Game Day: Different kind of WWII game
Games set in World War II are common to the point of oversaturation. But most of them are first-person shooters or strategy types.
"The Saboteur," though it takes place during that terrible conflict, offers a fresh perspective by putting the player in control of a resistance fighter in Nazi-occupied France and parts of Germany.
The resistance fighter is Sean Devlin, an Irishman whose racing career was ended by a run-in with a German racer – and Nazi officer – just before the war began. Embittered and hiding at a friend's cabaret hall in Paris, Sean is quickly drawn into efforts to disrupt the Nazis' operations.
Take note: The game works to earn its Mature rating, with plenty of violence and foul language. New copies of the game include a code for the downloadable "The Midnight Show" add-on, which unlocks an option for topless nudity, along with some more practical features. The content can also be purchased.
"The Saboteur" feels like a "Grand Theft Auto" game with a bit of "Assassin's Creed" and "Red Faction: Guerilla" thrown in. The game world is open to exploration; contacts assign missions against Nazi targets, and between missions there are plenty of free-form objectives to attack and weaken the Nazi presence.
As Devlin completes important missions and inspires the French people, their will to fight is symbolized in a striking way. When the Nazis control an area, the world is rendered in black-and-white except for the red of Nazi flags and armbands – and of blood. Inspire an area to resistance and color will return to it, the Nazi presence will be reduced, and citizens will come to Devlin's aid.
In his fight against the Nazis, Devlin has many tools and allies. Black marketeers will trade him weapons and upgrades in exchange for contraband, and their garages provide him with cars.
Devlin can plant explosives to destroy guard towers, anti-aircraft guns, fuel tanks and other targets, and he can clamber up buildings and over walls to reach them. The controls are a bit loose, especially when climbing buildings, but they work well enough.
If Devlin kills a Nazi without using a weapon, he can take the soldier's uniform and blend into the ranks, as long as he's careful. And if he's discovered, he can summon a band of resistance fighters and a getaway car to escape a tough spot.
Performing certain tasks – making a number of stealthy kills, for example, or collecting certain kinds of cars – will unlock perks, providing permanent boosts to Devlin's abilities. Each perk category has three levels whose conditions grow increasingly difficult to fulfill, and some higher-level perks unlock special weapons in the black market.