Now while I’m certainly not a fan of the sweet science, the game itself truly is pretty frikkin’ sweet. Retaining the “total punch control” from last year’s title, ROUND 3 incorporates some astounding player control utilizing the right analog stick for pretty much every punch variety in a fighter’s repertoire. Swing it forward for a straight, upward for a jab, and around for an uppercut. Do it in the opposite direction to use the other fist. New to this year’s game are the three “impact” punches. The Haymaker lays it on hard and heavy and smashes your opponent hard and fast. The Flash KO has a bigger wind up, and can daze your opponent for a bit for some quicker follow up hits. The stun punch is the finest in finesse, as it has a big wind up and an even bigger follow through, and if it connects, your view switches to that of your opponents, as he tries to block your oncoming hailstorm of hits.

While the punch control is impressive, the graphics will make your jaw drop. Obviously, the Xbox 360 version is the sweetest yet, with lifelike animations and character models. With each impressive punch, the models deform and bruise like real folk would, and the game even utilizes slow motion replay on final damaging hits, just as you watch the face ripple with the power of the hit, the glove deform against the impression of the face, and the blood flow freely from your opponents mouth. It’s sickening and beautiful all in the same instant.

ROUND 3 offers up many different play modes for you to execute your pugilism prowess. You can simply jump into a fight with the aptly titled “Play Now” feature, settle a classic score with the ESPN Classic mode where you can recreate such great battles as Jones Jr. VS Tony as well as Ali VS Fraser, or start a champ of your own with the career mode, where you create your fighter from scratch, or even reinvent a fighter from his own stats.

The game, simply out, is a testament to boxing as a sport. While moments of the game will make you throw your controller in frustration (those haymaker counter punches are so painful when you realize you’ve walked into one) it’s all around gaming bliss will have your playing until your hands ache. You’ll forgive this old gamer an easy pun, but I give it two sore thumbs up, for sure.

One Gamer’s Opinion:

TWENTY, TWENTY, TWENTY-FOUR HOURS TO GO

Beginning with an assassination plot and snowballing from there, just as the series does, you take uber-agent Jack Bauer and his fellow cohorts Tony Almeda and Chase Edmunds through 58 stages of shooting, covert tactics, driving and interrogations to bring the conspiracy and terrorists down once again. The set up and presentation of the game will thrill fans of the show, as everything from the split screen angles of scenes, the ticking clock, even when the camera seems to go “hand held” in cut scenes express the feeling and mood of the series. The storyline will keep players interested and fascinated, just as the show does, and the music and voicework (all done by the show’s cast) are as authentic as it gets, and really are a hallmark of the experience of the show, as well as this game ABOUT the show.

When it gets down to actually PLAYING the game, however, that’s when the experience tends to sour a bit. Control is a bit on the clunky side, as camera work, while not horrendous, becomes a definite bother during firefights. While there is an enemy lock button, it doesn’t quite respond the way one would want. Very often I would be getting shot in the back by some terrorist, hit the lock-on button, only to have my agent raise his weapon in the direction is was facing, instead of automatically swinging around to shoot my would-be assailant. Having to slowly turn to shoot him cost me precious life, and lowered my level score and the end of the mission.

Still, while those types of missions have their moments of control issues, they’re still better than the driving sections. Each car feels like you’re driving a balled up piece of paper down a river of urine, and handles just as well. Floaty controls, lackluster power and a general sense of poor development are prevalent in these sections, though thankfully there aren’t many of them. Also, these sections, while some tend to be chase sequences, all seem rather boring due to the incredibly stupid enemy AI. All one would need to do to lose his pursuer is drive too close to a building corner or tree or lamppost, and the goons following you are sure to hit it, leaving you free to gain a powerful lead away from them.

And while the voicework features the entire main cast from the show, many of them seem unsure of how to emote properly in the game. Chloe just doesn’t seem like her usual self, much more restrained is her delivery here. What’s most bothering however are the interrogation scenes, where Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) is shouting one moment, and then calmly asking questions the next. Sure, this is all due to the buttons you press to direct the interrogation, but it makes him seem REALLY bi-polar.

Bottom line is, however, that fans of the show will definitely have something to enjoy here. The look and feel of the show have been captured well enough to fill in some story gaps between those two seasons, and if one does well enough during a mission, their grade will unlock a bunch of bonuses, such as cast interviews, character models and more. Players unaccustomed to the show however will find that the control may hinder them from truly enjoying the 24 experience.

One Gamer’s Opinion:

I had planned on having a few more reviews this week, but sadly, ran out of time due to life outside the column. Next week, however, there’s plenty to see, as I’ll have reviews for FULL AUTO, ONIMUSHA: DAWN OF DREAMS, SONIC RIDERS, THE RUB RABBITS, FINAL FIGHT: STREETWISE, MS SAGA: A NEW DAWN and possibly more. Ah, so many games, so little time. Until next week, friends.

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