SG: I really hate when I download a 500+MB demo and it's not worth the download time. Ok so I did play the demo for two or three hours but mostly for research purposes. You play Rico, an agent for 'the cause,' or at least that's what I gathered from the little information you get in the demo. At 500+MB I see why they didn't include any type of intro or movies. I mean it was a long enough wait already.

CD: This demo sucks. Usually, I try to be the diplomatic one, but seriously. Yes, I understand demos have fewer features, less (if any) configuration, and aren't quite finished, but if this is any indication of what the finished product will be, then Avalanche Studios has created a steaming pile.

SG:I thought the graphics looked good and I especially liked the blur motion they used when a vehicle accelerated to high speed. Overall the game looks good and I think by the time they release it should look perhaps even better.

CD: The graphics are mediocre. Vehicles and character models are rather bland, and although the environments are nice, they are rather static and there are very few destructible objects. The addition of motion blur is nice, but the glare effect although offering realism, can actually interfere with gameplay.

SG: Dude, the controls suck. First off you can't change them in the demo. Fine, I understand them locking that down since it's a demo. But what's up with the slow response times and the overall poor performance? I mean looking, running and shooting is nearly impossible in third-person overhead perspective, it's just so impractical. By the time your gun fires the enemies have moved the equivalent of fifty feet! Granted they did a lot of balancing for realism but I'll get to that later. So remember, vehicular manslaughter is a means to an end in this game at times. And what's up with no mouse interface in the game menu? I mean did they really need to lock that out from the demo or is that going to be the real interface? If it is then I'll warn you now, it sucks. Trying to scroll through the list of controls without the mouse wheel is just...archaic!

CD: This is where this demo really misses the pinata. Once I turned down the graphics level (which is ridiculous, since the test machine I used is quite robust), the controls became very responsive: too responsive! Driving was VERY difficult: the slightest tap on the steering controls, and the vehicle would often careen wildly.

SG: Yawn! Talk about nothing new in the Sound Department, I don't even remember if there WAS music in the background. OK, that's a lie. I know there is but it was just so bland that it didn't bother to register on me in any way. The overall sound effects of the game are adequate and appropriate albeit lacking in some respects. While they did go to the trouble of giving each gun its own sound (which is Game Design 101 at this point) I wouldn't say anything was really fantastic sound wise.

CD: Again, I can forgive the lack of NPC voice tracks, but the ones that were in place, were just silly. Do I really care if some Hispanic gentleman's wife is cheating on him? No, but he sure wanted to tell me as I drove by at 60 mph. The addition of ethnic music as I entered a village was a nice touch, but it was poorly implemented. Instead of the volume rising as I grew closer, the music would turn on and off like a switch as I passed the "audio tripwire".

SG: The gameplay is slow and at times it feels like you are playing in a world made of molasses. I have had dreams where I get in a fight and when I throw a punch I move in slow motion like I'm in some extremely thick syrup. I never knew that there was going to be a video game based on my dream but lo' and behold here it is. On the other end of the spectrum I really did enjoy the variety of vehicles and the GTA style commandeering of them in the game. Want someone to stop so you can take their car? Shoot at them! Then toss them aside and steal their ride. Now that's what a questionable operative should be doing! I managed, while playing through the demo, to commandeer a motorbike, jeep, police SUV, low-rider, El Camino (gotta love a game with El Caminos in it!) and what I would term a fruit truck heh. The high speed boat was pretty cool you only get to scoot around in it for a little while because you're in a rush in this mission. Get it all done before the sun goes down. The weapons were, well, weapons. There was nothing spectacular in the demo weapon-wise. Some pistols, machine guns, grenades, I think I saw a knife in there. Oh and the rocket launcher that I only managed to use once (on a jeep) because the enemy pilot crashed his helicopter as I was taking off. Is that a glitch or a feature? Either way it was L-A-M-E. I hate when a game finishes an objective for you. Though I suppose there is an element of realism in the fact that while people were shooting at or around him he crashed his helicopter on take off but still, I was disappointed. The opening parachute mission is god awful difficult. This is just what I would expect from being dropped from a helicopter and attempting to land on a moving vehicle. In the end I said screw it, dropped onto the road and commandeered a motorcycle, it was far simpler and time-saving. While driving the really cool things you can do are get some major air where the game goes into Dukes of Hazzard mode and shows you the car flying through the air. You can also go into what they call "stunt position" which is basically hop onto of the car while it's moving. I tried to get onto the top of the car in DoH mode but it was a no-go. Maybe I need to do it before because it would look so cool then with the car flying through the air and Rico on top of it.

CD: This is FarCry, Max Payne, and Grand Theft Auto: Central America rolled into one crappy package. I was not intrigued by the story line (which was greatly lacking in this demo), and the controls were so poor, it detracted for any fun I could have had. Besides, I love the GTA series, but its been done, and far better. There is a serious lack of A.I.: enemies stand still when your grenades land at their feet and allies run toward them. I also found it very aggravating that enemy's vehicles are always faster, even when I steal and drive one of their vehicles. It was so ridiculous, I stopped trying, and just ran and shoot, never going on the defensive, and still finished the demo. The ability to enter "Stunt Mode" when near a vehicle was a nice option that allowed for some neat tricks, but ultimately that's all it was: a trick. It was not really useful, and certainly wasn't required to finish any of the mission objectives. The game is a poorly implemented, 3rd person shooter with some GTA elements.

SG: If they speed up the controls and fix the syrupy feel then it might be worth another look. At this point I'd be sorely disappointed if I dropped $40-50 on the game and this was what the whole thing was like. It sort of reminded me of Max Payne, except not as fast or as cool. I think it has potential, don't get me wrong. It's after all just a demo but I don't think they're fixing it between now and the release date, 7 September. I guess this is another save your money story. Wait until the price drops then maybe you won't be so disappointed.

CD: I realize this is a demo, but Avalanche Studios has a long way to go to bring this game to gold status. First and foremost, the control system needs to be reworked, and while I'm sure they will do so, they need to include the ability to set controls at will. As the demo stands, my opinion is skip it. If you haven't already, pick up FarCry, Max Payne 2, and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City instead. It'll set you back all of $35 at Amazon.com, and you'll still have enough to pick up Just Cause, the Laurence Fishburne/Sean Connery movie, which has got to be better than this game.