Customer Reviews

WET

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am going to cut to the chase here...

If you are looking for a game with a great deal of substance... Look Elsewhere. That being said, if you know anything about this game and you are still reading, you are probably in the right place.

Wet takes the best parts of your favorite John Woo, and Tarantino films and brings them to life. In the same style made famous (or in some opinions, infamous) by Max Payne, and Stranglehold. The story leaves a lot to be desired, but that isn't the point of this type of game in my humble opinion.

The controls will take you some getting used to as they feel... outdated. This works with the motif of the game though. There is a nice coat of crusty blood and seedy 70's action to be seen on everything. Even the film grain effect is a nod to 70's action films; it can however be turned off, (and the controls can be adjusted in options).

I am halfway through the game now, and the action never stops. I haven't even started the challenge modes, or working on harder difficulties, but I see myself wanting to do this. Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry, Max Payne, Stanglehold... These names will make a hardcore action gamer imagine ways to gracefully slaughter 100's of enemies in minutes, and soon enough Wet will incite the same images.

*Edit*
I have beaten the game on hard and golden bullets now, working on ultra hard. My feelings on this game have only been re-affirmed. Any true action game fan is doing their self a disservice by avoiding this game. Give it a rent at the very least, you wont regret it (once you familiarize yourself with the controls)!
*Edit*

If you have played any of those games and had a good time, you should be right at home with Wet.

Graphics 4/5 Environments and ambience are great, some models could have used work. Otherwise perfect and unifmorm thus far.
Sound 5/5 Great DD and sound effects, all with a 70's film noir tinge to them. Soundtrack is excellent.
Controls 4/5 Would give them a 5, but there is an outdated feel... like stepping back in time to play Max Payne.
Gameplay 5/5 I love the bullet-time style of the game. You are rewarded for being acrobatic and slowing things down to kill mobs of badguys. If this is not your thing, avoid like the plague.
Replay 5/5? I am playing through on normal now, but as I said I see myself playing through several times to unlock the highest difficulty and play through the challenges. Will update when I have done it all.

Final thoughts.... If you are looking for a stylish action game, even if its just to kill time before other games this season, pick Wet up or at least rent it if you can spare the cash. DO NOT just take the negative opinions at face value. It's not perfect, but what game is. Definitely a great time. (<-----DEFINITELY)

Mindless, violent shooters like Max Payne and Stranglehold are guilty pleasures for me that I tend to revisit from time to time just to blow away some baddies and relieve a little stress. WET looked like my cup of tea. But after playing it I found the game never really jelled in any significant way.

Despite being written by Duppy Demetrius, a writer of the TV show "24," the story is insignificant and ends up getting lost in the noise. The entirety of the game boils down to to entering different corridors and mini arenas and just plugging bad guys in stylish ways. There's nothing wrong with that, per se, but when the controls are clunky, that is a problem. The game's main character, Rubi, can jump and slide around environments. These actions trigger slow motion "bullet time" for maximum style. As you earn points killing bad guys in stylish ways, new moves become unlocked to allow Rubi to kill people in even more stylish ways. But even when all moves are unlocked, it still feels limited. Rubi either jumps, slides, or wall runs. And this limited menu of moves becomes stale after a while. It gets worse when these moves are hard to pull off. The most infuriating is the jumping slash move Rubi can unleash with her sword. Getting the starting distance and timing correct to pull off this move ends up allowing the enemy to almost completely wipe you out before you can nail it correctly. Using these new, fancy moves ends up being more trouble than they're worth.

And then there's the issue of the graphics. As stylish and hip as this game tries to be, it can't hide the fact that the grainy filter effect used to put the player in the Grindhouse frame of mind is there to help mask the awful graphics. Seriously, remove the film grain effect and WET looks like a hi-rez last-gen game. Character models aren't terribly detailed, animations are rigid, and the environments are "blah." The Havok physics engine is also wasted here. Very little of the environment is interactive and the ragdoll effects seem to be triggered in a hit-or-miss fashion. The biggest problem with the graphics/art design is the environments are all similar in design and feel. One thing that makes related games like Max Payne 2 and Stranglehold work is in one level you'll battle in a fancy office building or high rise apartment, and the next you'll be in a seedy nightclub or back alley. In WET, you're always in a rundown warehouse, a rundown dock yard, a rundown building, a rundown etc.

I've been very critical of WET so far, but there IS fun to be had. To have fun with this game, you MUST be a fan of these mindless shooters, or else you'll scratch your head wondering what all the fuss is about. If you're new to the genre and want to get your feet WET (ha ha, get it?), there are better games. WET will make for a great budget title once the price drops, but at full price, you're better off waiting or renting.

I had a great deal of fun playing this game, (just beat it a few hours ago). Let me first get the negatives out of the way. First off the game is a little short, though it does have re-playability through several difficulty settings, a challenge mode and a 'points count' mode (which is essentially playing through each stage trying to tally up a certain number of points). The other major negative is a control issue. In Wet you are almost forced to kill all of your enemies by entering an acrobatic mode as you fire faster and automatically target one enemy. The two most common ways to enter acrobatic mode are to jump and slide. Quite often you may be in a situation where jumping is the best choice, but the direction in which you jump can be twitchy causing you to leap to your death, and once you are leaping you cannot change directions or bail out.

Other than those minor flaws, I see a quite interesting masterpiece under the surface here. Wet is essentially a 70s grind-house movie in the shell of a video game. Everything is over the top, the film is scratchy, and the characters are cool. They are also voiced quite well especially Rubi (the main character). The game is filled with non-stop action and overall a good combat interface that empowers the player. The one thing that really stands out about this game is the soundtrack, honestly it is the best soundtrack I have ever heard for a video game. It fits perfectly, and I found myself playing the songs through the game while I did other things. Overall a very solid title.

Don't pay retail price for this game. Wet is rather shallow on storyline and comes in at under 20 hours of unique gameplay. By unique I mean that you could get more time out of it by replaying challenges and the campaign on different difficulties but there isn't anymore original or really varied content after one quick play through. With that said if you enjoy third person shooters with the bullet time gimmick a la Dead to Rights, Max Payne and Stanglehold then this games deserves a rental. You can get most everything you will ever get out of it in a week or less.

Major Pros:
*A really great aesthetic, the game looks and sounds like a Tarantino daydream. Fun, over the top music choices and art direction.
*Some of the "arena challenges" can really get the heart going and the hands sweating. Shouting may ensue.
*Simple but fun combat mechanics, the controls are intuitive and easy to learn without being too simple to enjoy.
*You get a sword which leads to some acrobatic slice and dice fun.

Major Cons:
*The enemies are all just clones of each other with small aesthetic differences and varying levels of accuracy and durability so don't expect much there.
*Pacing: The checkpoint system and arena battles leads to some frustrating replays. The 20th time you hear the same song start up on the same part of the game you've been stuck on for the past 20 minutes is infuriating. On the hard difficulty 75% of my time was spent on 25% of the game.
*Becomes repetitive very quickly. The level design is beautiful but linear and your opponents are uninspired. You'll find yourself zoning out.

All in all the game was simple and fun with a really crazy vibe. In the end though the actual gameplay was not varied enough, the storyline was merely sufficient and the pacing was off. The game ends abruptly but I was ready for it to be over by then so I couldn't complain. Worth spending ten bucks on renting to give it a playthrough but don't buy it, there isn't enough premium gameplay here to justify $40-$60 in my mind.

At its best, the game is a fun shallow experience, at its worse it is an incredibly annoying experience. I gave up on this game after I kept dying during the sky diving mini-game, the mechanics didn't work and the game wasn't worth grinding over. Basically every move you learn in the tutorial will be your entire game experience, there is absolutely no depth in the gameplay. While it's fun at first, it quickly becomes dull and repetitive. Every time you're fighting someone, you have to either jump or slide to start the bullet-time, and each jump/slide is exactly the same. I wish there were some sort of modifiers to add different movements to break up the monotony. Related to this, if you try to shoot when you aren't jumping or sliding, the gun fire-rate is about a 1/4 of the speed, making it useless.

So don't buy this game, if you want to experience it, just download the demo.

I am on my fifth play through of the game and I have quite thoroughly enjoyed it. I honestly cannot understand the awful reviews this game has been getting.

Sure it may lack boss fights or be "choppy"; but people seem to miss the amazing positives. Such as the retro video intermissions, an amazing soundtrack and perhaps most impressive of all is the fact that Rubi is voiced by Eliza Dushku the lead actress of Dollhouse and Tru Calling.

What is not to love? The game mechanics are great for new players and seasoned players alike. With auto and manual targeting, a slew of slow mo shooting, road races, parachute jumping and building hopping it certainly pulls the gamer into the story and has a terrific replay value.

As you can easily see what the game is about by reading the summary other entries, I'll go ahead and just review the game based on the traditional game review criteria.

Gameplay - 4/5
I've removed a point here simply because some of the controls are a bit clumsy, and at certain stages of gameplay, you're just forced to sit there and ask, "What the heck just happened here?" In reference to the former, for example: you press the A button to jump, as per the typical control scheme for such a game. However, Rubi will automatically jump/roll/maneuver over most obstacles. Jumping is really only used for getting yourself airborne to slow things down a bit whilst gunning down the throngs of enemies being thrown your way. While you'd think this wouldn't be an issue, it took me a bit to get used to not actually having to jump to get up to that ledge. And if you press "A" to jump to get on top of a crate, you end up performing the jump animation without actually getting anywhere, as your jump command, and the game's automatic jump response clash. Solution to this, of course, is simple mental conditioning (i.e., "Don't press the 'A' button, dummy.").

And in reference to the latter part: at some points in the game, Rubi will die from the smallest offenders. For example, you can do these crazy rolls and dives and what have you, but if you fall ten feet from a rafter to the floor below, you'll die. Logically, it just doesn't make any sense. Though I suppose applying logic to a game like this is folly in and of itself. Still, just one of my personal frustrations.

The developers have done really well with how bullet time is handled, though, I think. Unlike most games that utilize this particular gimmick that has you going and recharging some sort of bullet time gauge, WET allows you to slow down the action whenever your feet are off the ground, and a round is leaving the chamber. And throughout a lot of the game, you need it.

On another note, I'm glad that the boss fights--what few there are--are done, for the most part, by just pressing buttons in responses to prompts shown on screen. I can't really think of how you, as a player, could appropriately dispatch characters that've been established as being a bit larger than life within the boundaries of the game. For example, Tarantula is a pretty mysterious femme fatale, so to be able to kill her by just hacking at her with your sword would be a bit anti-climactic, I think.

Graphics - 5/5
Graphically, I think the game is just beautiful. Playing it on my 42" HDTV--even though it's not a top-o'-the-line 120hz, or even 1080p--is just gorgeous. There was definitely a lot of time spent in the details here. Textures are well done, and when you kick into rage mode, it's just entirely too much fun.

Audio - 5/5
Only one real complaint here, and it's when Rubi goes and grunts as she lifts herself up to the next higher ledge. Just seems like Eliza put a bit too much effort into it, and it comes off sounding either awkward, hilarious, or a combination of the two. That aside, the voice acting is quite top notch, and done by some of the more notable voice actors out there: Ian McDowell, James Sie, and Alan Cumming, to name a few. But it's the music that really adds to the atmosphere of the game, and the game's musical score meshes perfectly with the tracks contributed by the various musical groups that chipped in to the project.

Replayability - 4/5
Honestly, there's only so much that you can do in a game like this. It's completely linear, and there's no way that you can do things any differently. Yes, you can go through and vow to do nothing but gun down your enemies, or slash them, or do wall-running shots, or this, that, or the other, but inevitably, all you have is the game's core objectives. And unless you're really big into your Gamerscore, or you really want to see more concept work, once you defeat the game on normal difficulty (which is about six or seven hours, just grinding away at Story Mode), there's really no reason to come back and play more. Not to say that you won't, because again, the game IS fun. Just not very rewarding for what effort you pour into it.

Overall - 4/5
As I've said, WET is a fun game. It's very over-the-top, but still quite engaging. The story is very well done, audio is pristine, and graphics are crisp. Aside from a few mechanical issues, gameplay is a breeze. I'd recommend that you at least play the demo, as it gives you an excellent taste of what you get in the full version.

First, let me say that the challenge mode that opens up after you complete the game is a blast; select a chapter w/full weapon and acrobatic skills, and try to get the highest score possible. Mindless fun, but a nice bonus that can border on obsession.

And....

I have to be honest...there is part of me that lives for this sort of over-the-top, plain and simple shoot 'em up with flair....plus throwing in bullet time, acrobatic sword fights, wall running, & angel dives(just to name a few....)never hurts. The upgrades and arcade-like tally system for style/kill points works well; much like Red Dead Revolver, you get a score at the end of each scenario, and points depending how well you did. You can repeat the level to get a better score if you want...and you will.

I was impressed how easily the controls flow once you get used to them; I can tell this will be a game worth repeating, as by the end of the first run, the controls will be second nature; then you can go thru it again and kick some serious butt. The controls do take a little getting used to, but eventually 2nd nature.

I found elements of some of my favorite games in here....both good ones and guilty pleasures; Bloodrayne(the heaviest influence to me in this game...), Total Overdose, The Club, Samurai Western, Killer 7, Max Payne, POP, Ninja Gaiden, & Stranglehold...just to name a few. Plus the whole 'grindouse' look is great; there are some pretty funny little cut scenes in between......

Somehow this works. Mindless but actually fun. And after coming off Fallout 3 for about 150 hours(sad, I know....), this is a welcome find. Not for everyone, but def a grade A 'B Movie' style game....

I did hit one frustrating part: The training near the beginning that had the timed target shooting while running thing; it took me a while to learn some of the movements as far as running up against walls, jumps, etc....it was mildly annoying but proved beneficial in the end as you will be def well versed in Rubi's abilities....

If you are looking for a nice diversion that will offer you a lot of replay value, WET is something worth looking into. Try the demo on xBox live or on the PS3......if you like it, the game is mostly more of the same. But they keep the action fresh by continually throwing in new tricks, weapons, and upgrades for each level.

This could have been a total disaster; But thankfully the developers knew what they wanted to do, and stuck to their guns(so to speak....). Fun, funny, bloody, stylistic, & well executed.

Back in the day, you could go to a drive in and watch really bad action movies like Bare Knuckles or Murder High. Although the movies lacked production values, morals, and common sense, they were entertaining and fun. WET captures that experience quite nicely.

Concept: 10/10
A beautiful girl in leather pants guns down 100 henchmen with a gatling gun while 50's Rock n' Roll plays in the background... suddenly the "film" breaks and you get a laughably bad and somewhat dirty commercial for hot dogs... when the 'movie' resumes, she's hacking up guys with a sword. Action Packed + Sexy + Funny = Great Concept!

Story: 8/10
Rubi Malone has been betrayed by a crime syndicate full of degenerates and she wants her revenge. Rubi is a loner and a hired gun who will do any dangerous job for the right price. Scumbags die, limbs fall, heads roll, and cars explode. Parts of this game will make you cringe, cheer, or laugh out loud. Rubi Malone is voiced by Eliza Dushku, best known as Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Echo from Dollhouse. She does a decent job, but the story would have been more entertaining if she acted a bit better or a bit worse (on purpose) and the script was more over-the-top.

Gameplay: 7/10
When the game first begins, only a few of Rubi's moves are available, so the game feels really clunky as some of the animation transitions are very rough. The game sacrifices fluidity for speed, and for a "Grindhouse" style game, it's ok. Rubi is armed with twin pistols and sword. She faces mobs of henchmen and kills them by the dozens while using acrobatic props. Whenever Rubi performs an acrobatic move (wall run, jump, pole swing, zip line, slide, dive...) the game slows down allowing the player to aim and become more effective at killing bad guys. When Rubi is in this mode, she is much harder to hit. With each bad guy she kills, a score multiplier increases, giving her more points per kill and boosts a healing factor. The acrobatic, gun, sword, scoring system, and health regeneration features all combine to reward the player for aggression. This isn't one of those duck behind a wall games... this is a kill the bad guys as fast and as cool as possible games. As you get better at the combat and you unlock more moves, the game becomes really fun. There is some depth here that you wouldn't expect. At the end of each level, you get a score and you use those points to unlock new moves or improve Rubi's weapons.

Levels: 6/10
There are five different types of levels in the game. They range from Great to Poor.

Arena levels are large areas loaded with gymnastic type ramps, walls, poles, etc... and they are laid out like Tony Hawk Style Tricklines. As you play, you try to maximize the acrobatic moves as you kill the bad guys. The level ends when you destroy a set number of enemy spawning points with your sword. These are the best parts of the game!

Quicktime Sequences are also in this game. Press the right button at the right time to watch Rubi do amazing stunts. The timing is generous, but if you press the wrong button, you die.

Rubi Vision levels occur at set times and begin when Rubi shoots a guy and gets blood in her face. These levels are cell shaded in red. Rubi gets a decent healing factor and is rewarded for Chain Kills. Basically, killing guys within 5 seconds of each other increases the counter. If the timer runs out, the counter resets to zero. The enemies have low HP, so these levels are a fun change of pace and reward aggression.

At certain points in the game, Rubi flashes back to her home base... a junkyard... where she runs through timed obstacle courses and shoots targets. Every target shot takes 2 seconds off of her time. If she completes the course fast enough, you earn a gold, silver, or bronze medal. Because you don't have to do these over and over, they are kind of fun.

The worst levels in the game are platforming levels. They are loaded with insta-deaths and you must restart them from not-so-generous checkpoints. These go against the strengths of the game, which is the fast paced combat.

You cannot replay levels over again in the Story Mode, but there is a "Points Mode" where you can replay levels with maxed out abilities and weapons to try and achieve a high score. If you perform badly in a level while you are in Story Mode and you don't earn enough points to upgrade Rubi, the remainder of the game will become much more difficult.

Graphics: 5/10
The environments are passable, but the character art looks dated. The game gets away with this because it is a game based on low-budget movies. There is also a "scratchy film" filter running over the art as you play, so the game does feel like you are watching an old bad movie.

Sound: 10/10
The explosions, gunfire, and screams of the dying punctuate the battles and the Tarantino-esque Soundtrack is perfect. There's old school rock, surf guitar, and garage band music. All of it delivers a perfect grindhouse atmosphere.

Humor: 8/10
This game will make you laugh out loud and shock you at its audacity.

Replay Value: 5/10
There are four difficulty levels and a special 1 bullet - 1 kill mode for the hardcore fans. Aside from these and the "challenge mode" there really isn't any reason to replay the game and for most people, one time through will be enough.

Maturity: M
The swearing in this game surpasses a biker bar on alimony night and there's enough killing in this game to fill a battlefield after a small scale war. There is no sex or nudity, which was kind of surprising. It's M-Rated because of the violence, blood, and language.

Overall: 7/10
This ends up being a good game for the same reason that you like "good" bad movies. They aren't complex, they aren't pretty, and you just sit back, laugh, and have a good time. The game lacks features, it's rough around the edges, and there are a few bugs. But in the end, it manages to be fun.

Buy it cheap if you love action games or bad action movies and you understand that this is a "Budget" title.
Rent it if you have 6-8 hours to blow through the story mode.
Avoid it if you need high production values like Call of Duty, Halo, or Assassin's Creed.

If you enjoyed this game at all, get Bayonetta. Bayonetta is more fluid, has high production values, it's sexier and funnier.
Other great action games include Ninja Gaiden 2, Assassin's Creed 2, and if you have a Wii, No More Heroes!

Not bad, but not outstanding either. The game was fun for the first 2 hours, but after that you realize that anything the game has to give after that you've already seen. It's just rinse, lather and repeat from that point on. Great idea, good interface and gameplay. Overall concept is great, but could have used a better story and more diverse game play. I'd say it's worth buying when it hits the $20-40 range, not before that.