Conker: Live and Reloaded - Review Xbox

This game is, for clarities sake, a remake of the Nintendo 64 classic Conker's Bad Fur Day. A game that back in 2001 had enough of an original slant to be a truly memorable experience. At the time I remember this was a very risky title for Nintendo, a games company that wanted no blood in its fighting games. You may wonder why a game about a cute little squirrel would put the cat among the pigeons but when you get further acquainted with Conker's character you will soon see why. He is a potty mouthed, sex mad, binge drinking squirrel who would put George Best to shame.

The story begins when Conker gets totally wasted with some buddies at his local boozer. He tries to stumble home but he gets lost and wakes up so hung-over that he can barley see. He wakes up in a field where he talks to a scarecrow that gives him an alka-seltzer and tells you how to use the controls.

The story makes just about no logical sense, but it kind of doesn't need to, since it was just a vehicle to take a cute and unassuming character like Conker, and throw him into a mature adventure filled with bad words, public urination and, shall we say, adult situations.

The format is platform and level with a bit of First Person Shooter thrown in for good measure. Again, back in 2001 this mix of gaming styles was kind of original but these days lots of titles plump for this mix of systems.

There is also an Xbox Live enabled team-based shooter. Featuring intense deathmatch and campaign storyline modes via Xbox Live and system link, players can compete as one of six combat specialists across multi-mission campaigns covering Old War and Future War. The warfare promises to deliver the non-stop action, humor, gratuitous violence and innuendo Conker is famous for.

Key Features:

Team-focused, story-driven, Xbox Live gameplay. Team-based gameplay is the heart of this shooter, which pits the Noble Squirrels against the Evil Tediz. Players can choose from a variety of scenario-based missions featuring two distinct and unique campaigns Old War and Future War. Each mission features its own distinctly challenging gameplay mode. Campaign storylines, composed of multiple missions played progressively, bring an innovative and fresh approach to team-based shooters and support up to 16 players on Xbox Live.

Elite squad formation. Players can choose from six character classes, Skyjockey, Long Ranger, Grunt, Demolisher, Thermophile and Sneeker, each with signature weapons and abilities. In "Conker: Live and Reloaded," the composition of a team gives it strategic and tactical advantages and implications.

Xbox Live. Team-based gameplay, innovative campaign storylines and distinctive humor all make for a great experience on Xbox Live. Online players strategize, cooperate and communicate as a team in campaign mode, or venture out solo against buddies in deathmatch. Players can earn medals, rise through the ranks, secure unlockables and download new maps.

Massive arsenal for maximum carnage. Devastating weapons include camera-guided rockets, an acid thrower and loads of grenade types. Players can operate five types of vehicles Sky Steed, Mule Bomber, R-Hog, Toad Jeep and Tankus and equipment such as anti-infantry sentries, medi-guns and a snoop camera. Players have special abilities that allow them to disguise themselves or feign death and sneak up on unsuspecting foes to unload a demoralizing array of attacks.

Raunchy, twisted and irreverent world of "Conker." Over-the-top humor, characters and gameplay dominate in every way with rude wit, lewd innuendoes and ridiculously graphic violence. The juxtaposition of the Squirrels and Tediz characters and their world is at the heart of the humor. The expressions, exclamations and special effects bring out the true "Conker" flavor.

Wildly bizarre single-player adventure. The critically acclaimed single-player game "Conker's Bad Fur Day" is now on Xbox, fully recreated with amazing graphics and enhanced profanity. The game is full of hilarious situations, movie pastiches, off-the-wall puzzles and crazy characters in an offbeat world, including horny bees, voluptuous sunflowers, singing piles of poo and even Death himself.

Overall Conker Live and Reloaded doesn't pack the same punch today as it did back in 2001. Since then gaming has moved on a long way and all the truly original elements that Conker had back then have been replicated many times. The character of Conker is still as strong as ever and the humor is timeless. Graphically this new version has had a total overhaul and looks splendid running on the Xbox. Not the best title of recent weeks but still as good a game as it ever was featuring brilliant characters, crazy humor and plenty to keep you entertained for quite some time.

8 out of 10