24: The Game hits on all of the aspects that make the show so riveting to watch. This is due in large part to the number of things going on at any given time during an episode. In an attempt to try to recreate this, the developers throw in various game types that have you completing everything from hacking computers to engaging in shootouts to high-speed chases. Rather than focusing on one or two well-built aspects, the game throws numerous play types at you, none of which are all that good.
A majority of your time is spent during third-person action segments. While you usually play as Jack, you’ll take the role of other characters when the plot calls for it. Nearly all of the characters play the same way, with the exception of Kim, who has to rely on stealth since she has no weapons training. When you’re not playing through shooting segments, you’ll find yourself performing nearly every play type conceived, including driving, sniper, stealth… you name it. All of the play types work on a basic level, but are half-baked and not that much fun.
Numerous puzzles are also thrown in; most of which require a minimal use of logic to solve. Most of the game’s puzzles involve simple tasks like connecting a certain path. Others are reflex-based and require you to match button presses with a series of slow, on-screen cues. In the end, all the varying play types do is give the game an unfocused feel. Unless you’re in a shooting area, most sequences never last long enough to be any fun, dragging down the action.
While the game doesn’t actually take 24 hours to complete (it is more like 8 - 10), it does a pretty good job of mirroring the show’s 24-hour period of action. The story begins with Jack Bauer raiding a ship suspected of containing a shipment of chemical weapons. Of course, this is only the first hour in another bad day for Jack, eventually drawing him into a plot that involves everything from bombings to assassinations to kidnappings. Because of the abbreviated time, the story moves at a quicker pace than the show. This doesn’t hurt the pacing that much and helps to keep the intensity levels up, though there are a few awkward location jumps that feel really out of place. The only real downside is that the story rarely takes the time to explain itself. Sometimes it even requires you to reference situations in the show. So, if you are unfamiliar with the show, you’ll likely miss a few pieces of the puzzle. Still, the story is good enough that fans of the show might be able to endure the lacking gameplay.
