The Saboteur is set in a time that all EA fans are familiar with, WWII, however this time, rather than the US or English Army you are playing a lone Irishman called Sean Devlin who gets caught up with the resistance in France. Prior to the war Sean was a cocky racing car driver who had the skills to be one the best. Just before the breakout of war Sean takes part in a race where those cheating Nazi's cause him to lose the race unfairly. Being the cocky sort, Sean goes to exact revenge by totaling the victors car, only to be confused with an English spy and tortured. A few months later and Sean’s life is ruined, war is in full swing, France is occupied and he is drinking his sorrows away in a French strip club. Only through a chance encounter with a resistance leader Sean is pulled back into the fight, allowing him to extract revenge in his own way.

 

 

As Sean you are tasked with causing mayhem and trying to slow down the German war machine. Although mostly on your own you do have a large amount of skills available to use. Being a former racing driver you are able to jump into any car to drive to new locations, lose tails and also join the occasional race. However Sean’s main skill is in explosives, starting with a few pounds of TNT you are able to plant and set fuses on loads of German outposts. To help get up close and mix with the Germans Sean is able to don disguises, acquired by sneaking up to an enemy and taking them down with a sucker punch or a quick twist of the neck, this has to be done by hand as using a gun will leave bloodstains and ruin your cover. Once disguised you are able to walk into German outposts, walk too quick or close to a Gestapo agent and you may get spotted so slow and steady allows you to get to your mark, set the explosive, slip away and watch the fireworks from a safe spot.

 

There is a good mixture of missions to keep you busy, scouting, sneaking and the occasional theft. Rather than the bullets blazing or espionage approach you can also climb the sides of buildings and jump rooftops to get a good position for a sniper shot. The climbing is well implemented and works just as well as similar titles like Assassins Creed. There are a few niggles in the controls where you will walk off the side of a building rather than grab it, but thankfully Sean is hard as nails and will brush these falls off and get back into the action.

 

Along with a solid main story there are also numerous side missions, the most fun being the destruction of the Nazi encampments dotted around Paris. Sniper towers, fuel depots and radio trucks are all waiting for a little plastic surgery. The Saboteur also has its own currency, contraband, this is collected by killing enemies and completing missions and with these items you can then trade with the Black Market, obtaining new weapons and ammo to help your quest.

 

 

The graphics and style are very refreshing for a WWII title. At the start of the game the sky is bright and the game world is full of colour, once war has started the whole city is painted in very dark and grey colours, with only the reds of the nazi flags and the orange from your explosions and street lights breaking through the dull palette. As you stand against your oppressors, hope starts to return to the city and with it colour, the streets and people will then become more full of life.

 

What surprised me was the humour, using an Irish character Pandemic have focused on some classic stereotypes and given Sean and other characters refreshing and original personalities with some genuine LOL moments and well scripted interactions. The humour is spot on, with achievements like "pint and a shag" giving you an idea of what to expect.

 

Though a low key release this title is well worth your time with solid action, laughs and an original take on the WWII shooter.