WET

WET starring Rubi Malone

The name, in case you’re wondering, derives from the term Wetworks, slang for the assassination business.

The star of the show is Rubi Malone, a gung-ho cat suit killer with a clutch of sweary one-liners to die for and an extensive armory to kill with. Her peculiar brand of balletic violence, which balances the use of twin pistols with a 5-foot katana, takes some getting used to.

The emphasis is on building kill multipliers, making headshots while sprinting in a slow-motion vertical arc along a wall or sliding along her knees, sword outstretched to disembowel a nameless henchman. The action is stylish and wears its debt to cinema on its sleeve. Die at any point in the action and the sequence will rewind before a countdown eases you back into the action with the clack of a director’s clapperboard.

But is it a case of style over substance? Perhaps. Rubi’s over-complicated approach to even the most mundane tasks such as climbing and descending ladders soon wears thin, even if her swollen move set continues to reveal itself well into the game. However, when the action slips into Rage Mode, the screen covered in a wash of crimson, enemy takedowns fast, furious and spectacular, the game wins you over again drawing you along to the next set piece.

A number of predefined arena choke points, which require you to take down a concentrated number of enemies before progressing particularly impress. Here you chain together kills for sky-high point multipliers, which in turn allow you to purchase new skills for Rubi and power up her five weapons.

While the trial and error death moments show up the imprecise controls, the lively pace of the action and narrative, bustled along by a rolling and engaging soundtrack ensures that you never have too much time to dwell on its shortcomings. Outside of the main story a number of assaults course challenges provide some longevity, with more opening up upon competition. By this time however, in contrast to say, Batman: Arkham Asylum, you’ll like have had your fill.

The result is something of a popcorn title, one that slips down easily and is thoroughly enjoyable while it plays out, but that makes little long-lasting impact. This is perfectly acceptable: we shouldn't require all games to provide massive of replay value. Approached with reasonable expectations, you’ll no doubt have a blast.

3 out of 5