Saw II Flesh and Blood is the second entry into the Video Game Saw based on the Movie Franchise. Saw II puts you into the shoes of the Jigsaws victims who must do anything and even sacrifice anyone in order to get out alive . Is Saw II just another Jigsaw that doesn't fit into the puzzle or does it form an entire picture of greatness? Read on and find out.
When playing Saw II I can only say one thing. Pure Genius. Absolutely genius. Why do I call it that? The game from earlier on states that you will be making choices that can lead to you getting out alive or die a brutal death.
The game is set in between the second and the third movie. In the beginning you play the role of Campbell who is looking for his son. You start out with spike case around your head which will close if you do not cut open your eye and take out the key to open the lock. While cutting your eye open you can actually see the pain in Campbell's face and blood starting to drip down his face. As you proceed through the level you will see the types of challenges that you will have to face and the type of items that you must collect. Some items don't advance the story but in order to understand it, it helps. You will collect Jigsaw puzzles to dolls resembling Jigsaw. However in order to collect the dolls you must complete a challenging puzzle that has you check your surroundings.
When proceeding to the elevator to Campbell's freedom Jigsaw points out Campbell's health and well being and tells him there is someone the same age of his son and he can chose to die and let the other person live or live and let the other person die. This choice is completely up to the player but after the decision has been made the real story begins.
You assume the role of Michael, so of David Tapp. Michael is a reporter who uses his position to benefit himself. He is kidnapped by Jigsaw and is taken to a hotel where the all the events take place. Jigsaw explains since Michael is a reporter he must use his Journalism skills to investigate sites that normal people would over look.
Saw II is all about puzzle solving. Some puzzles do require that you save someone's life however Jigsaw explains that this saving them is all voluntarily and it's up Michael to save them or not. Most puzzles in Saw II do require a lot of thinking than just trying to solve a basic puzzle. You need to exhaust your options before you can proceed.
Opening doors can also be challenging. The least challenging on is when you have to press 2 buttons while the weight is moving down before it reaches the floor. One puzzle that took me by surprise is when you peek at the door and you have a split second to move out of the way or have your head blown off.
There are several weapons to use in game to defend yourself against enemies although combat is very linear. You have to match the same keys displayed on the screen. Fighting is the least bit of your worries though as blocking can be a real pain in the Ass. When an enemy attacks you first you have to make sure the blue bar stops in the yellow bar. The blue bar does not stop on contact and you must stop it seconds before it reaches its goal. I don't know if this was as designed but it does feel as the blue bar is not responding to the users command and just stops when it wants to. The developers should really tried to find other ways for the defense mechanism as this can get players pissed off.
What's great about Saw II or maybe it's one of its downfalls depending how you look at it is its very linear gamplay. You will have multiple areas to explore but only one will continue through the story. The extra areas are closed off and only contain a puzzle piece or a weapon or most of the times nothing special. The codes for the doors remain the same and if you die you can just rush through the area enter the code and proceed to the next.
Graphically the game isn't winning any awards and the dark theme of the game can piss you off as you can barely see anything. It has that Silent Hill tone to it minus the evil monsters trying to kill you at every corner. Instead the evil monsters are replaced with challenging puzzles. However just because the graphics aren't the best that doesn't mean your hair won't stand up at the sight of Jigsaw and the dilemma going on when someone's life is at stake.
My biggest complain about Saw II is the sound. For other games the volume on my TV is enough at 20/100. Sometimes I crank up the volume to 30/100 and even that is loud for me. With Saw II I have to crank it up to 70/100 and even then I can't hear anything. Turning on the Subtitles will help out a lot but they're off by default. Some voice acting is done great while others try too hard. I do believe that the Voice of Jigsaw did a pretty darn good job to capture his real voice as it sends shivers down your spine just listening to him.
Saw II is not the longest game out there but it is definitely one of the most challenging the first time you play it. Gameplay only lasts a few hours but depending on the path that you chose you might want to go back and see what the other one has to offer.
Closing Comments:
As I started playing Saw II I was hooked into the game. I was at the edge of my seat trying to figure out puzzles and trying to save people's lives. Saw II truly captures the theme of Saw in every way. However to enjoy Saw II you must have played the first game as well as watch all the available movies. This is a draw back as many people will get confused in some parts of the game that reference the movie. But for the most part you will be drawn in into the puzzles. Saw II is not about combat or adventure and if you're looking for that then look elsewhere. However if you're looking for a game that will challenge you intellectually and questions your choices then Saw II is the game for you.
GamePlay: Challenging puzzles will have you scratching your head while keeping you at the edge of your seat. 8/10
Graphics: Will not win any awards but for the most part it gets the job done and captures the true feeling of Saw. 7/10
Sound: Hopefully you have a great TV or Sound System cause you are going to need it. 3/10
Story: Amazing. Truly Amazing. If you play games for their story this is a must. 10/10
LifeSpan: Will only last a few hours but you might want to go back and choose a different path just to see a different ending. 5/10
Total Score: 70/100
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