Kane & Lynch: Dead Men

About

"Kane & Lynch: Dead Men" is a shooter game that offers both single-player and multi-player modes, with a particular focus on cooperative play for up to 2 players, both locally and online. The game tells an emotionally intense crime drama with unpredictable experiences, featuring two complex characters, a medicated psychopath and a flawed mercenary. Despite its beautiful story, dense atmosphere, and spectacular music, the game is criticized for being very grinding, missing optimization, and having numerous bugs.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

59%

Audience ScoreBased on 890 reviews

story179 positive mentions

gameplay70 negative mentions

Engaging story with dark themes and interesting character dynamics.
Varied levels and scenarios that keep the gameplay somewhat fresh.
Good voice acting and a solid soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.

Poor shooting mechanics with inaccurate weapons and frustrating cover system.
AI teammates are often unhelpful and can lead to frustrating gameplay moments.
The game is short, with a campaign that can be completed in about 4-6 hours, and lacks replayability.

story
539 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
59%
8%
The story of "Kane & Lynch: Dead Men" is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its gritty, dark themes and character-driven narrative, while others criticize it for being clichéd, poorly executed, and filled with plot holes. The game features anti-heroes whose chaotic journey through crime and betrayal offers some engaging moments, but the overall storytelling suffers from a lack of cohesion and depth, leading to a disappointing conclusion for many. Despite its flaws, the narrative remains a highlight for some, making it worth experiencing for those who prioritize story over gameplay mechanics.
- “The story is well crafted and the characters, while not people you would invite to Christmas dinner, are intense, gritty, and multidimensional.”
- “Kane & Lynch: Dead Men is one of those games that has a story to tell and is heavily inspired by the 90s action movies.”
- “The story follows a psychological drama emotional vibe, and certain strong elements that would put the player in enough stress if it isn't by the story's way of destroying the characters’ lives.”
- “The story is a mess about two gangsters that went through some shit and can't fix anything at all.”
- “The story is bland, the characters feel flat (both visually and story-wise), it's basically just a set of locations with a short briefing before it.”
- “The story sucks; gameplay is quite vanilla; the cover system is abysmal; the buddy system is terrible; AI is mentally challenged; pacing is weird; and the ending is laughably bad.”
gameplay
286 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
58%
24%
The gameplay of "Kane & Lynch: Dead Men" is widely criticized for its clunky mechanics, poor shooting accuracy, and frustrating AI, leading to a generally unsatisfying experience. While some players appreciate the story and character development, many find the gameplay to be outdated and lacking in depth, with repetitive and linear mission design. Overall, the game is seen as a mix of mediocre mechanics and a compelling narrative, making it a polarizing title for players.
- “Squad-based gameplay basically extends the Freedom Fighters formula into bigger set pieces all over the world with emphasis on the personal story, not some grand scheme, and it's a good thing.”
- “The gameplay is actually solid except for maybe a few glitches here and there.”
- “The gameplay is fun, the shooting is good, but the only issue with it is that it's severely too short.”
- “The gameplay sucks; either Kane is trying to aim with his blind eye, or the guns are just that horrible.”
- “Horrible shooting mechanics, buggy as hell gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is poor and the game doesn't save for some reason.”
graphics
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
52%
21%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are dated and lack visual flair, especially when compared to contemporary titles from the same era. While some appreciate the graphics as decent for a 2007 release, others criticize them for being bland, glitchy, and reminiscent of lower-quality games. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the graphics may have been acceptable at launch, they have not aged well and often detract from the overall experience.
- “The graphics aged gracefully.”
- “Quality voice acting and high fidelity graphics for a 2006 game set this apart from anything else at the time of its release.”
- “The graphics are impressive for a dated title, with solid controls.”
- “The graphics are dated even for their time; gameplay mechanics are clunky but playable.”
- “The graphics are poor, but the game is 13 years old now, so that is acceptable to me and should not be taken as a flaw.”
- “The graphics are outdated, but the soundtrack is well done.”
music
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
44%
8%
The music in the game, composed by Jesper Kyd, receives mixed reviews, with many praising its unique and engaging soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. While some users find the music to be a standout feature that complements the game's atmosphere, others describe it as bland or inconsistent, noting moments where music is absent when it could have added to the tension. Overall, the soundtrack is generally regarded as a strong point, contributing positively to the game's emotional and immersive qualities.
- “Jesper Kyd has created a unique soundtrack that lends itself perfectly to this game.”
- “The soundtrack is really good to listen to with its dark ambient music and energetic beats to really put you in the mood and feel like a badass.”
- “The music and story are the highlights of the experience and the unique multiplayer is a nice diversion from team slayer and the like.”
- “Even the soundtrack is bland, despite the fact that Jesper Kyd worked on it (the composer for Assassin's Creed 2).”
- “Shooting mechanics are trash, AI is stupid, voice acting is god awful, music is garbage.”
- “Even the music (performed by Jesper Kyd, if that rings any bells) isn't good and thrilling anymore.”
stability
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
97%
The stability of the game is widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players have had to troubleshoot extensively to get the game running smoothly, and while some manage to enjoy it despite these issues, the overall consensus is that the game is a frustrating and unstable experience, particularly on newer systems.
- “My specs are weak, but it still runs great.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
- “I've experienced consistent performance, even during intense gameplay.”
- “Horrible shooting mechanics, buggy as hell gameplay.”
- “Kane and Lynch: Dead Men may have been a decent game when it was released 13 years ago, but either it's a bad port or newer computers have problems with this as this game is a broken, buggy mess.”
- “The game is full of horrible glitches, enemies that bounce around and bug out, shooting through walls and cover.”
humor
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its over-the-top, expletive-laden dialogue between the main characters, Kane and Lynch, which many players find both hilarious and charming. While some moments, like the absurdity of a nightclub shootout, provide genuine laughs, the humor often stems from the game's flaws, including unintentionally funny AI and dialogue that can become repetitive. Overall, the game's comedic elements, though inconsistent, contribute to its unique charm and entertainment value.
- “Kane and Lynch as characters are interesting, and the over-the-top, expletive-laden dialogue between the two can be hilarious and charming.”
- “The funny dialogue and cutscenes are epic.”
- “Interesting (if a bit shallow) characters, and funny dialogue with more cuss words than a bar full of sailors propelled it forward.”
optimization
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
39%
48%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with users reporting significant stuttering and performance issues, particularly on newer operating systems. Many players have noted the need for various workarounds, such as disabling certain devices and applying patches, to achieve a playable experience. Overall, the game is considered poorly optimized, especially for PC, with some labeling it as "abandonware" due to its outdated and problematic performance.
- “Controls seem to be optimized for gamepad.”
- “When it comes to performance, this game can run well on pretty much any PC, which is nice especially if you have an older PC like me and can't run games too well.”
- “Updating should resolve any performance issues.”
- “To run properly, the game needs a patch to disable GFWL, then also needs all HID devices of your PC to be disabled to fix stuttering, while also requiring a memory patch to avoid many crashes and manual anti-aliasing to improve the otherwise terribly jagged edges.”
- “The game unfortunately has not aged well; however, worse than the gameplay is the stuttering.”
- “Not really playable because of god awful horrible stuttering and frame skipping.”
atmosphere
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
48%
14%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its intensity, cinematic set pieces, and gritty portrayal of a dark criminal underworld, effectively immersing players in a chaotic and violent narrative. While the voice acting and character interactions contribute positively to the overall experience, some reviews note that the lack of audio variety and poor gameplay mechanics detract from the atmosphere's potential. Overall, the game is recognized for its strong storytelling and unique settings, making it a compelling experience despite its flaws.
- “The game has a strong sense of atmosphere and cinematic set pieces inspired by Hollywood action movies.”
- “The gritty criminal underworld atmosphere, the diverse characters with layers and flaws, and the pursuit of vengeance make for a great tale.”
- “There is no really good audio or sound effects, taking away most of the atmosphere.”
- “I was impressed by how they managed to create such a violent and depressing atmosphere in a story about characters who are downright insane in a disturbingly twisted way.”
- “There is no real hero; the atmosphere is far bleaker, not pretending to say you should root for Kane - he is a bad, bad person.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
70%
Reviews highlight that the grinding in the game is excessively tedious, often requiring significant time investment and patience. Players describe the mechanics as cumbersome and the gameplay as a slog, detracting from the overall enjoyment despite some challenging elements. Mastery of the tedious aspects may lead to a rewarding experience, but many find it frustratingly repetitive.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Cumbersome mechanics, horrible shooting, plain graphics and more make it rather tedious.”
- “The gameplay is an absolute slog of tedious shooting galleries.”
- “Had playing the actual game not been so tedious, I'd agree that this is an underrated title.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
13%
63%
Overall, the game's replayability is considered quite low, with most players noting that it primarily relies on cooperative play for any additional enjoyment. Many reviews highlight the lack of meaningful content beyond higher difficulty levels and alternate endings, which are often deemed unsatisfying. The short campaign length further diminishes the incentive to replay, leading to a general consensus that the game offers limited replay value.
- “While it's okay for a single-player game, I think they had a bigger focus on multiplayer for its replayability.”
- “The only pluses are that the main protagonists are very memorable, and replayability exists through co-op gameplay.”
- “Very little replayability aside from playing in higher difficulty and seeing the two different endings, which are both bad and anticlimactic.”
- “It only took me about 5 hours to beat, and the replay value is almost nonexistent, which sucks.”
- “Beat it the first or second day that I played it; mediocre replay value.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Kane & Lynch: Dead Men" is polarizing; while the game attempts to create a psychological drama with complex characters, it ultimately falls short due to poor plotting and character development. Players may feel a connection to the flawed protagonists, evoking a desire for their redemption, but the lack of satisfying resolution and emotional engagement leaves many feeling unfulfilled. Overall, the game presents a mix of strong emotional elements and frustrating execution, leading to a conflicted player experience.
- “The story follows a psychological drama emotional vibe, with strong elements that put the player under stress as it destroys the characters' lives. While it may not excel in character development, it satisfies with individual personalities that create a credible duo, avoiding the glamorization of their lifestyle.”
- “The personalities are so well fleshed out that you get a great sense of how emotionally stable each character would be given the situation.”
- “Kane and Lynch are possibly the most abhorrent, frustrating, aggressive, and irresponsible protagonists in a game, yet I wanted them to succeed. I pushed for them to be better people, and that's what emotionally affects you.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
Character development in the game is largely criticized, with reviewers noting poor plotting and a lack of emotional depth. While the characters possess distinct personalities that create a believable duo, the overall development fails to engage players, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction with their journeys.
- “The story follows a psychological drama with an emotional vibe, featuring strong elements that create stress through the characters' lives. While it may not fully engage players in character development, it does satisfy with the individual personalities of each character, creating a credible duo that avoids glamorizing the protagonist's lifestyle, unlike many games or movies.”
- “So - lousy plotting, poor story and character development, the game misses its limited emotional targets, average gameplay.”
- “The story follows a psychological drama emotional vibe, and while it has certain strong elements that could put the player under stress, it fails to engage with character development. However, it does provide individual personalities that create a credible duo, which are not precisely role models nor do they glamorize the lifestyle of the protagonist, unlike many games or movies.”
- “Trash character development, trash graphics, trash dialogue, trash gameplay, and trash all over the maps.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game sparked controversy due to perceived conflicts of interest, particularly highlighted by a negative review from a Gamespot employee who was subsequently fired, raising questions about the integrity of advertising practices on the site.
- “This game caused a bit of controversy when it was released; a guy at GameSpot was fired after giving it a negative review, even though the entire website was plastered with Kane and Lynch ads.”