I was a big fan of Die Hard Trilogy for the PlayStation, so I really wanted to see what Bits Studios would do with Die Hard. I got a good deal of time with it in single player (I didn't check if there was multi), and this is what I've got to say about it.

The biggest problem the game has right off is the control. Yes, there are lots of options you can choose between the two major control styles (Goldeneye/Turok), and the standard extra toggles (auto aim, look spring, sensitivity), but two huge control problems just make the game almost unplayable. When trying to aim with the C-Stick normally, there's a good deal of cursor movement that takes place before the screen turns with your character, made worse by the fact that the cursor always springs back to the center of the screen, which you cannot turn off in the options. Even more appalling is the C-Stick's sensitivity; even the slightest movement of the stick at the lowest stick sensitivity will cause the aiming cursor to jump in the direction that you're pointing it in. It's not smooth in the cases where extreme precision is necessary, which unfortunately means that the only way you can get into this game is if they auto aim is turned on, and kept on. Even though there is an aiming button (hold L, move the Control Stick), this still relies on the cursor movement, which springs back. Disappointing.

After I figured out how to manage with the controls, I jumped into the game. There were two levels available to play in this demo: a weapons training level and what appeared to be the first level in the game, a mansion setup. The training stage is pretty straightforward, where you simply grab a gun and shoot at a target. (Hitting it is another story, since aiming is way too touchy.) The mansion stage has you talking to the policemen sitting outside it as they work to break their way in through the front gates, one of which is our good buddy Al from the first Die Hard movie, which was a nice addition.

The gameplay is pretty quick, but is severely hindered by the control. The auto aim radius is extremely generous, which helps the aiming problems immensely, but obviously takes a lot away from the game, making it more run and gun. Then again, that's what Die Hard is about.

The graphics are a bit suspect. Some things look pretty nice, but some things look like they were ripped from the N64. Some characters look like they've been cut and pasted into the game (or the game hasn't been cleaned up yet, which I doubt, with the release so close). It's a pretty bland visual package.

Die Hard: Vendetta is a huge letdown. I was expecting a lot more in the control department, because even if the game looks old, it could be more fun if I didn't need to struggle with the controls. Too bad.