Game Master

I didn’t set out to create a “mini-me” or to push my son toward gaming because I like it. However, it makes me very proud to see him take on every game he sees and to perform well and thoughtfully in all of them. I’ve enjoyed all the games we’ve played together and I try to be available to him when he wants to play something. It’s one of the few things my Father did for me and it meant a lot growing up to be able to have that special time with him. I’ll be proud of whatever my son does, because I know he will bring goodness and honor to any endevour, but I hope one of those things is being a Game Master.

It’s a shame when a very good game gets better and the critics give it a very average rating.  This is what is happening with Stuntman: Ignition.

Stuntman was a PS2 game with a legacy for aggrivation.  Each time a player would start a level they would only have the director’s voice to guide them.  Invariably, this would lead to defeat after defeat while the objectives were determined.  Each loss was followed by a very long load time which at least doubled the feelings of frustration.

On the other hand, the varied vehicles, creative level design, movie trailer rewards and replay saves made the game great.  Despite the problems with the game I felt great pride in completing the game and showing off my saves.

The sequel has improved in every glaring problem and produced a game worthy of recommendation.  Instant restarts and sparse director comments have let this new game be enjoyed by more than only the most dedicated of players.  The only problem with this new game is that the graphics have not kept up with the times.  Racing games demand a new level of detail in this new generation of gaming.

My rating:

Stuntman: Ignition: 8.5