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Conker: Live and Uncut
by Jolex Del Pilar
Friday, July 11 2003
Conker is !@#$ back on the Xbox with lewd humor intact, and it's been way too long.
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Title:
Conker: Live and Uncut
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Platform:
Xbox
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Publisher:
Microsoft Game Studios |
Developer:
Rare |
#
of Players: 1 - 2 + Online Play |
Genre:
Action/Adventure
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Origin:
United Kingdom
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Expected
Release:
Spring 2005 |
Grapevine:
The original game, Conker's Bad Fur Day caused quite a stir when it was released being one of Nintendo's first "Mature" rated games. |
One of the games that caused quite a stir at the Xbox Pre-show this year before E3 was the new Conker title announced for the Xbox. For some reason, gamers have grown fond of Conker, a cartoon rodent with a penchant for booze, wild women and lewd conduct. Previously the game had been on Nintendo's now defunct N64 as Conker's Bad Fur Day. However, a few disagreements here, and a developer jumping ship to Microsoft there, and you now have a version of Conker for the Xbox. All worries should be set aside though, after playing this gem on the floor, I promise all the fun and humor from the first game have managed to make the jump to the Xbox.
Now before going any further, let it be said that Conker: Live and Uncut is a multiplayer game meant for Microsoft's online play service, Xbox Live. I've been getting e-mails lately asking whether there will be a single player scenario. Well there will be, but it's one you've experienced before if you played the previous game. Rare is including on the disc Conker's Bad Fur Day, with upgraded graphics, and other "new" surprises.
Personally, I was a big fan of the first game. Bad Fur Day featured an amazing single player mode that made an effort to spoof popular movies of the time as themes for levels. Movies that were spoofed in the game included Saving Private Ryan and The Matrix. Perhaps one of the most memorable moments from the original game was the "singing poop boss" who you could only vanquish by flinging toilet paper into its mouth as it was serenading you with opera-type music. It was this type of humor that made the first game such a success. I mean, who doesn't appreciate rude wit, lewd innuendoes, ridiculously graphic violence and, of course, foul language? Apparently Microsoft and Rare thought you might.
Conker: Live and Uncut is an interesting addition to the Conker series of gaming and after playing through it for an hour or so, the game seems to have the goods. What made the first game such a keeper was the amazingly addictive multiplayer mode. I know I may get a few flame e-mails for this (you're only encouraging me baby!), but I honestly believe Conker's Bad Fur Day had a superior multiplayer experience to the much vaunted Halo. It was faster paced, much more over the top, and bot-enabled from the beginning. Fortunately, a lot of that is still present in Live and Uncut. The scenarios in Live and Uncut are designed to be played by two or more teams at once, with a maximum of 16 players playing all at once through Xbox Live. You can expect to play through various scenarios including the aforementioned "Heist", which pits four teams of four against each other in a deadly race to rob a bank, or "Alien Base" which has you and your team defending against a never ending onslaught of alien foes. Each scenario is highly customizable, allowing for dozens of variations in gameplay.
The weapons in the game will run the gamut from rocket launchers to glowing swords.
One thing you'll immediately notice is that Live and Uncut has amazing visuals and much larger maps than Bad Fur Day. That's obviously due to the upgrade in hardware, but it has to be seen in person to get the full effect. No more grainy, somewhat blurry visuals that were common on the N64 version of Bad Fur Day, expect clarity and a smooth frame rate even with 16 players going at it. The control is handled very similarly to the previous game as well. You control aiming with the right analog and movement with the left analog. Firing, switching weapons, and using items are controlled by the other buttons. I'm not completely positive that the controls can be mapped or configured but bet on it.
Multiplayer was fast paced and often bloody, as is the trademark of the series. The "teddies" from the first game are back, and the A.I controls them really well, as will other players. If you are caught off-guard by them, expect to see your headless, bloody, squirrel body slumped on the ground.
Unfortunately, Microsoft and Rare failed to mention a solid release date for the game at the pre-show or on the floor at E3. Best estimates (compiled from developers, and PR people) put the game here at the soonest, about 6-8 months from now. Personally I wouldn't be surprised if this game wasn't here until the Spring of 2004. Regardless, Conker: Live and Uncut is slowly looking like a must-get, especially for all you Xbox Live converts out there, whenever the game is released.
--- Jolex Del Pilar
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