Alekhine's Gun: The Video Game That Ripped Off Hitman
1. Symptomatic Of A Forgotten Genre
For years now, fans have been crying out for a true stealth game in the vein of those original Hitman and Tom Clancy titles. Alekhine, blank though he may be, could've filled that hole. The game itself ended up doing nothing, amounting to little more than a pseudo-plagiaristic distortion of the earlier Hitman games. It was made with the best intent, but in trying to spark a resurgence in the genre, Maximum Games may have done the exact opposite.
And while yes, it is hilarious to behold, there is a tragedy to the title's failure. It's been years since the last decent Splinter Cell, and apart from Hitman, no other franchise is really nailing stealth as a concept. Yes, it's present in some games, but only as a minor gameplay element, commonly portrayed in a fairly rudimentary manner. (Think Batman: Arkham, or Assassin's Creed).
If anything, Alekhine's Gun serves as a reminder that gamers are in need of a genuine stealth title. IO alone cannot bear that burden, even if Hitman continues to go from strength to strength.
Who knows, maybe Sam Fisher will be dusting off his goggles sooner, rather than later...