Best described as a Grand Theft Auto clone set in World War 2, The Saboteur is a an over the top blastfest. You play the role of an Irishman who is living in Paris when war breaks out, who after a chance meeting with the French Resistance, takes it upon himself to single handedly liberate the city from its Nazi oppressors.
Whilst this in itself sounds unrealistic, it actually sets the tempo for what by all accounts is an over the top game. Explosions and carnage seem to follow you around wherever you go, but like some unearthly superhero, you seem to be able to shrug the worst of it off and regenerate your health with almost lightening speed. Couple this with the main characters Irish wisecracks, this isn’t a game to take seriously, but is immensely good fun to play.
As mentioned, all of the action takes place in the streets of 1940s Paris, and at first it is an incredibly dark and depressing place to be. In fact, there isn’t any colour to take in, with buildings, people and vehicles all painted black and white, intermingled with the glow of bright orange, yellow, red and blue signs and objects to give the setting a film noir feel. As you play and complete missions, areas of Paris become liberated, and thus colour is restored. Not only do areas change visually, but the residents who live within them feel more courageous and will help you fight any Nazi’s nearby.
1940’s Paris is recreated just as you would imagine it to look like. All the famous landmarks are there, including the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. Couple this with the French accents of the locals that you pass in the streets and the characters you speak to, giving the game its own particular brand of comic book authenticity. You really feel like you are in wartime France, taking part in some boys own adventure, and that is no bad thing at all.
The game is all about killing Nazis and sabotaging their weapons and vehicles (surprise surprise), and whilst this is a theme that continues from the start to the end of the game, it is something that you never grow tired off. The action is relentless and the difficulty level is set just right. It’s never too hard to progress, but never too easy as to become a walkthrough, and the games addictive nature will keep spurning you on for just one more play. This is exactly what a good shoot-‘em-up should be. It may not be the most original game – it’s far too similar to the likes of Grand Theft Auto for its own good at times – but you are guaranteed to have a fun time playing it. Now where did I put that stick of dynamite..?
