GameSpot editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Mediocre
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 04/03/2003
- Released on: 04/09/2003
- Originally published on GameSpot: RLH (Xbox) Review
RLH was an often-delayed game for the PlayStation 2 that didn't turn out so well, despite all the time it spent in development. Now, the game has now surfaced on the Xbox. Even with the addition of a new level and some downloadable Xbox Live content, the core game is still roughly the same--a sci-fi action adventure game that, much like its PlayStation 2 counterpart, feels rushed and unfinished.
Nick Conner blasts some aliens!
The game follows the story of Nichols Conner, a military man living on the Forseti space station with his fiancée, Dr. Samantha Reilly. After a routine exploration mission with a colleague, Conner returns to the station, only to find that something has gone horribly wrong, as nearly all the inhabitants of the station, including the love of his life, are either missing or dead. Conner quickly discovers that an alien race has turned the once bustling station into a blood-and-guts-stained mess, and with the help of a hulking alien named Dag, he sets out to get to the bottom of things.
Given the source material, it's clear that RLH borrows heavily from such Hollywood blockbusters as Alien and The Thing. The space station is dimly lit and dreary, and at times it feels just about as dead as many of the people who once lived there. The invading alien forces also look very similar to the monsters in the above-mentioned movies. The game does a good job of maintaining this atmosphere throughout its course, but it really falls flat in the actual execution.
Those familiar with this type of story-driven action adventure will quickly get a handle on RLH, although they'll find that the controls are rather clunky. The Xbox version gives you a bit more camera control than the PS2 release by binding camera movement to the right analog stick, although the camera still has problems when you're in close quarters or backed in a corner. In these situations, the game will rapidly switch angles uncontrollably at the most inopportune times, such as in the heat of battle. Luckily, combat is aided by a lock-on system, so even if your target is offscreen, you'll still end up hitting the mark.
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RLH (Xbox):
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