John Woo Presents Stranglehold (Xbox 360, 2007)

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Stranglehold is a John Woo game through and through. It definitely does not tread new ground in either story or gameplay, but does a pretty good job fusing familiar elements from all of its influences.

Gameplay: 8/10
Pros: The gameplay is just plain fun. It's a mix of Max Payne Bullet Time gameplay with some pretty flashy new moves and situations. Face-Offs are nice gun duels that break up the monotony of running and diving. Story is serviceable if a little over the top and out there even for John Woo.
Cons: Enemies are retarded. They pretty much run straight at you and spawn from closets/doors strewn throughout the level. Deaths can be frustrating because it's due from an enemy spawning in a door behind you with a shotgun, rather than a lack of skill on your part. Interaction with the Environment can be difficult/frustrating.

Graphics: 8/10
Pros: Nearly everything is destructible and when stuff starts exploding in slow motion, it's a thing of beauty. There's a fantastic array of levels and locales. Animations, bullet effects, etc. are good.
Cons: Actual character models are somewhat blocky- this becomes more apparent during cutscenes where these characters try to exude emotion. Without all the bullet time effects this game would be standard issue in the graphics dept.

Sound/Music: 8/10
Pros: Voice Acting is top-notch and the visceral sound effects and music from Woo's movies make it into the game.
Cons: It would be nice to have the option of having the more authentic Cantonese or Mandarin soundtrack since the game take place mostly in Asia, but because of the English...it sometimes feels like they are just in some US City Chinatown. It detracts from the authenticity of the story.

Lasting Appeal: 6/10
Pros: The single player experience is a nice ride while it lasts, Multiplayer and unlockables give you incentive to pop the disk back in for more.
Cons: The Multiplayer is action packed, but requires little skill and is completely forgettable. The single player game can be beaten in a few days making this a great rental, but a questionable purchase.

Average: 75.00%
Tilt: +/- 0.00%

For a licensed game, Stranglehold definitely delivers on its promise for John Woo style action. The super moves are flashy, and interacting with the environment (firing while riding roll carts/hanging from chandeliers/etc.) is great fun. If you've played Max Payne, you've got the basic controls/gameplay down, but Stranglehold gives you a lot of new wrinkles which keep you playing. It suffers in the replayability category, but is a fantastic rental. If you download the demo and love the gameplay than a purchase is probably the right decision for you, but otherwise save your bucks for something else.

Verdict: 75%

I just played the demo and wow, what a great concept for a shooter. Of course you have the slow motion concept, same as in F.E.A.R., but as you are in slow motion, you see the bullets Matrix style. You can avoid shots taken at you and counter with a barrage of skills that can be obtained through gameplay.

The graphics are so-so. Sometimes looking a little 2nd gen, but overall not bad. With tons of surrounding to use as weapons, the explosions and shooting are one of a kind.

Can't wait to play the whole game, Looks Good!!!!

This is a really good game. The sounds are incredible. The way the crumbling sounds when you smash through a table and the sound of bullets hitting flesh. They are almost seamless. There are so many different ways to kill a guy in that. The graphics are very good, and the physics are practically real. But what do you expect? It's unreal engine 3. They are the best physics program out there. I played the demo over and over again before i got the game. I beat it three times in a row, because it just never gets boring. It never gets old when you go into precision aiming and shooting a guy and watching him plummet to his death toward a propane tank, making it blow up, and killing tons of other guys which is unrealistic but still funny as crap. The slow motion is very well done and surprisingly easy to activate, and it is funny to his dive over a box while shooting a guy into a wall with a shotgun. If you like hardcore shooters, are good at them, and enjoy a load of unrealistic fun and are able to ignore some minor glitches, and graphical problems then this is the game for you.

I bought what was thought to be a brand new game. It wasn't so. It came shrinkwrap, but you can tell that it was already opened. This game was to go to my nephew, I would have returned it, but I did not, cuz my nephew was with me when I got it. I sent an email to the seller, letting him/her know my dissatisfaction with the item. Never got a response back. I will not buy from this seller again.

wow the game play . i played the demo first and i couldn`t put it down so i bought. noth boring here nothing but straight action. that first level says it all buy the game with new school game play with old school fun

Stranglehold is by far one of the best action shooters that everyone is sleeping on right now. I started out by downloading the demo on XBOX LIVE, and after a few times of playing it, i was hooked and wanted to finish the game. The game is sort of like MAX PAYNE.....but 5 times better.

This game is really great, because it is not another first person shooter. it's a third person one that takes you directly into the "hard boiled" action, letting the game perform a variety of maneuvers, interactions and special moves.

Personally, I'm having a lot of fun with it, because shooting with style is just so nice and not to mention the fact that you can slow time "a la Matrix" in the game with a move called "Tequila Time".

I decided to buy it because it was on sale and I really wanted that game a long time ago. I strongly recommend it, I know there's Halo 3 and GTA IV out there, but it's a very fun game to play.

the demo was sick it was hands down best physics. the game is really cool because instead of being like a challenge it is more like something to take all of your stress out on. if you come back from school or work and want to blow some stuff up, go for it! i think this game is like a mix between mercenaries, the matrix, and a slight very slight flavor of gears. it is unique. buy it.

Excellent gameplay and fun effects, but the game quickly becomes repetitive. If you can get it cheap, you should buy it just to try out the 'bullet-time' system and 'Tequila bombs', but I would hold off otherwise. The game makers replaced variety in combat encounters with sheer numbers of opponents. The gameplay will probably get old before you finish the game.

Order was received in a timely manner.My son really is enjoying the game. So far everything is fun.I also took advantage of the price and it was a wonderful bargain.

this is one of the best games ever lots of action just the way i like them ; )
recomend it yes, would u buy it yes,turst me one great game ever.if u see it take it and dont let it go.

Very nice game. Great graphics a nice story.
I was really satisfied with this game. Made me remember JET LI -Rise of Honor I playied in PS2.

I only played about 15 minutes of the game and it is a 3rd person shooter with the main character having Jet Li style moves. Your a cop trying to bust through an asian mafia gang, typical story for an asian action movie. Good game for the price. got it for under $10 bucks.

If you've ever seen the movie Hard Boiled or played any of the max payne games, well you're going to love this one. I had a blast playing it myself because it reminds me so much of the over-the-top action that was the original movie.

It's pretty cheap here on ebay, I got tihs one at around $20, but it was well spent.

If I had to find fault with anything it's that it really doesn't have a HUD map that directs you where to go next. That's a small nag mind you, but it sort of gets confusing when you're trying to progress through a large area and don't know where to go next. Did I miss the exit back at the warehouse? Was I supposed to use that grappling line to get on that specific pier? Wait, wasn't I just here? Where AM I?!?

Other than this, I say buy it with confidence. I was genuinley suprised this was THAT good a title.

8.5 out of 10.

if you like the games of first person you will love this game nice graphs and a good theme.
however is too amine for my taste but once you start shooting out and playing around you start loving it.
is an A++ game i recommend to have it in your collection.

Expectations were high for the title "Stranglehold", and Woo does not disappoint. Ripe with a level of action and finesse we have come to expect from John Woo's movies, this title takes it to a whole new level and immerses you in the action. You will play as Inspector Tequila, battling through hordes of drug lords and thugs using only your wits, keen instinct, and the ability to momentarily slow down time. Using this "Tequila Time", you will be able to see the bullets flying within inches of your head as you take out the targets. Special abilities and cinematic play-through make this a supercharged adventure into the world of Inspector Tequila. The only downside to the game is the presence of a few glitches and bugs, usually minor, but noticable. These bugs are more than made up for by incredible graphics, physics, and control, awarding this game a 5/5 rating.

My son wasn't very impressed. His friend told him it was exciting and he was disappointed. -------------- Need 100 characters for the review.....I don't play video games and I'm relaying my son's opinion.

This game fits perfectly into the realm of fast, not very deep, but fun arcade shooters. A great buy if you want something light, just beware of children, this one has a good chunk of blood!

An extremely fun game, but unfortunately it gets old kind of quick. The tequila time and enviromental destruction make it replayable though. Definately worth buying if you can get it for 20 dollars or under.

I originally bought this game for the pc and i wasnt able to play it because of memory. So i just bought a xbox and then i had to buy the game. i was quickly addicted to it very much. Pleasure doing business with you.

it came in good condition, & the game has amazing graphics, also the game was well taken care of when i recieved it

its a real fun game, has a lot of action. the main reason why i bought it was because i saw one of my friends playing it, and he was hogging the controller so i wasnt even gunnna bother to ask if i can try. it looked hot i bought it because it was a good price

Great game. Yay! I like package. I like game. I like price. I like life. I like seller. I like process time. I like paypal.

this is one of thebest game A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++