It’s time for another Retro Ad Replay article! This is the series where we head backwards in time to reminisce and celebrate the anniversary of some of the most significant moments in gaming. If you find yourself wanting more content like this, be sure to visit Mandatory.com.
In this December 8 edition of Retro Ad Replay, we’re taking a trip back 11 years to when The Saboteur first launched on PS3. That’s December 8, 2009. Developed by Pandemic Studios and published by EA, this unique title put an Irishman in Paris where he fought against the Nazis. The game’s stylistic choice of using black and white mixed with dashes of color is what most players will likely remember.
The GameRevolution The Saboteur review was critical of the game, awarding it a 3/5. However, the reviewer did praise the “expansive open-world 1940s Paris,” “perks system,” “cliche but likable characters,” and “blowing up Nazi towers over and over again.”
Here’s a snippet from the GR review:
If there was ever such a thing as formulaic gameplay, THE SABOTEUR would be the one drinking it. But as much as a critic can moan about how unoriginal it is, at the end of the day, it’s just not bad. Its open-world interpretation of 1940s Paris is filled with iconic landmarks that stretches into pastoral landscapes which highlights the differences between rural and urban France. The soundtrack doesn’t have that many tunes, but the music is light and carefully chosen, with a special nod to “Koop Island Blues”. The characters, despite their cliché personalities, have well-delivered dialogue and are comfortable with who they are.
And who doesn’t like messing with Nazis? For as overly suspicious and unrealistically dumb as the Nazis are in the game, it almost turns the violence INTO A SITCOM. If they see you climbing the side of an apartment building, holding a trenchgun in their face, trespassing on a Nazi encampment, or sneaking around in their presence, they’ll blow the whistle and force you to find a hiding spot or run outside of the red circle without being caught. But the instant you stop doing any suspicious behavior, they stop caring. So if a Nazi sees you climbing down a water drainage pipe, sprinting down the street with a scoped carbine, staring into his eyes for an instant before tucking the gun into your jacket, you’re totally fine. Not suspicious at all.
Check out The Saboteur gameplay trailer below, which features the great-looking PC version:
