Amazon.co.uk Review
Sega's latest breath of life for their Dreamcast console comes in the shape of the sleek, action-packed and highly addictive
Headhunter. And, in short, it's a game not to be missed. Set in the future, where crime is fought by paid mercenaries, you play one such
Headhunter, in this case suffering from a memory lapse. The key to the game is exploration, puzzle solving and all-out action, the aim being to regain your memory and solve a murder case while you're at it. Easy, huh?
You undertake these tasks by road and on foot. On road, you need to ride your bike to the various locations across the map, and on foot you have to get to grips with sneaking around, uncovering clues and taking out bad guys. The slightly clumsy controls don't help, unfortunately, as every now and then you'll find yourself unable to do exactly what you want when you need to do it. It's a shame, because it's one of the very few flaws this otherwise superb game has. For, in the plus column there is the excellent story line, the tense, compulsive gameplay, the well-constructed game world and the continuous pacing of the action. And that's just for starters.
There's an argument that Headhunter is the last great game that the Dreamcast will see. Here's hoping not, for the machine is still playing host to titles such as this, as well as other top-notch games such as Virtua Tennis 2 and Shenmue 2. As it stands, those who have stood by the Dreamcast are in for a genuine treat, as Headhunter is, frankly, one of the games of the year. Enjoy it. --Simon Brew
Product Description
Bounty-hunting game Headhunterfeatures cutting-edge stealth action: you will slither against walls, peek around corners and snap your enemies' necks from behind in total anonymity. You can play as both ruthless Headhunter Jack Wade and his alluring accomplice, Angela Stern. Rip through the streets at speeds of over 200 mph on an ultra-bad bounty hunting motorcycle, and pass license tests to unlock new features throughout the game. As you play in either third or first person perspective, you will have access to a fully stocked arsenal, including proximity mines, machine guns, missile launchers, and more. The detailed environments range from seedy biker hangouts to chaotic gas-filled shopping malls and futuristic laboratories. The mixture of storytelling and action is accomplished through the over one full hour of painstakingly rendered real-time FMV. The soundtrack was composed by Richard Jaques, and is performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
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