The game’s locations often include objects or places that allow you to perform a special attack. Like all of the game’s interactive actions, this is done by hitting the R1 button when you see text at the top of the screen. Some of these attacks include throwing objects at enemies, using walls to get a jump on them, or even using a restaurant’s grill to put the heat to the bad guys.

4 on 1 - odds are in Jet's favor.

Despite the control limitations, the battles can be quite fun at times. Directing attacks at four enemies while they move in to surround you can certainly get the adrenaline going. However, this enjoyment diminishes as you make your way through the game or if you play for too long in one sitting. The reason for this is that the battles start to feel repetitive – you just don’t have enough control over your attacks to keep the excitement level high. You’ll also be facing enemies driven by very basic attack AI that involves approaching you en masse and trying to surround you. It’s as if they’re programmed more to show off the game’s fighting system than to harm you. Lastly, all of the mini-cutscenes that constantly pop up during the battles start to get in the way. How many slow-motion shots of enemies falling backwards do you really want to see in the middle of fights?

Not all of the fighting is done with your fists. The game features gun battles as well, but unlike the fisticuffs and kung fu the gunfights never provide for much excitement or enjoyment. The problem lies in the targeting and control scheme. To fire a weapon, you must first select a target by flipping the right stick in the direction of the enemy and then press the R2 button to fire. Not only does this take a lot of getting used to, it’s not that good of a system once you do. It works well enough when faced with a single enemy, but when several gunmen attack it’s annoyingly difficult to fire at the one that you want to hit first and there’s no way to spray an area with gunfire to hit multiple attackers. The game tries to compensate for this last shortcoming by placing targetable objects such as oil drums in strategic locations, but forces you to target these before you can shoot at them. This is accomplished by pressing L2 and then tapping the stick towards the object, which is the exact opposite of the scheme used to fire at enemies. In one case it’s tap then press, but in the other it’s press then tap. Try keeping that straight during heated gun battles. All that the gunfight sequences accomplished was to annoy and frustrate me, and make me wish they would end as soon as possible.

Overall Rise to Honor has a few enjoyable moments, but they can’t make up for the lack of interactivity, repetitive battles, and overuse of cutscenes. Jet Li and a right stick fight system are not enough to carry the game. If you’re a fan of Hong Kong action films or Jet Li, then your enthusiasm for the game’s setting and its star might be enough to compensate for its problems. Otherwise you will probably want to rent this one first to make sure that it can hold your interest until the end.

In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated: 66%.  An interactive Honk Kong action movie with too much movie and not enough interaction.

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