Butcher Bay, the Alcatraz of space. A massive maximum security prison that contains the worst criminals the galaxy has to offer. Unlike all the other slams in the galaxy, Butcher Bay had a detached deficiency. The prison can contain the convicts but they can't control them. And that was the beauty of it. The citizens on any planet could care less of what the scum here do because they're nothing but harm to them. They're waiting for them to kill each other, starve to death from the f**ked up meals, or become "legitimized" target practices. As for the intentions of having guards, sentry turrets, and mini-battle mechs, they're just here so that they can take the pleasure in unloading lead into our chests without touching the land mines. This slam may seem inhumane, but who said prisons have to be humane? Butcher Bay like Alcatraz was inescapable. But not to me and do you know why? It's because Butcher Bay is so huge, you can never tell what's going on, not even the guards know. This could be fun.

The "chronicle" of my escape begins as I was recently captured by that asshole Merc, Johns. Strapped to a steel restrain, binding my arms and blinding my eyes on a carrier heading toward hell in the depths of the sand. I can practically taste the steel as it moved. Even with my eyes I covered, I can tell Johns was looking at me with such arrogant pride after capturing me. Every thing he says can tell otherwise. He thought he has right where he wants me but he and his benefactors have no idea who they're messing with. And the fun has just started.

Gameplay:

Moving around Butcher Bay wasn't difficult but it certainly wasn't easy and I love a challenge. Scaling ladders, traversing toward vents, and climbing crates in order to get around was a great exercise but at times distracting when important matters like guards or turrets taking shots at me when spotted. My favorite part of this slam is the fact that the almost the entire section, facility, nook & cranny, etc is encompassed in shadow and I love the dark. It's easy for me to sneak up on unfortunate guards to snap their necks or slice their neck with a shiv. It's even better after when Pope shined my eyes so that I can easily see and navigate through the "pitch black" but it comes with a price of my original sight. That's where my goggles come in handy.

But to make my venture through the slam easier, there are melee weapons like the shiv, brass knuckles, club, etc when I need to take care of other convicts who don't like me. The shiv is an effective weapon only if you're sneaking behind somebody. I don't like the brass knuckles since I can do better with my bare fists. And the club well... it's useful if you know where you're hitting. As for requisition of ballistic weaponry, the guards mostly carry assault rifles with DNA-encoding so that the prisoners won't be able to get their hands on them. One touch of the rifle would emit an electrical charge toward the one that hasn't been scanned and you must find and submit your DNA to a scanner in order for the weapons to function with yours. Others like the shotgun and pistol aren't but they're hard to come by because the guards that carry them aren't allowed to guard the cells. Even though I can't touch the rifle, that doesn't mean I can't force the soldier to get shot by his own. The guards in any slam are predictable, once you get close they'll try to smack you with their rifle and when the right moment comes I grab the hand carrying the rifle and help them pull the trigger on their chin. Despite the lack of weaponry, I'm still satisfied getting my hands dirty and sneaking around doesn't hurt.

Graphics:

When I first saw the massive structure of hell called Butcher Bay, for the first time in my life, I was happy like a kid in a candy store. Unlike all the other slams I've been to like "the great escape" and "prisoner of war", Butcher Bay was the ugliest prison I've ever seen. So ugly that it looked good. A prison this detailed and textured would be hard to escape and should anyone escape? Even though I've grown to hate the light during my stay at Bay, it was a nice touch that it brought realistic shadows for me to hide in and relections for me to avoid after my eyes were shined. I've noticed the people here were also more interesting than what I saw at the past slams. So interesting I wanted snap their necks when I get out. It's even more satisfying when the bodies move like rag-dolls when they fall.

But it isn't perfect. At times it gets a bit blurry in some places and at times I get dizzy and everything seems to slow down a bit. But still it doesn't hinder of the true qualities Butcher Bay has. Johns takes me to the nicest places.

Sound:

The prison lives up to it's name "Butcher". Even in minimum level cells, you can hear screaming and constant begging emenating from the walls as if the tortured souls of hell inhabited the entire prison. The conversations and rumors of convicts are hardly private that they don't mind me listening in. Not to mention the familiar voices I hear from convicts and guards (Cole Hauser, Xzibit, and Ron Perlman). I don't know how many people I meet when I'm cruising around the galaxy but I never forget their voices. Some of them need to watch their mouths.

Lasting Appeal:

Despite what most people thought, I enjoyed my stay at Butcher Bay and I wish I could go back for more and pick up cigarettes since it's heavily dependant and it'll help me purchase some nice extras like blueprints of how Butcher Bay existed and overall the future of my "chronicle" that Shira predicts (the voice inside my head).

Overall:

All I have to say is that Hoxie (the warden of the prison) has a nice little joint here. Convicts showing their hospitality by trying to stick their shivs into my gut, all the prison guards waiting to have their necks snapped, and Abbott, oh Abbott I just love to piss you off. Unfortunately my stay at Butcher Bay was short but it was worth it.

8.8/10

 

-Patrick Kim (Sci-Operative)