The Club – PS3 – Review

When extreme air
boarding and competitive skateboarding have finally lost their edgy appeal,
there’s a club you can join where the ultimate bragging rights is that you are
the only one who isn’t dead. Of course, this secret club is not for everyone but
for those who join it will find themselves fighting for their lives using all
the guns at their disposal. The Club for the PlayStation 3 is a
third-person shooter that has you competing against other lead-pushers in a
competition that’s tough but boy is it one enjoyable affair.

Brought to us
from the makers of Project Gotham Racing, The Club is a stylish,
fast-paced shooter that relies on combos to rack up the points if you really
want to make an impression. This game isn’t about how cool it is to dodge
bullets or make it to the end of a level with guns blazing. This game is about
how you complete a match type’s particular brand of action and keeping your kill
combo going as much as possible. You see, much like Unreal Tournament 3,
this is all about the tournament itself and the game match types are all about
the competition.

There’s a
single-player Tournament mode that acts as a main story mode but don’t expect a
deep and involving tale about a secret “gun” club that has it’s members battling
it out for first place. There’s no semblance of a story at all but there is a
narrator that explains that “The Club” was designed as an underground blood
sport for trained killers looking for a new way to prove they are the best as
well as win the ultimate prize. It’s like an underground racing club only
instead of cars there are guns … a lot of guns.

You can even
pick up to eight different characters (two of them can be unlocked by playing
Tournament) but don’t expect to get to know them intimately. Thankfully, each of
the eight characters brings their own distinctive style to the competition and
some characters are faster than others. For example, Renwick (the NYPD officer)
can take more bullets than other characters but Kuro (the Japanese character) is
lighter and thus moves faster. Certain characters play well with a particular
environment or game match type so you can figure out which one best suits a
given situation.

Tournament
introduces the five different game match types you can play individually in the
game’s Single Event mode (used for practice as well as test of each character’s
styles). The events range from Sprint (get to Point A to Point B alive) to Siege
(defend a specific area as waves of enemies come at you).  The three other
events are time-based such as Time Attack (a sort of race mode with laps),
Survivor (like Siege only there’s a timer) and Run the Gauntlet (reach the exit
before time expires). The timed matches really push you to your limits thanks,
in part, to the fact that you have an explosive implant on your body. Stray from
the designated area in Siege and you have five seconds to get back to said area
or the explosive goes off.

Each of the game
modes types does have one thing in common, though. It’s all about the points and
the combos you pull of to achieve them. Killing an opponent earns you points but
the trick is to keep the Kill Bar and Combo meter running without interruption.
That means keeping the body count rolling as much as you can while performing a
number of unique shots such as head shots, crack shot (from a long distance) and
the cool Death Roll (a kill after you make a defensive roll). While there are no
Stranglehold-styled slide-and-shoot moves or cool Gears of War type
duck-and-shoot moves, your character can really hold his ground and use all the
weapons he comes across during a match.

Interestingly
enough, the controls are a bit on the stiff side and can be awkward at first but
thanks to the addictive nature of the game match types you will grow accustomed
to the arcade-like controls. Still, there are no moments when the controls will
mean your death. One on my major complaints, however, is the lack of story in
Tournament mode. With an interesting premise and a number of cool characters, a
story would have been a nice addition to what is ultimately the main attraction
… the game’s awesome multiplayer mode.

You can play the
game offline using split-screen but the real treat comes from playing the game
online with up to eight players rather than four offline. Online there are three
free-for-all styled games such as Score Match, Kill Match or Hunter/Hunted (with
is like a violent game of tag). There are also team-based games such as Team
Siege, Team Capture, Team Kill Match and Team Skullshots. Team Fox Hunt is one
of the most entertaining game modes where you attempt to hunt down a team’s
“fox” while trying to take out the opposing team’s “fox.” Online the game modes
move along smoothly and they’re even more addictive than the game’s
single-player matches.

On the visual
front, The Club looks really good but it’s not as gorgeous as it could
have been on the PS3. Still, the graphics are sharp and the character detail is
handled well. Each environment really stands out whether you’re running through
the streets of Venice, Italy or a dank steel mill. The visual effects are also
wonderful, making explosions really come to life. There’s a soundtrack here but
you won’t know it since it takes a backseat to the sound of whizzing bullets,
detailed explosions and various opponents shouting back at you. The voice acting
is solid but nothing really special seeing as the enemies often repeat
themselves.

The Club
for the
PlayStation 3 pushes the boundaries of what a fast-paced, score-based
competitive shooter should be like and succeeds in making it a truly unique and
addictive experience. Never mind the fact that there’s no story to speak of in
the single-player game or the controls are not as smooth as we wish it would be
… this is a wildly satisfying shooter that should not be missed by the hardcore
shooter fans.

Review Scoring Details for The Club

Gameplay: 8.2
The controls
can be a tad on the sluggish side but once you get use to them you will have a
blast running, rolling and shooting opponents left and right. There’s no real
story to enjoy (too bad) but the competitive game matches are a delight to play.
Then there’s the online multiplayer that will be the reason you will be playing
this one for quite a long time.

Graphics: 8.5
Graphically,
The Club looks decent on the PS3 and the character and environmental
details are good. While the game is bloody, it’s never too gory and it’s a blast
watching enemies fly back with the brunt of a blast. Oh, and the explosions are
just too cool.

Sound: 8.0
The game’s
soundtrack doesn’t change its tune but thankfully it’s not annoying. The voice
acting is solid and – aside from the narrator – does a good job of reflecting
the various international locales. As for the gunfire and explosions, they are
appropriately loud.

Difficulty:
Medium
As a
single-player game, you will find yourself overwhelmed by a number of enemies
that know how to shoot and duck for cover. Some enemies can perform combat rolls
and shoot behind cover well enough. Your real enemy, however, is the ticking
clock.

Concept: 8.0
There are a
variety of different characters and two extra ones to unlock but the highlight
is the number of guns at your disposal as well as the fun, fast-paced match
types that’s as frantic as a racing game … if racing games included a body
count.

Multiplayer:
9.0
Much like
Unreal Tournament 3, The Club’s multiplayer mode is all about the
competition and since it’s score-based you will really find yourself pushing
your skills to the limit. There are plenty of weapons and the different
environments are inviting but it’s the multiplayer game modes that rule this
playground.

Overall: 8.2
Surprisingly
brilliant and utterly addictive, The Club is one of those games that are
hard to put down offline or online. Even with a single-player mode that features
a nonexistent story and controls that can be occasionally sluggish, it’s the
multiplayer action that makes this a competitive shooter worth every bullet.