


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