Games: Rockstar Vancouver - Canis Canem Edit

Rockstar Vancouver
Canis Canem Edit
[Third-Person Action]





Canis Canem Edit will do nothing to dispel the notion that Rockstar make good games. What it will do, however, is bring into question the company's ability to make good, original games. Although the first few hours of the game (which see serial delinquant Jimmy Hopkins tackling daily life at Bullworth Academy) are a blast to play, the game rapidly descends into standard GTA fare, with the player required to perform errands, conquer different groups and acquire safehouses in order to progress through the main story.

There are a lot of enjoyable things about Canis Canem Edit, such as its distinct sense of humour and engaging cast, the crazy assortment of weapons, the school environment, a strong story and a charming assortment of social cliques, yet the majority of the gameplay feels like a retread.

The control system, on screen displays, graphic design and even the pause menu are pretty much lifted from the Grand Theft Auto series, and the fact that the majority of the second half of the game takes place in a city, rather than the academy, doesn't help matters. Even though the game has prefects instead of police, soda cans instead of health packs and joke shops instead of gun shops, it operates in such a similar manner to GTA that it feels more like playing a mod than a brand new game.

Although the structure of life at Bullworth is an interesting aspect of the game - Jimmy must attend two lessons a day, avoid the curfew after dark and be in bed by two - it becomes an irritant when missions require Jimmy to visit the other side of town, especially given the speed of the clock. Of course there is the option to skip lessons and locate alternate areas to sleep, but doing so on a regular basis negates one of the most appealing and distinguishing aspects of the game.

Despite all its faults, it would be unfair to conclude that Canis Canem Edit is a bad game - far from it. It's just that with such an initially joyous and original setting, I expected a little more. 74