The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay

[MattyD]

I'm sure its in 4:3.

Nope, if you set the video option in the dashboard to widescreen, it comes up in 16:9. I know this because I have my TV set up to switch between 4:3 or 16:9 automatically depending on the format of the signal, so that my old 16-bit games don't stretch. When I booted it up yesterday, it went 4:3 for the Universal Pictures card (this also happens on DVDs, very strange) and then switched back to 16:9 when the Starbreeze / Tigon cards came up. I played the game for ten minutes and it didn't switch back.

[MJ]

It's certainly one of the most physically brutal games I've ever played. Plenty of blood, neck-snapping and nastiness here

Is all the swearing in there too, including the 'f' bombs?

[MonkeyWrench]

Nope, if you set the video option in the dashboard to widescreen, it comes up in 16:9. I know this because I have my TV set up to switch between 4:3 or 16:9 automatically depending on the format of the signal, so that my old 16-bit games don't stretch. When I booted it up yesterday, it went 4:3 for the Universal Pictures card (this also happens on DVDs, very strange) and then switched back to 16:9 when the Starbreeze / Tigon cards came up. I played the game for ten minutes and it didn't switch back.

To be fair, that's not an ideal way of deciding if a game is widescreen or not. Some 4:3 games will flick my TV over to 16:9 and I have to manually switch it back, as I have had to in the past with Riddick. Some TVs even flick to widescreen if they detect a lot of black at the top and bottom of the image. It's been a while since I've played it but I'm certain it didn't look right in widescreen. What region is your version?

[MattyD]

Is all the swearing in there too, including the 'f' bombs?

Been a while since I played it but I'm fairly sure it was a bit on the sweary side. Even the tutorial video narrator swears like a wounded pirate.

To be fair, that's not an ideal way of deciding if a game is widescreen or not. Some 4:3 games will flick my TV over to 16:9 and I have to manually switch it back, as I have had to in the past with Riddick. Some TVs even flick to widescreen if they detect a lot of black at the top and bottom of the image. It's been a while since I've played it but I'm certain it didn't look right in widescreen. What region is your version?

Mine's the UK PAL version. I'll have to go back and have a look at some point since I didn't have a widescreen telly when it came out, but it didn't look noticably stretched when I tried it out the other day.

EDIT - I played this for 20 minutes this-afternoon and it's definately as sweary as I remember. I switched my TV between 4:3 and 16:9 and TBH it was hard to tell the difference. I have an inkling that people's faces were a bit longer in 4:3 which usually means it *is* outputting 16:9, but then I'm getting used to seeing everything in 16:9 these days...

[MJ]

Why does the NTSC version look so rubbish on my LCD?! It doesn't matter if I run at 50 Hz or 60 Hz or switch to NTSC mode to enable the HD options, in fact if I switch to NTSC and then enable 60 Hz mode it looks worse.

[MattyD]

IIRC the game has a dynamic detail leveling system and runs in a pretty low res. It looks a bit nasty even on a CRT when things get busy, kind of like when you turn the detail level down in Doom or Quake.

[MJ]

I see but I'm sure it looked much better than this on my old CRT via Scart.

[johnno15]

I see but I'm sure it looked much better than this on my old CRT via Scart.

CRTS are better for older consoles than lcds

[angelx]

Why does the NTSC version look so rubbish on my LCD?! It doesn't matter if I run at 50 Hz or 60 Hz or switch to NTSC mode to enable the HD options, in fact if I switch to NTSC and then enable 60 Hz mode it looks worse.

The Jaggedy bits are the trade off for such a great looking game maybe its worth seeking out a PC version, Its supposed to have extras too

[Rossco]

Is this game backward compatable with 360 as I would love to finish it off sometime as I never bothered to on Xbox. Although I have the NTSC Xbox version and PAL 360 so would need to buy it again. Or I could just play it on my Xbox but I havent plugged that in since Dec 3rd 2005!

[mr_sockochris]

Nope, it doesn't work on the 360 yet I've been wanting to replay this for ages but I just can't justify spending time on a game I've finished when I've got so many others to be getting on with....

[cutmymilk]

Started playing this today.

Pretty good so far. Already mid escape though - I hope its a long escape or its gonna be a quick game! How long does it normally take to finish? Wouldn't mind short and sweet and it looks that way.

[MattyD]

I think it's around ten hours or so long if you do all the sidequests in the jail.

[cutmymilk]

Ah, I assume I'll get thrown back in jail at some point then.

Coolio. Pefect length really. 3 more longish sessions should see me to the end.