Review: Clive Barker’s: Jericho Review

By: Dillon Andrews
Posted: Dec 6, 2007

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Codemaster’s hits yet another next generation gem with Jericho, a Clive Barker licensed game where you take control of the Jericho squad—an Occult tactical unit. The team is constructed out of the meanest and the most badass witches around. Will the game be as good as you’d expect or was this game a letdown?

Graphics
To simply say the game is beautiful would be an understatement. Visual effects are top notch making the individual character’s powers seem slightly more awesome. Not only are the magical powers incredible to look at, the man-made creations are visually stunning! Hiding behind a steel barrier in the middle of a war-torn landscape as a giant demonic being emerges from the abyss hidden underneath a bubbling pool of blood. It looks at you, eyes glowing red, its arms raise and bullets spray. As each bullet whizzes by your avatar’s head you see the ripple in the air and a glowing blue plasma ricochet off the barrier, creating a little fireworks display as your palms sweat and your heart rate increases. That is the experience Jericho creates.

Character designs are one of my favorites in this title. Each Jericho Squad member has a completely unique look and each is beautifully rendered. Not only are the allied avatars detailed and gorgeous, the enemies are filthy, horrid, scary and demented looking creatures. This believe it or not is a compliment. Enemies vary from slender looking beasts to gigantic Goliath sized beasts with machetes as their arms. You really do get frightened by these monsters and at times the ambiance is so freaky you find yourself starting to dread turning the next corner.

The one complaint in the graphics department is minor—as many games for next-gen consoles seem to be plagued by it. Not everything has to be shiny! Almost everything in the game appears to be coated in glass or metal. I can see perhaps adding this effect to darker levels, for when you shine the flashlight into a dark corridor the shine makes the game beautiful. But in an open environment—especially in a game like this, I want to feel scared and I want the world to feel grungy and dirty, not all sparkly and clean.

Sound Design
Yet another “Wow” for the game’s ego. The sounds are effective and the ambiance in this game is unparalleled by anything Ve3tro has ever laid its demonic little hands on. The monsters scream out in a shrill blood curdling tone, demon children speak to you in a voice that sends an ice cold dagger down your spine. It’s an absolutely tremendous job for every sound within the game—with the exception of menus. Menu’s make a weird plopping sound and feel kind of aged in comparison to the rest of the games atmosphere which is strung together by a beautiful orchestral score.

Gameplay
The gamplay feels and plays like you would expect. You shoot guns, you perform spells and you blast your way through a good amount of levels. The game exceeds however by giving each team member two exclusive magic powers. Not only does each character have magic, they also have their own arsenal and sometimes you need to use their abilities and send a team member all alone in order to continue in the game. Take for example, Church, a sword wielding beauty with the grace of a ballerina. At times you will need to have her go ahead of the unit to use her stealth and impressive leaping abilities. She often triggers button hitting segments similar to those we’ve seen in Gears of War. However, since they happen abruptly throughout the levels—they are very forgiving and allow you to try several times if you die. This is not only a good thing, but it is often fun just to watch the different animations that happen when you do not hit the correct buttons in time.

You’re rarely trapped within a certain squad member. At any time in the game, by holding down the A button you can switch to another Jericho soldier and have complete control of their arsenal. Each character has his-or-her own flaws and positive attributes, so it will be up to you to figure out who to use at the correct point in time.

Overall
Jericho is one of the best games we’ve played this year. The negative reviews are definitely not deserved as this game contains a riveting story, stunning visuals, amazing sound design and lastly—perhaps more importantly the game is a freaking blast!

Jericho receives an 8.5 out of 10. (A Must Buy)