Pariah

 PC
User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 42 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 42
  3. Negative: 12 out of 42
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  1. HarmL.
    Oct 3, 2005
    7
    The graphics are outdated but the game is not that bad. The rating is also based on the price in the bargain bin. Nice single player FPS for a rainy sunday.
  2. JaySun
    May 3, 2005
    10
    PROS: - Great graphics - enemies look solid, helmets crack open - Destructable environments - nice touch! - Engine is great - ragdoll physics rock - enemy carthwheels all the way! - Grenade launcher w/ remote is addicting - Sniper laser-spots add a unique twist - Map editor is excellent - AI can be suprising* Getting sprayed with gunfire from multiple enemies is a trip. - WEC upgrades add PROS: - Great graphics - enemies look solid, helmets crack open - Destructable environments - nice touch! - Engine is great - ragdoll physics rock - enemy carthwheels all the way! - Grenade launcher w/ remote is addicting - Sniper laser-spots add a unique twist - Map editor is excellent - AI can be suprising* Getting sprayed with gunfire from multiple enemies is a trip. - WEC upgrades add a breath of fresh air. Very cool feature - Earth based levels with human enemies prove to be more fun than tired aliens, zombies, and monsters (which saturate every other title on the market). CONS: - No four player splitscreen - lame! - Dodgy framerate at times - Dying enemy sounds: how many times do I have to hear the same "Aaaaghh!"? - Controls are a bit sticky, not as smooth as other FPS's. Moving around obstacles isn't as smooth as it could be. - AI is hit and miss. *Sometimes brilliant and tricky, other times dumb as a rock. It's hit and miss, but usually on the money. - Switching between healing tool, bonesaw, and weapons can be tricky at times - especially when under heavy fire. Practice makes perfect - Black and white manual? THE VERDICT: 8 out of 10. Just buy the damn game. It's a great breather from Halo 2, and proves to be distinctly different. This is a must-have Xbox live title that is loaded with cool features, fresh twists on a familiar FPS theme, and excellent graphics.… Expand
  3. Bob
    May 3, 2005
    10
    Great game. Much better than Halo 2. Great gameplay, graphics, sound and music.
  4. Raduneo
    May 3, 2005
    10
    Great game. Play it a few dozens of others in order to know if it's good or not. on't jump to conclusion! The single player is great and has an amazing story, multiplayer is very fun and the MAP editor rocks!
  5. Terp
    Feb 6, 2007
    10
    Its harder to rate this for PC, a system with a lot of great shooters already Pariah was like Chronicles of Riddick similarly dark and nihilistic, while beautiful. This was actually a great game. The AI takes some getting used to and is initially frustrating just because it's so easy to get killed senselessly (ie. running in guns blazing). They exhibit tactics and strategy, Its harder to rate this for PC, a system with a lot of great shooters already Pariah was like Chronicles of Riddick similarly dark and nihilistic, while beautiful. This was actually a great game. The AI takes some getting used to and is initially frustrating just because it's so easy to get killed senselessly (ie. running in guns blazing). They exhibit tactics and strategy, especially later in the game. It DEFINITELY exceeded Doom 3 and Quake 4 in every way (graphics, variety, plot, music) and in many ways Unreal II, and Halo 2. The plot was no more confusing than that of Halo 2. It did feel not quite polished in some areas, and I wish there was more exposition, (it was pretty confusing,) but what you are told is both intriguing and refreshingly adult, it reminded me of MG:Solid back in the day. That game didn't have the most high-powered graphics and yet was still impressively beautiful, still is, and still told a powerful story. I payed way less than $50-60, but even if I had, I would have felt I got my money's worth.… Expand
  6. Jabba
    Dec 17, 2005
    8
    Bad: lots of minor faults, very unoriginal and boring story good: great weapon-upgrade system, graphics, sound and physics and it's the first time I replayed a game immediately after finishing it!
  7. spartan-117
    Oct 2, 2010
    10
    Sugested by a friend to play this.I did not regreted playing this it is not a bad game.Deserves 7 because has some vehicles to and the levels are nice good graphics and some nice visual effects like earth jumping all the screen when a grenade explodes on the ground
  8. MJ
    May 10, 2005
    0
    Boring and frustrating to play, the cool premise fails to deliver any kind of riveting story. Old, stale, and simply not fun.
  9. johnDoe
    Feb 14, 2008
    0
    Put simply,this game is worst than the sum of its parts.The overall mix somehow manages to fail so bad,that even worse games are better...because they atleast make you laugh,while this one is just pure bother.It amounts to nothing,you feel numb while playing.The thing makes shooting a gun boring.Now I see how FPS haters see the genre.
    Failed hard.And whats with the pre-made classes?Who    Put simply,this game is worst than the sum of its parts.The overall mix somehow manages to fail so bad,that even worse games are better...because they atleast make you laugh,while this one is just pure bother.It amounts to nothing,you feel numb while playing.The thing makes shooting a gun boring.Now I see how FPS haters see the genre.
    Failed hard.And whats with the pre-made classes?Who the hey said that if I want to snipe I also want to take a bazooka?No sense combination.Only way to kill a guy efficiently is roadkill here.And even driving sucks.    … Expand
  10. [Anonymous]
    Jun 18, 2005
    0
    This game is unbelievably bad, from the sluggish game engine too the pre-dated game styles and i'll make no mention of the aiming system. This game is bad, so bad that a friend commented that trapping his genitals in the kitchen drawer would have been more enjoyable. Your warned.
  11. Voyou
    May 20, 2021
    2
    Does not provide the entertaining ability to save progress during missions. Which means its entertainment value is a big fat ZERO.
    Also commits the capital sin, common back then, of requiring 2 hands on the keyboard and 1 hand on the mouse, a feat most humans can't accomplish. Despite a console release, only half the gamepad works, which doesn't help.
  12. RTCWFAN
    Aug 28, 2023
    8
    Pariah was hyped upon release. Maybe a bit overhyped. It is a solid, futuristic shooter with beautiful physics. But the story is really boring. Sadly a missed chance for the cool setting. Overall rating: 7.5.
  13. kndr
    Feb 1, 2022
    0
    Meh. It's just meh. Everything and everyone in this game feels bland. It's also too damn slow.
  14. paymandaylami
    Nov 19, 2021
    0
    Boring and frustrating to play, the cool premise fails to deliver any kind of riveting story. Old, stale, and simply not fun.

Awards & Rankings

76
#76 Most Discussed PC Game of 2005
71
#71 Most Shared PC Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 27
  3. Negative: 1 out of 27
  1. games(TM)
    70
    Digital Extremes should be reasonably proud of Pariah, even though it falls short of being the be all and end all of the genre that the developer claimed it would be. [May 2005, p.90]
  2. 1UP
    75
    A solid, serious, deeply competent game. This competence may not prove an adequate substitute for the moment-to-moment buzz of the mindless FPS in its terminally adolescent pomp.
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  3. IGN
    78
    It's quite solid in most respects, but it won't tear you away from whatever you're currently hooked on. In fact, Pariah just made me want "UT2006" that much more.
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