Wanted: Weapons of Fate Review

Wanted: Weapons of Fate sidesteps the pitfall that sinks most licensed games. It doesn't recycle the narrative of the film it draws inspiration from, and it doesn't turn a memorable scene – such as Wesley Gibson's one-shot assassination from the roof of a moving train – into a fiction-breaking and unnecessarily long 200-body massacre through miles of Chicago's redline. Warner Bros. has positioned this game as a successor to the film – a sequel of the truest sense that doesn't retrace the same scenes.

The plot picks up right where the motion picture left off, exploring Gibson's positioning within the French quarter of the Fraternity. This fiction is fleshed out further through the eyes of Wesley's father, Cross, who players control for a few levels. This story hits on a number of its larger setups and successfully adds layers to the existing fiction, but it's pieced together in a disjointed way that is difficult to follow. Time that could have been used to better stitch together the narrative is dedicated to Wesley's twisted inner-dialogue, which is good for a laugh or two, but is mostly way over the top.

Grin successfully dodged one bullet that has been known to kill licensed games – one bullet in a hail of fire. The action is stunted to the film's framework, relying almost exclusively on the ability to curve bullets. This power is abused to its fullest, and why wouldn't it be? Foes are helpless against its implausible power. Coiling a shot's trajectory takes time and patience, but the pay off is well worth the effort. Periodically, a slow-motion kill cam accompanies a curved shot. Now, I know what you are saying, ''slow-motion techniques are as old as the pixel.'' True, but I doubt you find one as cool as Weapon of Fate's stylistic approach.

The game never rises above the curving bullets mechanic. The action flatlines early on, and runs into a repetitive cycle. The other abilities, such as the advanced quick movement, fall flat in functionality and lack excitement. The remainder of the game stands on weak legs, such as a sluggish targeting system, wobbly movement for both characters, and sequences that give turret and sniper shooting a bad name. Did I mention that you only wield two firearms for most of the game?

Your fodder suffers a similar fate, growing as dull as a slab of meat hanging in a freezer. Roughly 90 percent of your foes are identical in design. The other enemy types, such as the distinguished man in a three-piece suit, bring nothing but frustration, as they require more bullets to drop. Boss fights fully embrace the idea of repeating tactics. The good news is that the game, as dull as it gets, doesn't last for more than five hours. It's quick and dirty.