Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (PS3)

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men follows the violent and chaotic journey of two men - a flawed mercenary and a medicated psychopath and their brutal attitude towards right and wrong. This volatile partnership combined with innovative technologies allow for an unparalleled gaming experience. Kane & Lynch: Dead Men will immerse players into an emotionally intense crime drama with unflinching action. Lo-Interactive`s proprietary technology will deliver fluid high definition graphics and lighting, highly destructible environments, massive crowd AI, single, co-op and squad-based combat, a cinematic interface, and non-stop dialog between Kane and Lynch. The title also features innovative two-player co-op and groundbreaking online game play.

• This is the violent and chaotic journey of two men - a flawed mercenary and a medicated psychopath. Each hates the other but must work together to save themselves. Play Kane in single-player mode and either character in two-player co-op mode.
• Violence Erupts in Meticulously Created Safe Worlds: Realistic and responsive environments and crowds react when events get of out control. Manipulate the environments and crowds strategically to complete objectives.
• Wide Variety of Intense 3rd Person Game Play: Rappel from buildings, firing on the run or from moving vehicles, launch surprise attacks, lay down cover fire, and shoot blind from around corners, hurl smoke, tear, and incendiary grenades
• Fast and Iintuitive Combat: Lead a crew of criminal mercenaries to increase your chance of survival. You can also fight alone, you will automatically draw fire, throw grenades, lay down cover, and engage in close combat with their own signature moves.
• Two-player Co-operative Game Play: Team up and play the full story with a friend as either Kane or Lynch. At any point in the game you can choose to play the next, or previous, levels in
  
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  With the Hitman series already well established, Danish developer Io Interactive are not exactly masters of the family friendly game. This latest effort is their most violent and shocking yet, as you take control of reluctant mercenary Kane and his schizophrenic partner Lynch. Neither character likes the other but for the purposes of the story they have to work together in a series of violent third person shoot outs. By default you control Kane, with the computer or another player taking on the role of Lynch. As the game progress you will also be able to recruit a team of up to eight mercenaries, with your reputation determining the quality of the personnel applying for the job. Ordering your squad around is easy enough but since any of them, particularly Lynch, can have completely different objectives to you, they won’t always take orders – particularly if they’ve taken a dislike to you already - which is a real problem when you want them to administer some first aid.

  Although it is much more action packed than the Hitman games, there are obviously similarities between the two games, with highly interactive environments and multiple ways to approach any problem. One particular highlight already demonstrated involves a kidnapping at a rave with Kane & Lynch firing into the air to disperse a large crowd of dancers before engaging in a brutal gun battle with security guards, as the sound and music system continues to flash and blare. If the rest of the game is just as inventive with its scenarios then Io may well keep Kane and Lynch alive for a little longer.
  HARRISON DENT