I understand that there are good games and bad games. But then again there are also okay or average games. But most people write those games off.  If they hear it got an average score but they just assume “well it got an okay score so I really do not have to play this”. Why not play it? If it was a game that got your attention before you found out the “review score”. What has changed since you last saw the game in action and thought to yourselves that it looks interesting enough?  Well that used to happen to me a lot. I would always miss the fun experiences you can gain from even an average game. So I try to pretty much play whatever looks decent.

So let me introduce you to “The Saboteur”.

It gained a lot of negative press when it got released. Some of complaints are valid but really it was not a terrible game. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It even has some  moments. Pandemic Studios tried to do something different and I stand by developers that like to try new ideas. I cannot stand by Pandemic no more though because there’s nothing to lean on. The Saboteur was the last game Pandemic developed before EA bought them off and closed the studio. It’s sad to think that Pandemic’s last game will be not be remembered. I want you to know these are the guys who brought you killer games like the amazingly awesome Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction, Full Spectrum Warrior and of course Star Wars Battlefront 1 & 2. They also had the coolest studio logo ever.

But let’s get to the game.

Set during WW II, you play as Sean Devlin a hard drinking Irish race car mechanic. The first thing you notice is the hilarious but awesome Irish accent. In the beginning you enter race in Nazi Occupied France against an evil Nazi Colonel, Kurt Dierker. During the race you are in the lead until Dierker sabotages your car and takes the lead to win. Upset, Devlin goes to teach Dierker a lesson by wrecking his prize race car, after in which he is captured and brought to Dierker. While captured, Dierker kills Devlins best friend and leaves Devlin to torture. Devlin escapes and fleas to Paris with his friend’s sister and Devlins mentor. From there on in Devlin joins the “The Resistance” to fight back the Nazis in France and get revenge on Dierker.

That’s just a quick synopsis of the beginning which sets up the game. Interested yet?

So the meat of the gameplay is that you are a French Resistance saboteur fighting to push back the Nazi Occupation in France. You can do this by causing as much destruction of any Nazi structure or completing the set missions. Or just do both.  I spent most of the time going around and causing as much chaos as I can to the Nazis. The map is huge and littered with free targets for your chaotic enjoyment.

I am surprised I have not mentioned this yet but ‘The Saboteur’s” big thing is its look. If you are in any area of the map in which it is still Nazi occupied the game will have a black and white gloss over the textures. Once you liberate the section, it will turn into a normal looking color gloss.

Now when I first saw that look and heard what the game was about I was sold. But when it was released it garnered mixed to negative reviews. This stopped me from purchasing it right away. But when I did in fact pick it up I knew that it definitely was not a bad game. Just average

So does it disserve all the hate? Not one bit. Give credit when credits due”.

Pandemic tried to do something a bit different then your regular third person action game. Yes, it had all the makings of this generations third person action games. The running up the walls, open city and average driving mechanic are all there, but it’s just a bit different in the execution. And that’s where Pandemic failed is the execution of the gameplay.

The stealth system in “The Saboteur” is pretty bad and straight up never wants to work for you. The driving is lame and the gunplay is just average.

But that’s what “The Saboteur” is. It is just your average game.

Does it deserve to be played? Yes. Does it deserve your hard earn cash? Depends, I picked it up at Gamestop for 14.99$ for PS3. Now that is a good price. If you come across it for that much or maybe a bit more (20$ is not much). Pick it up. For 20$ that game seems quite alright to me.