The Saw movies. You either love ‘em, or hate ‘em. Having invented a whole new genre of film, dubbed ‘torture porn’, the franchise is now up to it sixth sequel and there is no sign of this ending any time soon. It was almost inevitable that a video game would be made, considering what a box office smash the film series is, and lo and behold, that is just what those clever guys at Konami have done.
As a direct translation from film to video game, the programmers have done an admirable job here. The world here is dark and dirty, just as in the films, and danger lurks around every corner as you walk along corridors with broken glass on the floor and distant cries of pain as you hear other captives being tortured or calling for help.
The game begins with your character waking up from unconsciousness only to find himself tied to a chair with a bear-trap fixed to his head. By following the on-screen commands, you have 60 seconds to free yourself from this before it goes off, crushing your head within its vice. Once this is successfully done, Jigsaw then presents you with tasks that you must carry out in order for you to survive this house of horrors that you find yourself in.
There really is a feeling of tension present as you make your way through the house, and you are always on the edge of your seat as you play, thanks to the terrific atmosphere generated by the graphics and sound.
You soon learn that Jigsaw has hidden a key inside you, and the other captive residents of the house are after it in order to free themselves. Whenever you encounter another human, chances are they’ll be after your guts, and will use any means possible to get the key within you. This means that they are aggressive to the extreme, and will leap out of you from nowhere, scare the bejesus out of you before trying to hit you around the head with a crowbar. The combat side of the game is actually its weakest point – fighting as a whole seems to be cumbersome and awkward.
However, the rest of the game is a polished effort. Play this alone at night with all the lights off, and the atmosphere will really get to you. As a straight conversation of the film series, it captures the mood perfectly.
When you think about it, the Saw series of films are perfect for a video game, with the puzzle solving and gory violence elements combining well to make for a gripping game. Not for everyone maybe, but if you are not adverse to seeing a few buckets of blood splashed across your screen and are a fan of the films, then this could just be the game for you…
