The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 93 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 71 out of 93
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 93
  3. Negative: 5 out of 93

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  1. hudnolt
    May 2, 2009
    10
    i never played the first one, i loved both movies and now the games. riddick is easily the coolest character in any movie or game. escape from butcher bay id give a 9.5/10 and athena 10/10 campain was easily the best campain ive ever played and butcher bay was a close second. Yes the multiplayer did suck but i didnt buy this game for that.
  2. PatrickR
    Apr 21, 2009
    10
    I liked (I didnt LOVE) 'Pitch Black'. I hated (HATED) 'The Chronicals of Riddick'. 'Escape from Butcher Bay' Is THE exception to the rule. Not only is it a movie licensed game thats actually better than the movies it's based on, but its downright amazing, especially back when it first released. So here we are, 5 years later. Honestly, i would have bought I liked (I didnt LOVE) 'Pitch Black'. I hated (HATED) 'The Chronicals of Riddick'. 'Escape from Butcher Bay' Is THE exception to the rule. Not only is it a movie licensed game thats actually better than the movies it's based on, but its downright amazing, especially back when it first released. So here we are, 5 years later. Honestly, i would have bought "Assualt" alone, based soley on it being a sequal to one of the best games i've ever played.... but i would have been disapointed. 'Assault' really feels more like an expansion than anything else. Same controls and basic gameplay with very little changes or innovations, in fact its overall worse than the original... but the fact that they packaged the original makes alll the difference. amazing game then, amazing game now, and just because 'Assault' cant live up to the first in no way makes this a bad game. I give Butcher Bay a 10, Assault an 8, over all package an 18 out of 10.… Expand
  3. xXRenTyrellXx
    Sep 11, 2011
    10
    Though the Riddick films are so under appreciated (it's a crime) I speak for real si-fi fans when I say that the Riddick series (video games included) is one of the greatest series of its genre.
  4. JeremyR.
    Apr 8, 2009
    9
    Excellent remake of Butcher Bay,with Dark Athena this is an awesome game
  5. KevinO
    Apr 10, 2009
    8
    First off I was someone who bought this game because it included EFBB and I could see why someone who had played the original might be a bit disappointed with the whole package. However if you are like me and hadnt played the original before i cant strongly recommend this game enough just to play Butcher Bay because it's worth it by itself. Most reviewers will point to the Dark First off I was someone who bought this game because it included EFBB and I could see why someone who had played the original might be a bit disappointed with the whole package. However if you are like me and hadnt played the original before i cant strongly recommend this game enough just to play Butcher Bay because it's worth it by itself. Most reviewers will point to the Dark Athena campaign as a major flaw here but really one should look at it as a bonus that comes with EFBB. And in all honesty the first 2/3 of the Dark Athena campaign is as good as the original and only in the last third does it fall short...albeit extremely short. Both are not incredibly long (maybe 12 hours each if you really plod through) but along with multiplayer this game should seriously be considered if you havent played the original Escape from Butcher Bay.… Expand
  6. ColynB.
    Apr 8, 2009
    10
    A very well done remake, as well as an excellent addition. This game is very challenging, very original, and just overall very good.
  7. NathanL.
    Apr 9, 2009
    9
    The Good: Great fusion of stealth, melee combat, shooting, platforming, and storytelling. Two really good games in one package. The Bad: The black spots that popped up on character models in the original Butcher Bay are still present in this remastered version, lackluster multiplayer, enemies that are a bit too accurate with a gun. The Ugly: Spider drones.
  8. niconline
    Oct 29, 2012
    8
    You can't go wrong picking up Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena. While you might feel a little shorted on the single-player story for Dark Athena, your mood will soon improve when you realize that you can just boot up Butcher Bay and relive that experience. Getting two games for the price of one is something that you shouldn't pass up. Just steer clear of the multiplayer and itYou can't go wrong picking up Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena. While you might feel a little shorted on the single-player story for Dark Athena, your mood will soon improve when you realize that you can just boot up Butcher Bay and relive that experience. Getting two games for the price of one is something that you shouldn't pass up. Just steer clear of the multiplayer and it should be an enjoyable experience.… Expand
  9. Bong13
    Apr 19, 2013
    9
    Two for the price of one. Anyone who's into FPS/Stealth type gaming needs to pick this up. It is a thuroughly enjoyable experience and a hidden gem on the 360. Gameplay is fantastic and while the stories might lack somewhat in intensity the voice acting of the narrative that IS there is brilliant. Vin Diesel and Lance Henriksen among many others delivers great performances.

    The only    Two for the price of one. Anyone who's into FPS/Stealth type gaming needs to pick this up. It is a thuroughly enjoyable experience and a hidden gem on the 360. Gameplay is fantastic and while the stories might lack somewhat in intensity the voice acting of the narrative that IS there is brilliant. Vin Diesel and Lance Henriksen among many others delivers great performances.

    The only thing that bugged me a little was the steep field of view. I got somewhat used to it eventually but there needs to be a slider for a setting like that.

    All in all a GREAT title and well worth the measly few bucks it costs these days.     … Expand
  10. savagejoe444
    Jun 1, 2013
    9
    Both films are great and the video games are just as good! This one was a bit more "action" than "stealth", but I had fun playing Dark Athena and the makeover of Escape from Butcher Bay! 'Assault on Dark Athena' isn't better than 'Escape from Butcher Bay', but it's a great sequel non-the less.
  11. msherry9
    Mar 3, 2011
    7
    I got this game recently in the bargain bin at a mere $12.00, and I must say that for a measly $12.00, this game was highly worth the purchase. I averaged for the final score, with me giving Butcher Bay an 8 and Dark Athena a 6. Butcher Bay is clearly the superior game, showing how the Riddick series is supposed to be played, while Dark Athena seems like it began to cave into the modernI got this game recently in the bargain bin at a mere $12.00, and I must say that for a measly $12.00, this game was highly worth the purchase. I averaged for the final score, with me giving Butcher Bay an 8 and Dark Athena a 6. Butcher Bay is clearly the superior game, showing how the Riddick series is supposed to be played, while Dark Athena seems like it began to cave into the modern shooters where the majority of the campaign relies on you running and gunning. But that's not bad, it's just that Dark Athena doesn't have very tight gunplay, resulting in many irritating deaths that were not your fault in the slightest. Butcher Bay is appropriate to start with, since it's first in the series. The environments never get old, ranging from old prison areas to futuristic cryochambers. Your primary means of combat is using a melee weapon or your fists, and stealth. If you cannot master the melee combat mixed in with proper tactical sense, you won't beat the game. My friend found it an extremely difficult learning curve, coupled with some glitchy points in the game where unless you have pinpoint stealth, an enemy soldier will spy you 50 yards away hiding in the shadows behind boxes. The mechanics usually work, but many of the situations require you to think extremely strategically, resulting in gamers being shyed away. Voice acting is also great, and the NPC's throughout the game are extremely believable and hilarious. The game is constantly throwing you new curves, like fighting to the death in prison fights against guards. There's not much help when you encounter boss fights later on, so you might find yourself stuck at some parts without knowing how to kill an enemy. Hint: shoot him in the back. Overall, glitches aside, Butcher Bay is a treat to play. Dark Athena's story wasn't as engrossing as Butcher Bay, even if they are similar concepts. The voice acting in both games is excellent, and Vin Diesel definitely does a fantastic job playing Riddick. I felt that in Dark Athena, stealth was entirely thrown out the window after the first hour, and instead your left facing overwhelming numbers of enemies with an assault rifle that is sometimes utterly inaccurate. I found myself missing entire clips while the crosshairs were on my target, all because the bullet spray decided it didn't want to kill the enemy drone. The guns are only in the game to serve the purpose of having a gun. Example: the name of the shotgun is Shotgun, the name of the pistol is Gun (I'm not even joking either), and the name of the assault rifle is Assault Rifle. There are a few exceptions, but these are few and far between. Boss fights are a little on the stale side, consisting of the same robots you face in Butcher Bay, but larger and more difficult. Graphics are excellent and the lighting is very good. However, it's the exact same controls, even the same HUD as in Butcher Bay, so in reality it may as well be an expansion pack. The game's multiplayer has no one on it, so I cannot comment about that. In conclusion, Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena pack is definitely a great deal, consisting of two full-fledged games that are both enjoyable, with the first one being superior. If you dislike learning curves and prefer a run-n-gun shooter, than this is not for you. If you desire a stealth-oriented game that has a great story, great mechanics, and great graphics, than I would definitely pick this up, especially since it's now in the bargain bin for such a small fee.… Expand
  12. lavalampjoe
    Aug 31, 2013
    7
    Not quite as good as the first Riddick game, but still a very good FPS with a mix of melee and gunplay. Interesting story, good graphics and voice acting. I finished it in about 9 hours, not much point in playing it through again as there's not much in the way of side-quests, secondary objectives or other challenges. Be aware that the story is very dark and some of the content is a bitNot quite as good as the first Riddick game, but still a very good FPS with a mix of melee and gunplay. Interesting story, good graphics and voice acting. I finished it in about 9 hours, not much point in playing it through again as there's not much in the way of side-quests, secondary objectives or other challenges. Be aware that the story is very dark and some of the content is a bit needlessly sadistic IMO.… Expand
  13. Higher_Standard
    Sep 21, 2010
    7
    Another great example of the great talent at Starbreeze, and how their lack of refinement dwarfed what could've been an amazing game. Biggest issue I had was overly insane difficulty curves and the fact that they didn't fix those PISS POORLY placed loading areas in butcher bay. But as always I give Starbreeze an extra point because I think they work on a small budget.
  14. WesAdair
    Sep 21, 2011
    7
    Assault on Dark Athena is a great game. I enjoyed most of it and respect the parts that I didn't. I loved the stealth in this game, hiding in the dark watching your enemies and waiting for the perfect moment to strike was by far the best part, and the strong point of the game. The not so strong point is the shooter part of it. While I didn't mind taking out a few enemies here and thereAssault on Dark Athena is a great game. I enjoyed most of it and respect the parts that I didn't. I loved the stealth in this game, hiding in the dark watching your enemies and waiting for the perfect moment to strike was by far the best part, and the strong point of the game. The not so strong point is the shooter part of it. While I didn't mind taking out a few enemies here and there with a gun, I didn't feel that they had the mechanics worked out well enough to just gun down a lot of enemies. Riddick himself has no armor or regenerating health, so I found myself trapped in situations where I had very little health and multiple enemies, with nothing to do but die over and over again. The story in Dark Athena is very well done, and I enjoyed moving along to see what would happen next, the voice acting was also top notch! I loved that Vin Diesel did the voice of Riddick as it should be. So over all I liked this game, I thought it did some things really well and I am excited to see what the next one has to offer.… Expand
  15. NancyBoop
    Apr 19, 2009
    10
    The signature Species of the Southern Hemisphere (Antarctica) - the mascot if you will - is the penguin. There are not one and no fewer than seventeen species of penguins. Penguins are flightless birds in which several factors are contributing to the reduction of the penguin population. These contributing factors are both man-made and naturally occurring.
  16. Winterspark
    Jan 31, 2015
    3
    Lets face it, Riddick was always a one trick pony who should have been retired at the end of Pitch Black. Continuing to trot out this character with his magic "eyeshine" (read night vision goggles) is introducing nothing new. The game play here is shonky at best and set in a wildly unconvincing universe with a premise as poor as the actor that plays him. Is this a stealth game or an actionLets face it, Riddick was always a one trick pony who should have been retired at the end of Pitch Black. Continuing to trot out this character with his magic "eyeshine" (read night vision goggles) is introducing nothing new. The game play here is shonky at best and set in a wildly unconvincing universe with a premise as poor as the actor that plays him. Is this a stealth game or an action game, as it delivers neither? I would suggest confining this to the bargain bin but with the death knell being sounded on the 360 console it may be better as mug coaster or something to entertain your budgerigar.… Expand
  17. gamingisgreat
    Sep 23, 2016
    6
    This is effectively 2 reviews in one,as the incredible Escape From Butcher Bay Remastered is bundled with the poor Assault On Dark Athena.

    Butcher Bay plays very well,mixing stealth with shooting.The stealth is done incredibly,along with solid shooting mechanics.The story is surprisingly good.with some surprising twists along the way. It also looks phenomenal,far better than the    This is effectively 2 reviews in one,as the incredible Escape From Butcher Bay Remastered is bundled with the poor Assault On Dark Athena.

    Butcher Bay plays very well,mixing stealth with shooting.The stealth is done incredibly,along with solid shooting mechanics.The story is surprisingly good.with some surprising twists along the way.

    It also looks phenomenal,far better than the original Xbox version.

    It's soundtrack is solid,along with it's sound design.

    Dark Athena,on the other hand,is literally a futuristic Call Of Duty clone which takes everything good about Butcher Bay and throws it into the nearest bin.

    It looks phenomenal,just like Butcher Bay.

    Both games last around 8-9 hours each.

    Overall,my verdict is absolutely play Butcher Bay,and don't bother with Dark Athena,resulting in a decent score for the overall package.    … Expand
  18. BradySmith
    Jun 27, 2013
    8
    Escape from butcher bay is a flawed but mightily impressive masterpiece filled with gritty action, near atmospheric perfection, and storytelling as complex as anything you'll find in the gaming world. It was one of the best shooters I've ever played. Its sequel on the other hand is perhaps barely above average. It starts out on par with Butcher Bay, but eventually the quality drops, andEscape from butcher bay is a flawed but mightily impressive masterpiece filled with gritty action, near atmospheric perfection, and storytelling as complex as anything you'll find in the gaming world. It was one of the best shooters I've ever played. Its sequel on the other hand is perhaps barely above average. It starts out on par with Butcher Bay, but eventually the quality drops, and by the time you leave the ship the only things it continues doing exceptionally are visual aspects. It's not bad but don't expect it to stand up to Butcher Bay, which did have some issues with backtracking, but remained a great game overall. Buy the package anyways and get a classic and a passable sequel for the price of one. Come to think of it, the price is only like $12.00 now.… Expand
  19. Heisenberg93
    Jan 31, 2022
    8
    There's the myth, out there, that movie/video game conversions can't work. But truth it's that it's easier to remember the bad than the good. Many movie/video game conversions have turned out to be great video games. The Chronicles of Riddick video games are among them.

    Both The Chronicles of Riddick video games storylines are well written and great exercises of storytelling. Dialogues    There's the myth, out there, that movie/video game conversions can't work. But truth it's that it's easier to remember the bad than the good. Many movie/video game conversions have turned out to be great video games. The Chronicles of Riddick video games are among them.

    Both The Chronicles of Riddick video games storylines are well written and great exercises of storytelling. Dialogues in particular exhibit great writing, especially Riddick's lines, always of great impact and rarely banal. The presentation, setting, atmosphere, Riddick's charm: everything is well crafted and fits perfectly in The Chronicles' fictional universe. EFBB particularly stands out, but Dark Athena is good too, albeit a less intense and gripping storyline. Dark Athena's plot ends in a questionable way; it's not really bad but I honestly struggle to understand closing a plot that way. On the contrary, EFBB ends in a resounding crackling way. It makes sense that most players enjoyed EFBB more and this gives the game a charm and nostalgia effect overshadowing Dark Athena, beyond the games' respective strengths and flaws.

    Both The Chronicles of Riddick video games are action-adventures with a combination of three gameplay types: first-person shooter, stealth and also fighting game; the latter more like a sub-type. I think the first-person shooter gameplay is better than the stealth one. Shooting weapons in both games is actually done pretty well and pretty fun. Despite this, EFBB is often considered a stealth video game and it is so, for the most part. In EFBB, however, stealth is ok, acceptable, but one could have expect more: I found triggering take downs too much difficult and imprecise, as a matter of fact playing stealth (mostly not a choice) can be frustrating before getting the tranquilliser gun; also, some stealth sections could have been shooter and vice versa, especially towards the end. Stealth gameplay in Dark Athena is better than in EFBB: triggering take downs is smooth; Riddick's movement is smoother in general. However, in Dark Athena, stealth gameplay is curtailed (mostly impossible to play) in the second half of the game in favour of shooting gameplay; this also explains a larger number of weapons in contrast to EFBB. While I consider the shooting gameplay the best component of the game, I did not necessarily appreciated this, especially considering Dark Athena's better stealth component. Last but not least gameplay component of the games, is melee combat. I wouldn't say it's poorly made, but it could have been done much better: enemy counterattacks, after a Riddick's attack, seem to ignore the parry; scoring a hit looks almost random sometimes. All things being equal, some melee fightings felt easy, others less so, and it didn't seem to depend on my skill. In Dark Athena melee combat is better than in EFBB but its core flaws are still there. Side quests and compact free roaming in EFBB are appreciable and add variety; in Dark Athena there are only two side quests unfortunately and free roaming is related only to a small empty part (enemies aside) on planet Aguerra, which is not the main setting. I have deepened both games enough, completed them at "Hard" skill level and in general I would say that level design is better in EFBB. Dark Athena has a higher autosaves rate, which is not that bad, especially in the second part of the game where tougher enemies appear and higher shooting skills are required. EFBB is a short game, which is a well-known point of criticism; Dark Athena is longer in duration.

    Graphically, EFBB was simply outstanding at the time of its release, able to rival Doom 3 or Half-Life 2. Also, incredible it originally ran on the original Xbox. Dark Athena's EFBB version improvements are evident, in characters and weapons models to begin with. Long distance landscapes rendering is still impressive and nice to look at. Within respect to the original, lip sync problems are solved but annoying graphic glitches on characters' skin remain. Dark Athena, the game, is graphically superior to both EFBB versions and its graphics are great and clean (no more skin glitches), in line with 2009 standards but not as outstanding as EFBB were in 2004. In both games there is a great facial animation work and voice acting performances (especially Vin Diesel), among the best of the time. Soundtrack and sound editing are also great.

    The Chronicles of Riddick video games are high-quality tie-in European productions based on an American film saga. And this would be enough to make them unique and challenge the myth that a movie/video game conversion will necessarily produce bad stuff. The solid multi-genre gameplay, intriguing plot faithful to Riddick's fictional universe and tech realisation make EFBB and Dark Athena, not without flaws, but recommended video games nonetheless. For fans of The Chronicles of Riddick, a must-play.    … Expand
  20. frederik1478
    Jun 21, 2022
    7
    I enjoyed my time with this game even if it has some of the most uneven parts . I have played in a really good game mostly because of escape is a really good and atmospheric game and the assault on feels like ok price DLC. This is not a game you play for the gameplay because the gameplay is mostly not satisfying and feels weird. It doesn't feel as good as the darkness they worked onI enjoyed my time with this game even if it has some of the most uneven parts . I have played in a really good game mostly because of escape is a really good and atmospheric game and the assault on feels like ok price DLC. This is not a game you play for the gameplay because the gameplay is mostly not satisfying and feels weird. It doesn't feel as good as the darkness they worked on earlier, but the atmosphere and characters and all the things around the gameplay that is not the gameplay is so amazing that it is worth playing.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

40
#40 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2009
51
#51 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2009
34
#34 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 67 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 58 out of 67
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 67
  3. Negative: 0 out of 67
  1. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    80
    There's plenty to be getting excited about, despite a slight lack of originality and visual finesse. Make no mistake, Dark Athena is first class stealth/action game with a double dose of top-notch entertainment that competently unites elements of "Mirror's Edge" and the "Splinter Cell" series. [Mar 2009, p.84]
    Read full review
  2. Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
    84
    Despite the name on the box, AODA's latter half makes it a supporting act to Butcher's Bay's main attraction. It doesn't matter how many triple twists and double somersaults a gymnast pulls if he smashes his face on the landing, and AODA crash lands pretty bloody hard. Fortunately, it's a broken nose limited to a small part of a packed box. [Apr 2009, p.82]
  3. Official Xbox Magazine
    90
    The allure of this package is irresistible. [May 2009, p.70]
    Read full review
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