Rogue Warrior Review

Early reports on Rogue Warrior, the first title based on Marcinko’s tales were woefully unenthusiastic. To use a sanitized euphemism from Demo Dick’s vernacular- many claimed the game was complete goat fornication. Although Rogue Warrior isn’t a paramount game and suffers from a handful of glaring flaws, it isn’t a total disaster. While the game is a far fry from the polish of Modern Warfare 2 or Halo: ODST, it can compete with subordinate shooters like Quantum of Solace or Dark Sector. Had Rogue offered a bit more substance, Marcinko fans could have easily succumbed to the disk’s lascivious lure. As it stands, the game is a pedestrian, but woefully fleeting experience.

The title’s eight levels are all linear, sending players through warehouses and factories brimming with opportunities for the game’s two main gameplay elements- a cover system, and melee kills. A tap of the shoulder button sends the protagonist diving toward cover, allowing players to players to either ‘pop or drop’ or blind fire at enemies and combustible objects around the battlefield. Sporadically, players that try to pie the corner will get thrown out of the mechanic, and into harm’s way.  This can be frustrating as, Marcinko can only a few consecutive shots before dying.

Rogue Warrior’s visuals are decidedly utilitarian. Outdoor environments have a decent draw distance, while indoor venues show off some moody lighting. Sadly, some of the games texture-work is inadequate. When taking cover, some walls are embarrassingly low-res, while players can actually count the number each texture square of their pixelated weapons.  The title’s enemies are competently drawn, although there are only two main types- soldiers outfitted with ushankas and forest camos, and workers wearing overalls. The title’s presentational highlight is Mickey Rouke’s inspired voice work, which offers a steady stream of growled expletives. While the course dialog shouldn’t be too astounding for aficionados of multiplayer fare, it is a bit surprising to hear them a single player campaign. Although many may not notice, avid Marcink-cadets will spot the occasional blunder.  Telling a Russian soldier “Doom on you” (a homophone for a Vietnamese curse) doesn’t make much sense.