A new video game, officially tied to the upcoming film "Citizen Vigilante" starring Armie Hammer, has been released, drawing harsh criticism from players and reviewers alike. The game, developed by German studio Polygon Art and released on PlayStation 5 for $21.99, has garnered an average rating of 2.74 out of 5 stars, largely composed of polarized one-star and five-star reviews.
One journalist undertaking a review described the gameplay as "abysmal, so excruciating and so outdated, it left me questioning my sanity." The game's premise places players in the role of Sanders, a vigilante who "decided to act. Take justice into your own hands, hunt down criminals, uncover corruption, and face the consequences of your actions."
Upon starting the game, players are met with a text card explaining the scenario: police have located vigilante Sanders, but he is prepared for a SWAT assault. The opening sequence involves Sanders setting a trap for the police, declaring, "I understand you’re here to do your job. I have no interest in killing you. But if you stop me from doing my job, I will be forced to kill you all." The reviewer noted that a broken "restart checkpoint" button forced repeated playthroughs of this sequence, which involves Sanders eliminating over 30 police officers.
Gameplay issues were a significant point of contention. In one segment requiring players to navigate a sewer and engage police, the reviewer reported that the in-game weapon functioned only about 50% of the time. This led to the player being vulnerable and losing health due to the malfunctioning firearm.
Following the sewer level, the narrative shifts to a mundane task of buying milk, which is interrupted by a dozen thugs armed with machine guns attempting to rob the store. The reviewer also detailed a mission requiring the execution of a judge who allegedly presided over cases where dangerous offenders went free. This mission was described as "excruciating" due to bullets originating from walls and enemies disappearing mid-encounter. The graphics were characterized as "reminiscent of playing on your dad’s Dell computer in 1997."
After six hours of gameplay, the reviewer had only completed two missions, leading them to conclude that "Maybe putting my controller down is the real act of vigilantism after all."
Movie tie-in video games were common marketing strategies in the 1990s and early 2000s for films such as "Batman Begins" and "The Incredibles," but the practice has become rare. "Citizen Vigilante," directed by Uwe Boll, represents a resurgence of this trend.