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EAT LEAD: THE RETURN OF MATT HAZARD (X360)
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Publisher: D3 Publisher.
Developer: Vicious Cycle Software. Released: March 2009 (Europe). Genre: Third-person shoot 'em up. Other versions: PS3. Posted 14th July 2021. By Shane Battams © 2021 |
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Parodies in gaming can be notoriously hit-and-miss. While some hit the mark, like The Simpsons Game, others rely so heavily on the humour aspect that the “game” part of the experience suffers. Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard, unfortunately, falls into the latter category. It has some genuinely funny moments and an interesting premise, but these cannot mask the mediocre shooting and frustrating difficulty curve. If you can stomach some of these frustrations, however, fans of tongue-in-cheek humour may want to check it out.
Matt Hazard is a video game action hero who got his start with side-scrollers in the 80s. After signing on with Marathon, his success would only grow. So too would his ego, resulting in several awful spin-off games which caused Marathon to collapse. But under new leadership, Marathon Megasoft sign Hazard for another game for next-generation consoles. Things quickly go south, however, as it’s apparent Hazard was due for deletion rather than another success. Saved by a hacking QA, Hazard must trek through this game while saving his old comrades. There’s also an outside hacker who complicates matters, bringing back enemies Hazard thought long buried. This aspect lends an unpredictability to the game, and though it can be unfunny at points, a strong performance from Will Arnett as Matt Hazard helps keeps the game afloat.
Matt Hazard is a video game action hero who got his start with side-scrollers in the 80s. After signing on with Marathon, his success would only grow. So too would his ego, resulting in several awful spin-off games which caused Marathon to collapse. But under new leadership, Marathon Megasoft sign Hazard for another game for next-generation consoles. Things quickly go south, however, as it’s apparent Hazard was due for deletion rather than another success. Saved by a hacking QA, Hazard must trek through this game while saving his old comrades. There’s also an outside hacker who complicates matters, bringing back enemies Hazard thought long buried. This aspect lends an unpredictability to the game, and though it can be unfunny at points, a strong performance from Will Arnett as Matt Hazard helps keeps the game afloat.
The Return of Matt Hazard provides some humorous moments, but it's let down my mediocre gameplay
Eat Lead is an eight-level gauntlet through some varied locales that, often, are hacked and seamed with other elements, meaning cowboys could invade your Russian stripclub level. As a result, there’s an air of unpredictability and the mish-mash nature of the game is quite humorous. Once you start shooting, however, it’s a very standard seventh-gen third-person shooter. There’s a point where the game’s objective jokes “shoot everything in sight”, and this sums up Eat Lead’s gameplay to a tee. Eventually, Hazard does gain some power-ups, which allow you to freeze and burn enemies, which is cool, as well as timed powers such as Hazard Time, which ups weapon power for a short time. While the enemies and weapons are varied, the cover system is flawed to say the least, with Hazard often refusing to stick to surfaces you’d assume can serve as cover. Otherwise, everything is satisfactory if unremarkable, especially next to the litany of Gears of War clones around at the time.
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Two key issues dent Eat Lead’s charms. Despite the title, weapon scarcity is a major issue almost all of the time. You’re constantly forced to search for weapons and swap guns, and because Hazard can only carry two at a time, you’ll sometimes find yourself completely vulnerable due to running out of ammo. Hazard can perform a melee chain, but it’s pretty weak. The other issue is enemy spawning, as all too often, you’ll find yourself picked off by enemies who spawn behind you. Hazard, despite being an 80s action hero, can sustain few hits before dying. A spotty checkpoint system only furthers the frustration. The bosses, too, can be tedious. They run the gambit of funny clichés, but the joke is on the player when they can kill you in a single hit, spawn endless grunts to chip at your health and take copious amounts of damage. It adds up to a frustrating time.
Eat Lead also represents dubious value for money. You can beat the main story’s eight levels in seven hours, and there’s very little to incentivise continuous play. There is no co-op or multiplayer, and the only unlockable is a harder difficulty. But when the normal mode is so frustrating, most players will avoid subjecting themselves to even more torturous, difficult gameplay. It’s definitely on the thin side when it comes to replay value.
Eat Lead also represents dubious value for money. You can beat the main story’s eight levels in seven hours, and there’s very little to incentivise continuous play. There is no co-op or multiplayer, and the only unlockable is a harder difficulty. But when the normal mode is so frustrating, most players will avoid subjecting themselves to even more torturous, difficult gameplay. It’s definitely on the thin side when it comes to replay value.
Matt Hazard’s newest game is also a mixed bag on the presentation front. There’s a lot of bland-looking environments populated with flat textures and the characters look rough around the edges. Some funny cut-scene animations keep the humour flowing. And in fairness – while everything appears a bit drab – the variety of enemies and mash-up levels is appealing. The sound is stronger, with voice work from the likes of the aforementioned Will Arnett and Neil Patrick Harris, both of whom add comedy to the game. The music composer found their favourite track with a guitar-rift solo, which grates due to repetition. But the occasional break from this track, including an epic orchestral score during a water-gun fight, is quite funny. The only disappointment on the audio side lies with the guns, which fail to pack a satisfying punch.
In the end, Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard is an underwhelming shooter which is only saved by some genuinely funny moments. It’s clear that this parody is better thought-out than most and while some of its jokes fail to hit the mark, the sheer absurdity of the game does lend it an interesting twist. But the gameplay fails to hold up its end of the deal, with average shooting mechanics which range from dull to frustrating. If you’re looking for a modern era Duke Nukem-esque shooter, it may be worth a go. For everyone else, there are far better third-person shooters on the market.
In the end, Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard is an underwhelming shooter which is only saved by some genuinely funny moments. It’s clear that this parody is better thought-out than most and while some of its jokes fail to hit the mark, the sheer absurdity of the game does lend it an interesting twist. But the gameplay fails to hold up its end of the deal, with average shooting mechanics which range from dull to frustrating. If you’re looking for a modern era Duke Nukem-esque shooter, it may be worth a go. For everyone else, there are far better third-person shooters on the market.
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VERDICT
"Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard is an underwhelming shooter that is somewhat redeemed by some genuinely funny moments" OVERALL: 5/10 |