E: I don't really like the tone of this review anymore (and disagree with some of the points) although I stand by the score!
I'm trying to find a way to say this without sounding mean-spirited. This is the perfect game for people who want to feel like they played something deep, but don't want to spend much time actively thinking about it. I don't believe that there's a "wrong" way to enjoy games, so I don't really take issue with this playstyle, but I'm a little jealous that I am completely unable to enjoy this game as much as I did when I was 16.
It doesn't want to take its characters seriously. The city itself feels like a Bioshock AU theme park, primarily because it's set dressing for your murder spree and seemingly no thought went into creating a place that exists after you leave. The game constantly feels like it's gearing up to say something serious this time before sheepishly backing away from any point worth making. It pits their in-game left and right against each other and goes "both sides bad" without really bothering to examine context or anything beyond "ooo did you see this time, how they were mean?" I'm pretty transparently leftist when it comes up, but I would still respect the game more if it took a disagreeable stance with conviction as opposed to vaguely alluding to political concepts. I can't even turn my brain off because the action-heavy sequences feel awful to play.
I'm trying to find a way to say this without sounding mean-spirited. This is the perfect game for people who want to feel like they played something deep, but don't want to spend much time actively thinking about it. I don't believe that there's a "wrong" way to enjoy games, so I don't really take issue with this playstyle, but I'm a little jealous that I am completely unable to enjoy this game as much as I did when I was 16.
It doesn't want to take its characters seriously. The city itself feels like a Bioshock AU theme park, primarily because it's set dressing for your murder spree and seemingly no thought went into creating a place that exists after you leave. The game constantly feels like it's gearing up to say something serious this time before sheepishly backing away from any point worth making. It pits their in-game left and right against each other and goes "both sides bad" without really bothering to examine context or anything beyond "ooo did you see this time, how they were mean?" I'm pretty transparently leftist when it comes up, but I would still respect the game more if it took a disagreeable stance with conviction as opposed to vaguely alluding to political concepts. I can't even turn my brain off because the action-heavy sequences feel awful to play.