10.000 Bullets

10.000 Bullets wants the player to move like an action-film lead, slowing a storm of gunfire before dodging and counterattacking. When its systems cooperate, abilities and time control create a more deliberate rhythm than ordinary shooting, and the effects sell that exaggerated premise. Slow-motion dodges and character abilities give gunfights a manipulable rhythm. The lock-on system often fights the fast movement it is meant to support. Action encounters sustain immediate momentum, while limited changes in objectives make later progress depend heavily on enjoyment of the same slow-motion shooting loop. Slow-motion effects and cutscenes establish a flamboyant action-film identity, but ordinary combat spaces are less distinctive. The style is attractive without being equally strong throughout. The PS2 review finds that lock-on and camera placement obstruct aiming during acrobatic movement. This is concrete handling friction, not a deduction for the console’s age. The original PS2 review, however, finds that lock-on and camera placement regularly lag behind the intended acrobatics. A fight that should reward judgment can become a struggle against the interface. Similar encounters recur without much other activity to reset the pace. Players interested in stylish bullet-time experimentation may find something here; those requiring dependable aiming should take the control problems seriously.

Who it is for: Action fans willing to tolerate rough controls.

Play notes: European-titled original PS2 release only.