Not all that long ago, I was searching for an Xbox games to buy and I came across Buffy the Vampire Slayer having a Metacritic score of 79. Wait, licensed games of this era were usually the worst games on a system, what is Buffy doing with such a high score? I had to find out. I bought it and was pleasantly surprised. Buffy is a surprisingly solid licensed title featuring much of the main cast from the show, including Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Head and James Marsden. Strangely, Sarah Michelle Geller does not voice Buffy, but who is on the box(she was invited, but apparently declined the role):
Buffy the Vampire Slayer The Game
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a standard action game of the 6th generation of consoles, but a good one. I would venture a guess because while the game is released in 2002, it is apparently set in early seasons, when both Charisma Carpenter and David Boreanaz(both voicing their respective characters) were on the show. This probably gave them some time to actually work on the game to make it good.
The game starts off with a training level set in a spooky monastery near Sunnydale. It takes you through the basics of exploration and combat. You jump, climb and shimmy. There are also keys and levels to flip. Combat is punches, kicks and staking(needed to kill vampires). There is also a crossbow for ranged attacks, but i found it rarely gets used much. Anyway the training level was all a bad dream… or was it?
Fast forward to cheer leading practice after dark. Vampires attacks and the game formally begins. The game is basically run down corridors fighting vampires and other nasties, finding key and levers to open door. There are secrets to find, which are either regular items, or special crystals that increase your health and slayer power bars(needed to special attacks).
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a 6th generation action game, reminds me of something like the first BloodRayne. Its good. The action is constant, the levels are varied. The game feels like Buffy the TV show, the game. It’s not the greatest thing ever but it works. Which brings me to the video, which is a mashup of the opening video and a boss fight with Spike. Enjoy!
Buffy’s Legacy
As I said above, Buffy the Vampire Slayer works. It’s nothing absolutely mind-blowing, but it is a decent and fun time. I think, therefore, it is worth seeking out for fans of the show, and fans of good games in general. It did well enough to spawn a sequel, but it wasn’t nearly as good as this was(shocking). It will set you back about $15.
