Saw

With a boring and unresponsive combat and nice but derivative puzzles Saw, the videogame, is recommendable just for fans of the movies.

Zombie Studios should be applauded for what they have achieved with Saw. Although it has its fair share of problems, Saw’s mix of timed puzzles and atmospheric surroundings combine to create a game that truly captures the spirit, tension and horror of the series upon which it is based.

What could have been a really excellent horror game, perhaps the first actually based on a film license, is sadly rendered mediocre by the design work.

In the end this game feels less like a thrilling adventure and more like an eight to ten hour endurance test. It's a good looking game, though the visuals will never 'wow'.

With just six short chapters to wade through, Saw is never in any danger of outstaying its welcome, despite its flaws, and that's probably just as well. Its puzzle-centric design is satisfying for a while, but the game's reliance on the same stock challenges wears thin, as does the hilariously broken combat.

Although fun, some problems, mainly in the fighting system, make it become a monotonous experience after a short time.

It's a shame that things turned out this way: the game had potential and you can see glimpses of quality, but for the most part Saw is repetitive and imperfect.

Saw fails to deliver the suspenseful crescendos, surprising twists, and apprehensive atmosphere of the films. Instead, it’s padded with unremarkable gore, poor pacing, and uninspired level design.

While Saw becomes a bit repetitive towards the end of the game, it has surprised us in a positive way. The game has a good story, oozes with the typical horror-flick vibe and a lot of the characters and bizarre contraptions of the movies have made their way in the game. The gameplay itself however is pretty frustrating. But if you love the movies and want more, this might begin to fill your thirst for blood.

Saw uses its license brilliantly, it just forgot the game part.

Saw, as a tie-in to the series, is wonderful. As a survival horror game, however, it's a much smaller success. A success, mind you, but a small success, and one that doesn't rely on any knowledge of the Saw series to enjoy.

A genuinely decent adaptation of the films. Repetitive and gruesome, but hugely evocative. [Winter 2009, p.85]

As an extra disc to a six-film box set its existence is just about justified, but placed against a slew of superior titles it offers nothing more than an evening's mild distraction. [Christmas 2009, p.128]

The puzzles are easily the game’s most enjoyable aspect, as the combat is underwhelming with few exceptions and exploring the linear facility isn’t tense or frightful.

This flawed horror adventure gets the atmosphere right, though it isn't as sharp as it could have been.

It's just a crappy movie tie-in, pushed out just in time for the upcoming film.

What originally looked like another throwaway movie to video game tie-in is a surprisingly well conceived horror story. The combat is Saw's biggest weakness, with the replay value a close second.

The game should take you anywhere from 6 to 10 hours to complete, depending on your willingness to see every nook and cranny of the game. You also are privy to two endings in the game, and thankfully the game saves right before your final decision so you can witness both endings without necessarily taking another trip through the game.

Saw isn’t the great experience, but at least it is a good game if you remind yourself that it is based on a movie.

The game puts on a pretty good facade, affecting many of Saw's stylistic flares. There's lots of jarring camera shake, motion blur, and patchy focus effects, and the soundtrack is all industrial clangs and squeals, but in the end it's all window-dressing for a game that has more in common with Professor Layton than Condemned.

Saw is a welcome entry in the horror genre that provides a good dosage of thrills. Depending on your tolerance for repetition, it's a good way to test your nerves and scare yourself silly during a dark and stormy night.

Classic case of film becoming mediocre game. Surprise surprise.

Not the worst tie-in of the year but one that runs out of ideas even more quickly than the films.

This is a game that surely captures some of the hot spots which made the movie a cult one. Problems arise when you think about the not so satisfying combat system, the repetitive puzzles and the less than average graphics. If you are a real Saw fan you may actually consider a purchase.

A slight, but well-produced, atmospheric and authentic Saw experience.

A pale imitation of a good survival-horror game. [Issue#186, p.83]

With the exception of the combat nearly every part of Saw the Game works in isolation. The visual styling is an excellent reiteration of the sets, and the recreation of the movie ordeals is handled well, including such classics as bobbing for a key in a toilet full for syringes or going swimming in vats of liquefied pigs guts. However, as soon as the player is forced to repeat the trials and traps over and over, down identical grimy corridors, pestered by identical combat instances, the excellent head start is blown and what started as a smartly made, genuinely scary experience degenerates into unimaginative straight-to-DVD splatter, gorily painting by its own repeated numbers.

Saw is strong when it comes to setting an intense and intimidating atmosphere. [Christmas 2009, p.110]

Based upon the gory horror movie franchise, SAW is a remarkable good puzzle game with a license that it actually doesn't need. [Holiday 2009, p.74]

If you look beyond the fighting parts you'll find a great game for the fans of the series. For all others, the puzzles and the story is still challenging enough for it to be worth your while.

A good adaption of the movies with fine gameplay. The audio and graphics aren’t really special and the gameplay may be a little bit repetitive but overall a nice game.

Overall A few good puzzles but too bleak and repetitive with poor combat.

All in all, the graphics are okay, the sound is fairly good, some of the voices are solid, and the puzzles are well done. It just isn’t quite enough, you know?

Saw The Videogame surely has some good ideas, but the implementation is really bad, as you'll find yourself wanting the dead of your alter ego frustrated by his inability to execute your command. Nothing here for gamers, maybe just for the most avid fans.

Fans of the film series may find the video game adaptation of Jigsaw's latest round of lethal morality tests diverting, but true blue console horror fans are better off waiting for something with a bit more bite.

I so wanted this to be much more than it ended up being: I’ll happily rewatch all of the Saw movies back to back each year, but probably won’t head back into the video game unless Konami patch in better combat.

It's an original proposal with a very good atmosphere, but fails in making interesting the setting and the development.

If you're after a game on a par with the likes of Resident Evil and Silent Hill, you'll find Saw severely lacking.

A great game that will grip you to the end but sadly let down by some awkward fights. Fans of the film will not be disappointed.