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STRANGLEHOLD (PS3)
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Publisher: Midway.
Developer: Midway Studios Chicago. Released: October 2007. Genre: Third-person shoot 'em up. Other versions: X360; PC. Posted 12th July 2023. By Shane Battams © 2023 |
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Though its release was not far from the fall of Midway from the gaming industry, Stranglehold felt like the huge hit the US publisher needed after persistent monetary losses throughout the late 2000s. Positioned as a follow-up to John Woo’s action thriller Hard Boiled, Stranglehold saw the legendary director reuniting with actor Chow Yun-Fat for the first time since the 1992 film. Converting Hong Kong movie hijinks to the gaming medium proved an intriguing prospect. While the transition certainly isn’t flawless, this game nevertheless proves a gun barrel full of fun, mixing movie tropes and shooter conventions with mostly satisfying results, and telling a new yarn which acts as a faithful continuation of the story.
For those unfamiliar, Hard Boiled followed the exploits of Inspector “Tequila” Yuen, a policeman anti-hero who flaunts authority to get results. Stranglehold, the sequel that would arrive 15 years later, once again follows Tequila, who has retained his healthy disregard for authority, as well as a desire to hunt criminals and get justice through force. Along the way, players will experience triple-crosses between rival gangs, the kidnapping of both Yuen’s estranged former girlfriend and daughter, and a hell of a lot of explosions. Though some may bemoan the cleaner tone and the lack of some of the cool factor which made the original film a classic, the story here is nevertheless entertaining, with some seriously cool moments and exciting chases.
Make use of Tequila time to wrack up skill points and give Chow Yun-Fat's character a fighting chance against bosses
The seven-chapter story isn’t the longest, beatable as it is in around seven hours, first time through. However, what Stranglehold lacks in length, it makes up for with double the action. Though stages are quite linear, there’s a slew of bad guys to blast along the way, with scenes sometimes spawning dozens of foes from a single door. Armed with dual-wield pistols, you can pick up shotguns, assault rifles, SMGs and even explosive weaponry along the way. It’s’s not just about gunning down goons though: it’s how you do it. Tequila Time slows down everything around you, usually triggering when the player interacts with the environment. Stylish kills yield more stars, which in turn recharge the Tequila meter and allow you to perform one of four special abilities. These comprise recharging Tequila’s health, performing a precision shot that results in a wide range of killcams, entering a barrage state that lets you fire explosive rounds for a few seconds and finally a spinning attack, which wipes out nearby enemies in glorious, Dove-laden fashion. In essence, playing with skill rewards the player with in-game bonuses and proves a gratifying gameplay loop.
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Each stage comes with distinct setpieces, interactive objects and bosses. A faint glow highlights destructible objects which, when shot, often take out goons quickly. Whether it’s neon signs crushing baddies, barrels exploding or sliding down a rail, there are a ton of ways to modify your approach. While some interactions feel less fluid than others – such as climbing up railings and swinging across hanging objects – most of the time the over-the-top action is highly enjoyable. Some setpieces are adrenaline-pumping, such as gunning down endless goons while riding a helicopter’s turret and detonating endless yellow barrels. On the flipside, boss fights can be inconsistent, especially a frustrating chase involving instant-kill lasers. Some may also find the endless shooting, divided with almost no quiet time, to be shallow. But for the most part, Stranglehold is a hell of a lot of fun and doesn’t outstay its welcome.
Despite trying to ape Hollywood movies, Stranglehold isn’t much of a looker on the PS3. The highlight is its destructive environments, which let you splinter and destroy a ton of objects with giddy glee while sending splinters, explosions and debris everywhere. While some nicer lighting and brighter environments catch the eye, including an indoor casino split into several floors, a lot of the time the game is littered with unflattering textures, stilted animations and an uneasy performance, which stutters at times. Cut-scenes often do a poor job of masking these flaws. The sound is a bit better, with voicework that’s typically decent or at least ironically enjoyable, including a slew of bad guys who check off the stereotypical baddy bingo card. The music, though sometimes hard to hear over the action, is decent enough. Guns, explosions and combat all sound the part.
Despite trying to ape Hollywood movies, Stranglehold isn’t much of a looker on the PS3. The highlight is its destructive environments, which let you splinter and destroy a ton of objects with giddy glee while sending splinters, explosions and debris everywhere. While some nicer lighting and brighter environments catch the eye, including an indoor casino split into several floors, a lot of the time the game is littered with unflattering textures, stilted animations and an uneasy performance, which stutters at times. Cut-scenes often do a poor job of masking these flaws. The sound is a bit better, with voicework that’s typically decent or at least ironically enjoyable, including a slew of bad guys who check off the stereotypical baddy bingo card. The music, though sometimes hard to hear over the action, is decent enough. Guns, explosions and combat all sound the part.
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There's no shortage of cool setpieces as Stranglehold successfully channels the vibes of John Woo's stylish films
While Stranglehold would prove another costly miss for Midway at a time when they needed success, it nevertheless proves a highly enjoyable, adrenaline-fuelled shooter that benefits from its immense style and a solid degree of substance. Though the action may prove draining to some, the focus on skill and using your environment stands out in comparison to other third-person shooters of the time. Though some may find fault in its efforts to continue Hard Boiled, you cannot deny that narrative and action combine to keep the adrenaline-fuelled. Action enthusiasts who don’t mind switching off should really enjoy Tequila’s long-awaited follow-up.
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VERDICT
"Strangehold’s focus on action may prove draining to some. However, the onus on skill and utilising your environments combine with an enjoyable narrative and adrenaline-pumping action to good results." OVERALL: 7/10 |
PIXEL SECONDS: STRANGLEHOLD (X360)
Stranglehold is about as action-packed as a video game gets, barely pausing for breath during its brief but exciting run time. Midway’s ode to Hong Kong action flicks channels Max Payne’s bullet-time concept and ramps it up to eleven. The shooting is slick and the ability to string stylish kills via bannister slides, trolley rides, chandelier swings and lunging, slow-motion dives proves riotous fun. The game looks solid, as though the character models aren’t anything special, there are plenty of environmental highlights. These include the Mega Restaurant casino, which exhibits an appetising array of destructible scenery, and Kowloon, an impressively grimey exterior that shows off an atmospheric rain effect. A nice touch deserving of mention is the unlock shop, which sees John Woo himself selling gallery items and extras. Stranglehold’s not without its blemishes though, many of which feel like a throwback to sixth-generation shooters. AI tends to rush the player and it’s often hard to place enemies until they’ve starting depleting Tequila’s health. Cover is pretty much an afterthought and the old-school health bar ensures surviving onslaughts can be tricky, even if you’ve a good eye for headshots. Harder difficulties show bosses to be a source of intense frustration. With huge reservoirs of health, they typically head straight for the player, all-guns-blazing, accompanied by an unending slew of henchmen. The shooting is relentless, meaning Stranglehold can inevitably start to feel one-trick and one-paced. Still, at its best, it’s a superbly enjoyable cinematic action game and a real rush. It’s rare that games incorporate cinematic tropes positively into their gameplay, and for this, it deserves credit. [7] – Tom Clare © 2023
Stranglehold is about as action-packed as a video game gets, barely pausing for breath during its brief but exciting run time. Midway’s ode to Hong Kong action flicks channels Max Payne’s bullet-time concept and ramps it up to eleven. The shooting is slick and the ability to string stylish kills via bannister slides, trolley rides, chandelier swings and lunging, slow-motion dives proves riotous fun. The game looks solid, as though the character models aren’t anything special, there are plenty of environmental highlights. These include the Mega Restaurant casino, which exhibits an appetising array of destructible scenery, and Kowloon, an impressively grimey exterior that shows off an atmospheric rain effect. A nice touch deserving of mention is the unlock shop, which sees John Woo himself selling gallery items and extras. Stranglehold’s not without its blemishes though, many of which feel like a throwback to sixth-generation shooters. AI tends to rush the player and it’s often hard to place enemies until they’ve starting depleting Tequila’s health. Cover is pretty much an afterthought and the old-school health bar ensures surviving onslaughts can be tricky, even if you’ve a good eye for headshots. Harder difficulties show bosses to be a source of intense frustration. With huge reservoirs of health, they typically head straight for the player, all-guns-blazing, accompanied by an unending slew of henchmen. The shooting is relentless, meaning Stranglehold can inevitably start to feel one-trick and one-paced. Still, at its best, it’s a superbly enjoyable cinematic action game and a real rush. It’s rare that games incorporate cinematic tropes positively into their gameplay, and for this, it deserves credit. [7] – Tom Clare © 2023
MORE CINEMATIC SHOOTING GAMES REVIEWED
Max Payne (2002, Xbox)
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The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay (2004, Xbox)
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