El Matador

 PC
Metascore
54

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 24
  3. Negative: 5 out of 24
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  1. RewiredMind
    70
    Sometimes, try as you might, you can’t put your finger on what makes a game fun to play, and this is one of those occasions.
  2. GamingExcellence
    70
    The storyline in the game is great, and although the game length may seem a little short for the more advanced players, overall it strikes a great balance.
  3. GamingTrend
    67
    If you're into single-player FPS titles and enjoyed the Max Payne style but were looking for a little more action, then this is a great pick. El Matador has its downsides, but it can be a fun, but bumpy, ride.
  5. Armchair Empire
    65
    Hardcore action players will be able to blow through El Matador in six or seven hours because the gameplay and level design are very straightforward; it can't measure up to the most current titles or the promise of upcoming titles like John Woo Presents Stranglehold.
  6. Next Level Gaming
    65
    There are better shooters out there.
  7. PC Format
    64
    Brazen plagiarism it may be, but this shooter is a worthy tribute to its forebears. [Nov 2006, p.103]
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  8. VideoGamer
    60
    The biggest and most infuriating problem comes from your team-mates' seemingly predetermined locations to take cover.
  9. AceGamez
    60
    Despite the lack of depth and bullfighting, all of the action is pretty fun - this won't be the most fun you have playing a game this year, but the set ups and environments work pretty well at delivering tense moments and engaging gun battles.
    All this publication's reviews
  10. Worth Playing
    60
    El Matador isn’t necessarily a bad game, just a frustrating and unoriginal one.
  11. PC Gamer
    58
    With improved AI, reworked story and dialogue, and less restrictive level design, this game could've been stellar. [Jan. 2007, p.71]
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  12. Gamers' Temple
    55
    Horrendous AI and frustrating gameplay kills all the fun, and that’s no bull.
  13. IGN
    53
    If you've never played Max Payne 2, and are looking for some (otherwise) unique 3rd person action, with a lame story and decent controls, then give El Matador a try.
  14. PC Gamer UK
    51
    Your enemies are so blindingly accurate, and damage so extreme, you're often slowing time merely to peek around the corner. [Dec 2006, p.99]
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  15. GameSpot
    51
    It's fast-paced, it's gritty, and it's got style to spare, but El Matador is also one of the most infuriatingly unbalanced shooters in years.
  16. Boomtown
    50
    Some mildly entertaining but ultimately vacuous fluff.
    All this publication's reviews
  17. GameZone
    50
    Extremely derivative and half-baked, El Matador fails to bring anything new to the table.
  18. 1UP
    50
    El Matador's story, characters, and gameplay add nothing new to the shooter genre. There's nothing here that's stupendously bad, but nothing good that's memorable either.

Awards & Rankings

82
#82 Most Discussed PC Game of 2006

User Reviews

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User Score
5.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 46 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 46
  3. Negative: 16 out of 46
  1. CrusherTM
    Dec 25, 2012
    7
    Well, i like this game. El Matador isn't as good as Max Payne, but this game gives a fun. Can not recommend to everyone, but for sure forWell, i like this game. El Matador isn't as good as Max Payne, but this game gives a fun. Can not recommend to everyone, but for sure for people who do not require more than a decent shooting.… Full Review »
  2. Chroma
    May 30, 2012
    6
    I got El Matador from a $20 sale on all 1C games on Gamers Gate. I say this just in case it may affect how I regard the game and how you mayI got El Matador from a $20 sale on all 1C games on Gamers Gate. I say this just in case it may affect how I regard the game and how you may regard it's worth. Not much to say other then it is a Eastern European game.

    Story:

    The story involves you as a DEA agent who is sent to Columbia to take down a drug cartel. That is literally the story. The game does give you back-story on why you are in each location but other then that there is no additional story until the beginning of the final two levels in chapter 6. It's weird as it feels like the game was meant to have a bigger story due to how they introduced the characters in the first three chapters, but then the rest of the chapters don't do that. It feels kind of trolly as it gets you interested but fails to take off. Just imagine the exciting moment of a launch of a shuttle except it never takes off when the announcer says liftoff. It's a shame as the story could have been interesting with all the pieces of characters and settings they had.

    Game-play:

    El Matador is a third person Max Paine clone that is old school style. It was literally made with the Max Payne 2 engine and has the same weapons. This means there is no hand holding, no recharging health and armor, controls well, responds quick, and it's tough on hard. The game is made up of 7 chapters that are made up of 2-3 levels. You travel to locations and kill all enemies. Along the way you will encounter bosses that can take a lot of damage but are relatively easy since they keep their distance for the most part. It's fun though it does have flaws. The game is is fair with reasonably placed enemies in the first 4 chapters and in chapter 5. Chapter 4 and the last 2 levels of chapter 6 though are not done well. Chapter 4's is not bad but the way enemies will spawn at certain distances is noticeable and annoying due to the big environment. Chapter 6's problems is that the challenge makes a big jump with everyone throwing grenades, poor enemies placements, death traps, and a ridiculously hard final boss. These problems can be mitigated though using the slow down which recharges by killing enemies. It feels like they kind of became lazy with the last 2 levels and made it hard for the sake of being a hard finale.

    There is a minor issue of practically all guns are worthless except for the assault rifles due to them being overpowered. Assault rifles have the best range, accuracy, minimal recoil, high damage, use the same ammo, plentiful, and latter you get an assault rifle with a scope that makes the assault rifle perfect. It's a shame that other guns are not useful as their are so many guns to use. The game will take relatively about 20 hours to complete. It's a decent game that I enjoyed playing.

    Graphics/Sound:

    Graphics are nice and detailed with no real noticeable flaws. It's not going to blow your mind with cinematic looks of the console games of 2006 and beyond but that is fine. It kind of feels refreshing compared to the brown, bloom saturated graphics of today, that feels all the same to me. It looks like a 2005 game that can do wide-screen resolutions. Sounds through the game are good. The voice acting ranges from sounding South American like, to really lame accents though it's rare that they are bad. There is new music in almost every level except the last which reuses the some of the prologues music. The music is nice action movie rock style that gets you into the mood of combat.

    Conclusion:
    El matador is a decent, solid, Max Payne clone that I had fun playing. The game play is good through most of the game with it only becoming bad in the last two levels. The game really lacks in story but the fun makes up for it. I can't recommend it but you can buy it at Gamers Gate for $10.    … Full Review »
  3. ChristopherS.
    Feb 22, 2007
    8
    Created using the Max Payne engine, El Matador is an unapologetic over the top action shooter. I found it a lot of fun to play and absolutely Created using the Max Payne engine, El Matador is an unapologetic over the top action shooter. I found it a lot of fun to play and absolutely beautiful to look at, its quite simply one of the best looking games released this year. At a street price of 10 bucks you'd be fool to pass it up.… Full Review »
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