This was so cool to watch! I worked on this game for like 5 years as a concept artist and it was one of the best experiences of my career. Thanks for highlighting the game as I always wished more people could’ve experienced it. Thank you for the Sab love!
This game was so artistic. I usually hate open world games with low graphics which tend to be most pre 2010 games. This game has such beautiful graphics even tho it probably isn’t that “graphics intensive”. My PC is a potato so I came across this game when I was looking for an open world game like GTA 5 that would run on my PC (I played GTA 5 on the PS4). Despite the graphics not being high end there was detail in all the right places to immerse me. Cars looked dirty and it didn’t look like a “texture” fill had been used to paint surfaces. Each stain on each surface looked like it was intentionally placed there. I also really liked how cutscenes actually looked like the real game, just slightly touched up. It really helped keep things realistic. I never usually do the campaigns in open world gamesI just prefer exploring the world. When I first searched this game up online I was put off by the black and white images I saw and the box screens. But the concept of a GTA game set in nazi occupied France really got me hooked so I gave it a go. The campaign had such strong unique characters that is was easy to get hooked. You weren’t sitting there listening to a bunch of French people constantly telling you things. Instead each character had something unique about them and a different background. Even if you didn’t remember their names (which were really simple and easy to remember) you could remember something about them. Like British spy man and psychologist guy and smuggler guy and French culture/art woman. I really feel that the concept of this game and the plot is way better than that of any GTA game.
Cool! Always loved this game, one of my all time favourites! Bought it at launch for Xbox and still play it from time to time, on PC nowadays. Thanks for your work!
With the current political climate and vehement censorship, no triple A game studio would take that risk. They barely take creative risks at all these days.
I wish someone made an open world ww2 game that takes place in stalingrad or moscow or berlin, it would be cool to see more of these kinds of games, maybe a open world game where you are a soldier for soviets or germany, and you are a reserve troop or something.
its like they bought all the people who made good games then paid them to never do it again, then hired kids that don't know what they're doing and give them 8 months to make a game that doesn't work and made us pay 60 dollars for dlc content that should of been apart of the game.
For anyone watching this and planning to play it on PC: Do NOT get the Origin version. The GOG version has no SecuROM, has the map overlay fixed and includes various other compatability fixes.
I bought mine about 5 years after it came out at a outlet retailer. Was only about $7. I had wanted it when it came out but my PC couldn't handle it at the time. It was one of the games I wanted to to make sure my upgraded PC would be able to play . Not perfect, the AI is a little broken, but I LOVE the art style, especially the black and white to color aspect. Blowing up towers is fun too. Whenever I see a IRL cell tower, I always think about Sean climbing up it and throwing the Nazi off the top!
I’m working on platinuming it right now. So far this is a very effort less platinum so far. Not in the sense that it’s really easy but the trophies are not annoying. Doing all the free play activities is actually really fun and clearing them out one by one is satisfying.
This is late but did you get any prompts to update the game? I just recently bought the game and there's no updates for it in my ps3. It's got me a little nervous. Thanks in advance.
I actually remember playing this game. It was a really fun game to play, and the mechanics were damn amazing for the time. 2009 surely was the golden age of video games, and this gem is easily top 5 in my list. Also awesome vid Lazerzz, didn't think I'd ever see a video about this game in 2019.
This game randomly popped in my head and I went on a crazy search to find someone who appreciated this classic as much as I did when it released. Thank you for this retrospective and for giving this masterpiece credit !
The video was amazing and I'm confident it's some of your best work yet (I've seen most of your video essays). Can't believe that was 25 minutes! Since you covered so much of the interesting gameplay and narrative details it felt like nothing, I most appreciated the deliberate but subtle artistic choices you pointed out that I didn't clock onto when I was just a kid playing this, for example, the main theme being remixed for that important reunion with the race car or the radio music transitioning from its tinny filter (what Sean hears) to being played for the player in full-quality. But goddamn, if this video doesn't do well for you James... I'ma share it around, you deserve so much more attention on this 10/10 video rather than "guys, guys, me likey assassin's creed and ezio hidden blade kill bad temple man".
@@gonzaroa5346 Gonza, holy shit! As if you found my comment on a LazerzZ video lol. I love this guy, James is a legend, makes amazing stuff. But yeah, I have played the Saboteur and I remember it being such a wonderful game.
@@grandma650 I definitly see how that scene could fuck a child up. I had a weird fascination with violence so I thought it was cool, luckily I didn’t grow up to be a serial killer.
Great video. I still have this game and played it for hours. Downloaded the soundtrack and used to listen to it on rainy days or while doing some artwork or long road trips. This game is so underrated and I would love a remastered version. Glad I’m not the only one who loves this gem.
I'm playing this game for like the 4th time, it's one of my favorite games ever it's really a very special story and the music, man the music of this game, I just love it.
Really love this game and have been trying to find something that scratches the same spot ever since with little luck. What I really liked in addition to what you mentioned was the sheer amount of freeplay targets and how removing towers and installations would actually help the story missions with easier getaways. That interaction between story missions and freeplay is very very rare and means it isn't just some bloated side content, I really wanted to remove every single Nazi from the map! Also you could just randomly start a massive firefight and the more vehicles arrived the bigger the bangs. Again that emergent gameplay gave it such life alongside the story.
" how removing towers and installations would actually help the story missions with easier getaways." Yes, yes, yes! They did this so well! I always explored an area when it opened up and just started taking out Watch towers and guard houses before going on the main missions. Loved just exploring the nooks and crannies. Would have been cool to integrate the exploring a little better. Like, have the safe hiding spots not automatically show up on your map, but you have to explore to find them, and then can mark them on your map. A slight flaw in an otherwise great game.
this video means so much to see, i never see anybody talk abt this game the way i remembered it and you did just that. the nostalgia i got from watching and hearing the songs play again. loved it man
I loved this game back in the day! Great video! I appreciate the awareness you are raising for this hidden gem. And on Sean randomly being a demolitions expert, I think it's implied he has history with the IRA. Don't quote me on that though.
Opened my eyes to a game I didn’t know much about, and I’m sure it’s done the same for a lot of people. A really well made vid that you clearly enjoyed making, and I hope to see more of these vids for other games in future.
I love how the last mission wasn’t some nazi boss fight like I was expecting. I thought I’d have to fight my way up the Eiffel Tower then fight Dierker where he has a lot of health. The real last mission is set where it all began for Sean where his brother died. The Eiffel Tower mission was more of a reward for playing through the game. So much effort was put into a mission with no fighting. Seeing all the nazi generals kill themselves was beautiful. I was expecting them to get off their tables and fight me when I entered the room and was quite scared. Then when they did nothing I even walked up to some of them thinking that would trigger them but it didn’t, even when I shot them one by one. It really captures that sense of defeat the nazis must have felt. From stories I’ve read about France as the nazis started to losing the war this was quite accurate. Many resistance fighters who were so used to seeing nazis determined and driven were shocked to see when they lost their confidence. Many resistance fights near the end of the war went easier than expected because the nazis didn’t have the fill to fight anymore. Then seeing that they all hung themselves in the bar room was so dark and such a surprise. I know some people say that the nazi guy ordered them to kill themselves but I don’t think this is true. He was killing some guys at the top of the Eiffel Tower one by one but those were probably his topmost generals. The rest I think killed themselves
Thanks for talking about this game. It was instrumental part of my childhood. Every day I'd come home from school and take great joy in completing the missions and destroying installations. I actually cried when it ended, because I wanted to see more of the characters and experience more epic missions. It's wonderful to see someone else who had such a great experience with it. This game will live on in our hearts :)
I played it as a kid, honestly so sad it hasn't been brought back onto the new consoles as its genuinely one of the best games I've ever played. 2005-2013 were the best years on gaming, with imo 2009, 2010 and 2011 being the standouts
I remember first time I came about finishing this game when I got to this final set piece, I walked. Soking up the atmosphere oozing from the screen. Just walking, listening to the tune and observing, made this moment so good and climactic. I advise everyone, when you are on the final stretch, walk. Don't run, walk. For the badass climax atmosphere. Walking just fits so well to this scene.
Awesome video, I got this game on the 360 years ago and loved it and picked it up on origins. If you add it as a non steam game on steam it auto configures the controls. It also fully supported my PS4 controller so I can use that too.
Great video. I bought this game for my friend when it first came out and we spent so many hours playing it. It's beautifully designed, the music is fantastic and we will always enjoy going back to this very atmospheric world. The fact it didn't get a sequel is tragic. It just makes this game a little more special, I guess.
Brilliant video LazerzZ. A good friend of mine recommended it to me a couple of months ago and I literally played it twice in a row - so much fun. One of my favourite games of all time :)
As poetic, artistic, and beautiful as this game may be, 21:42 almost made me burst out laughing. Dude executes one of his own men - who simply falls over, not moving from that spot - then proceeds to get shot by the same basic-ass pistol only instead of dropping like the guy he just executed, he straight-up flies off like it was a cannonball that hit him.
lshe97 yeah don’t get me wrong, sometimes it can look funny but I think that’s almost the point. The same way you can be emotionally invested in a Tarantino flick but there’s still ridiculous over the top violence.
Oh man, you gave me nostalgia. I played this game several years ago and I got the same idea that it's an Assassin's Creed game during World War 2. I was amazed by the new mechanics that I never saw in a WW2 game since I was playing Medal of Honor and Call of Duty then i saw the Assassin's Creed mechanics and I loved how I can use same gameplay in another era. Really thanks for this video I think I will be playing it again soon
Another piece of epic, well-made and just overall enjoyable content. Keep it up gamer! Edit: Also I know you prefer making actual content but I think it would be hilarious if either on here or lazerzZ extra you did one if those discord song memes for one of your AC song parodies
Dude, I bought this game because of YOU, and let me tell you - THANK YOU!!! This game is exactly what you described in the title of this video. If they ever remake or remaster it, they should it "The Saboteur: A Forgotten Masterpiece". Because that's exactly what it is. Imagine a WWII espionage game that is actually awesome - and top of that it's open world. It's like being inside of a GTA: WWII French Resistance game. And it's all the little details that you can only experiencing by playing it that make it so good, especially the OST and soundtrack stuck out to me within the first hour of it. The fighting is a little clunky at first but once you get the hang of it, it's cool. The stealth and movement is very good. And I love the whole black and white with the Nazi symbols on uniforms or flags being a shiny bright red type of motif that they had going in many scenes. This game would merely need a tune-up and a fresh coat of paint, and it could release today to very solid reviews. Would have loved a part II. Edit - and yeah, I got the dlc and it - really doesn't look bad for 2009.
Glad to hear it! More people need to get on this game, it's just fantastic in every single way, maybe a bit rough around the edges in some areas given it's age but it holds up incredibly well, the story, world, gameplay, and VIBE. So glad you picked it up and enjoyed it!
Weirdly enough I played this game as a kid too and have no memory of where I got it from but I do remember putting hours into this game and loving every second of it. I remember sitting in the AA gun blasting Zeplins down like it was yesterday
The wierd part is I never asked for the saboteur either🤔 I'm pretty sure that game just appears in people's houses cause I don't remember buying it either
the cloth physic, the detailed smoking animation, the ragdoll, the well animated ID check on borders, the gear shifting animation, the shock breaker impact, the shake and sound of guns that feel so heavy, and so many more...i hate so many mainstream critic never see these tiny aspect on any open world games and just be like: "yups it's open world, it probably try to copy Gta, but not better" and that's it
Another subtle detail is how French street cars are low powered and have noisy engine sounds. While nazi vehicles drive much smoother and have more powerful engines. This is actually historically accurate because during WW2 the nazis withheld fuel from civilians so civilians had to use bootleg fuel I also like how the whole of France isn’t just surrounded by tall buildings you can’t climb or an ocean. Instead they have a no mans land and sea mine field. You can run into this but you’ll be shot dead by spitfires. It really adds to the game. The game creators didn’t just make some generic copy paste buildings for non mission buildings. Each one seems unique and like it could be used in a mission
i totally agree with every word u said , i adore this game. it is literally a masterpiece, when i first got this game in 2009 my computer at that time wasnt powerful enough to run it , a couple of years later i upgraded it a little bit , tried to install the game , it started but after the menu it crashed , the game had a lot of bugs , searched all over the internet to fix it i had to do alot of work arounds to play it , and when it worked it was running at 10-15 frames per seconds and i still enojyed each and every second of this game but unfortunatly by the time i got a descent system that can run the game it was a bit. but every now and then i install the game enojy the music and drive around in paris.
I LOVED this game as a kid, and still do! It was like assassins creed in Nazi occupied France and Germany, like you I have no memory of how I got it, but i'm SO glad I did! 👌🏼✌🏼️Top content
Your retrospective is spot on! This game has a warm spot in my heart. It was my second or third platinum. I played it twice because I could not get enough of it. For 2009, it was a great single-player game in the single-player game era. It was the first game to expose my vertigo (further enforced by Dying Light). The climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower was a very sweaty palm adventure for me. When Pandemic closed, there were rumors they had begun development discussions for a sequel. When the "remaster" era started, I always held out hope for a remaster of this game. But alas, it was not to be. Great game footage by the way.
I don't understand the hate for the driving , I used to go on a dirt bike just for the jumps and physics of it , had so much weight to it compared to 5
I appreciate my brother so much for showing me this game. I would always use the turrets to shoot blimps and planes out of the sky to get money. This game was incredible
I fully agree with you on all points. This is one of my favourite, probably the favourite games of all time. I recently bought it again on PS3 and am currently half way through my 2nd playthrough 12 years after the first!
Great retrospective with really good footage, yo. Also, a couple cool things you might have missed in the game: -When you're in the Doppelseig Factory in the past, you can see mad scientists doing experiments on soldiers (the same soldiers that will become the terror squad Sean faces in the present midway through the game). -Sean not only has quips in the regular dialogue, but he also has lines programmed from him to say whenever the player skips dialogue and interrupts an npc. -The devs thought ahead and occasionally added special dialogue when the player gets game overs in unexpected times, like during the bar fight. Wait long enough until you get arrested. -Sean can goomba-stomp and kill any npc if he lands on their head. Notable example: Vittore, when he's standing in the garage of the Belle (this results in a game over).
I was just thinking about this game the other day. The way the world would fill with colour when a section gets liberated was incredibly clever. It worked thematically and was also great UI
Really good review man, also loved this game and almost no one cared for The Saboteur at the time. Well tought out review and video 10/10, keep it up !
I remember getting this and AC2 for Christmas in 2009 and being surprised that l liked this more. Played it again on PC (recently), and it still holds up forsure. Total classic.
I bought this game years ago on a clearance table at my local EB Games. Hadn't heard about it before it but it intrigued me that then began a true love story that still lingers to this day. I played it as many times as I could and wish it was back compatible on my Xbox because there is still not enough people who have played this. Thank you for this video because you have put into words and visuals all the thing I love about this game that I couldn't never figure out how to communicate them to others
Played when released and loved from the beginning. Thanks for glorifying that true piece of art. I enjoyed watching your video thinking about playing it myself years ago.
the game actualyl have a secret "ending" you might call it-if you will spend enought time in the pre-flashback part of the game you can,by doing certain tasks,upgrae your car to have weapons,which will also transition to the race car you drive in flashback,enabling you to shoot that foker down at a race track,loading screen,credits and ofc then you will be told the mission failed but its actually nice they havent thrown at you that Mission failed screen right away.
that video is also a masterpiece. just bought the game and have various problems, some that you stated in the beginning. but i remember me playing through the game when it came out and i have the same feelings as you. great game and shame they could not make a sequel.
This was a fantastic game for its time and even now, wanting to play it again and curious if they had finally released a sequel is what prompted me to do a RUclips search and what brought me here. Thank you for making this tribute to a great game.
Wonderful love letter to a banging game. I remember when this came out, I couldn't get enough of it - great atmosphere, blowing shit up in Paris however you like, the whole vibe was very fun. But you also pointed out some more considerate touches in terms of design and art direction I'd forgotten about. To me this is a poster child for AA games done right. It might not be perfect, but a fun concept, personality and obvious care by the devs go a long way.
There’s something I appreciated in the game and it’s always how blowing something up doesn’t have enemies immediately think it’s you. They go to the source of the explosion. So you can blow something up as a distraction or get away easily if you get away. It feels good in a way I can’t explain
I played this at a friends house, the mission where you blow up the first bridge. I where HOOOKED! So i bought it from him and now I've played through it atleast twice a year since 2014
This game definitely is a masterpiece. Loved the hell out of it and still do, and was one of the people keeping track and anticipating the game. Since I knew Pandemic cause of the Mercenaries series, I wanted to play this.
This was so cool to watch! I worked on this game for like 5 years as a concept artist and it was one of the best experiences of my career. Thanks for highlighting the game as I always wished more people could’ve experienced it. Thank you for the Sab love!
Oh man I’m so happy you enjoyed it! This game will forever stand out as a unique experience in video games that likely won’t ever be replicated.
This game was so artistic. I usually hate open world games with low graphics which tend to be most pre 2010 games. This game has such beautiful graphics even tho it probably isn’t that “graphics intensive”. My PC is a potato so I came across this game when I was looking for an open world game like GTA 5 that would run on my PC (I played GTA 5 on the PS4). Despite the graphics not being high end there was detail in all the right places to immerse me. Cars looked dirty and it didn’t look like a “texture” fill had been used to paint surfaces. Each stain on each surface looked like it was intentionally placed there.
I also really liked how cutscenes actually looked like the real game, just slightly touched up. It really helped keep things realistic.
I never usually do the campaigns in open world gamesI just prefer exploring the world. When I first searched this game up online I was put off by the black and white images I saw and the box screens. But the concept of a GTA game set in nazi occupied France really got me hooked so I gave it a go. The campaign had such strong unique characters that is was easy to get hooked. You weren’t sitting there listening to a bunch of French people constantly telling you things. Instead each character had something unique about them and a different background.
Even if you didn’t remember their names (which were really simple and easy to remember) you could remember something about them. Like British spy man and psychologist guy and smuggler guy and French culture/art woman.
I really feel that the concept of this game and the plot is way better than that of any GTA game.
@Cian MacGana Do you have any insight ?? any interesting information to tell us ? :)
Cool! Always loved this game, one of my all time favourites! Bought it at launch for Xbox and still play it from time to time, on PC nowadays. Thanks for your work!
@Cian MacGana bro relax
Not to mention this is the only WW2 open world game ever made. This game holds a special place in my heart.
What about Sniper Elite 3 & 4
@@td370 “open world”, sniper elite games are just a semi open world
@@td370 They're open levels, especially in 4, but they're not open WORLD. It's best comparable to MGS Ground Zeroes.
With the current political climate and vehement censorship, no triple A game studio would take that risk. They barely take creative risks at all these days.
I wish someone made an open world ww2 game that takes place in stalingrad or moscow or berlin, it would be cool to see more of these kinds of games, maybe a open world game where you are a soldier for soviets or germany, and you are a reserve troop or something.
This was a great game. It was back when EA published good games and didnt kill off every studio they touched. RIP pandemic you will be missed.
lol this comment aged well
Man i still remember me and my brother playing it on xbox 360 those were THE good gaming days
i didn't know the dlc was nudity well that means why i didn't find any other campaign this is fucking great
"Thank you" EA for removing the DLC 🤬🤬
its like they bought all the people who made good games then paid them to never do it again, then hired kids that don't know what they're doing and give them 8 months to make a game that doesn't work and made us pay 60 dollars for dlc content that should of been apart of the game.
I would like this to have a remaster
Miss those times
Or a reboot
If it could happen to Red Faction: Guerilla, it could and should happen to the Saboteur. Both came out in '09 too:)
Why? The game looks fine its not like you play max payne 1
Or a sequel
This game needs a sequel. Too bad no one seems to know about it. Remember finding it years ago at a Goodwill. Just picked it up again on GOG.
Controller support works really well on this!
I don't want a sequel. Not with it being published by EA.
ikr? Why did ea shut it down? EA is such a fool!
I remember I watched my brother play this game
@@landonbobbett2301 they milked pandemic dry.
For anyone watching this and planning to play it on PC: Do NOT get the Origin version. The GOG version has no SecuROM, has the map overlay fixed and includes various other compatability fixes.
Or just get it from piratebay? Why would you support EA? The developer doesn't exist anymore.
@@yiannos7129 Did you get a virus from piratebay?
I bought mine about 5 years after it came out at a outlet retailer. Was only about $7. I had wanted it when it came out but my PC couldn't handle it at the time. It was one of the games I wanted to to make sure my upgraded PC would be able to play .
Not perfect, the AI is a little broken, but I LOVE the art style, especially the black and white to color aspect. Blowing up towers is fun too. Whenever I see a IRL cell tower, I always think about Sean climbing up it and throwing the Nazi off the top!
i got gog
@@yiannos7129 buy it on gog then. Why do you people always resort to pirating imo. It's literally 4.99 rn
The saboteur 2 and sleeping dogs 2 the two sequels I want.
Word!!! 🎯
The Godfather III coulda been fun too
I platinumed it on PS3, insanely satisfactory and pure fun this game.
I’m working on platinuming it right now. So far this is a very effort less platinum so far. Not in the sense that it’s really easy but the trophies are not annoying. Doing all the free play activities is actually really fun and clearing them out one by one is satisfying.
I obtained the platinum too. I loved this game. And the soundtrack was so nice. :)
This is late but did you get any prompts to update the game? I just recently bought the game and there's no updates for it in my ps3. It's got me a little nervous. Thanks in advance.
@@Smasho8000 It's been 9 years since EA pulled the plug from the game's servers. No Updates, No DLC.
@@JimPTheOne How buggy is it on version 1.0? Is it at least playable?
This game is literally one of my favorites from the last generation. Pretty happy to see it talked about
I actually remember playing this game. It was a really fun game to play, and the mechanics were damn amazing for the time. 2009 surely was the golden age of video games, and this gem is easily top 5 in my list. Also awesome vid Lazerzz, didn't think I'd ever see a video about this game in 2019.
The hardest thing about the saboteur
Trying not to kill civilians
And this is awesome, real war u cant choose some times...
@@hmLis Israelis must've played a different version
True, I always ended up running them over lol
@@Darkest_matter lol. deep
@@jasonbentley9968”Have you ever heard of looking both ways?”
This game randomly popped in my head and I went on a crazy search to find someone who appreciated this classic as much as I did when it released. Thank you for this retrospective and for giving this masterpiece credit !
Thank you for finding my video! Really glad you enjoyed it 🙏🏻
One of the most underrated games of all time. I had a blast back in the day.
"Blast" 😂
The video was amazing and I'm confident it's some of your best work yet (I've seen most of your video essays). Can't believe that was 25 minutes! Since you covered so much of the interesting gameplay and narrative details it felt like nothing, I most appreciated the deliberate but subtle artistic choices you pointed out that I didn't clock onto when I was just a kid playing this, for example, the main theme being remixed for that important reunion with the race car or the radio music transitioning from its tinny filter (what Sean hears) to being played for the player in full-quality. But goddamn, if this video doesn't do well for you James... I'ma share it around, you deserve so much more attention on this 10/10 video rather than "guys, guys, me likey assassin's creed and ezio hidden blade kill bad temple man".
Dude i'm about to get this game, i've never heard about it, looks dope.
I'll get it tomorrow and see what it's all about
@@gonzaroa5346 Gonza, holy shit! As if you found my comment on a LazerzZ video lol. I love this guy, James is a legend, makes amazing stuff. But yeah, I have played the Saboteur and I remember it being such a wonderful game.
Ol
This game was fucking amazing. I use to play the hell out of this game as a kid. You made me just buy this game on origin
Bro me too, this game is a fucking masterpiece, I still remember seeing the cgi brains of the Frenchmen when I was 9.
@@brandonluck159 That scene where he’s tortured scared the shit out of me when I was little
@@grandma650 I definitly see how that scene could fuck a child up. I had a weird fascination with violence so I thought it was cool, luckily I didn’t grow up to be a serial killer.
@@brandonluck159 You know those moments when you black out? Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. Check your basement find the blood.
This is one of your best videos James and you tell how much you care about this game or better yet this experience
Great video. I still have this game and played it for hours. Downloaded the soundtrack and used to listen to it on rainy days or while doing some artwork or long road trips. This game is so underrated and I would love a remastered version. Glad I’m not the only one who loves this gem.
I'm playing this game for like the 4th time, it's one of my favorite games ever it's really a very special story and the music, man the music of this game, I just love it.
I hope this video gets a good amount of views, even if its not about Assassin's Christmas lmao
This game was a masterpiece and my favorite game as a kid and probably my favorite game ever. Its a beautiful work of art
Really love this game and have been trying to find something that scratches the same spot ever since with little luck. What I really liked in addition to what you mentioned was the sheer amount of freeplay targets and how removing towers and installations would actually help the story missions with easier getaways. That interaction between story missions and freeplay is very very rare and means it isn't just some bloated side content, I really wanted to remove every single Nazi from the map! Also you could just randomly start a massive firefight and the more vehicles arrived the bigger the bangs. Again that emergent gameplay gave it such life alongside the story.
" how removing towers and installations would actually help the story missions with easier getaways."
Yes, yes, yes! They did this so well!
I always explored an area when it opened up and just started taking out Watch towers and guard houses before going on the main missions. Loved just exploring the nooks and crannies. Would have been cool to integrate the exploring a little better. Like, have the safe hiding spots not automatically show up on your map, but you have to explore to find them, and then can mark them on your map. A slight flaw in an otherwise great game.
this video means so much to see, i never see anybody talk abt this game the way i remembered it and you did just that. the nostalgia i got from watching and hearing the songs play again. loved it man
God dammit EA. Pandemic was such a good studio
I loved this game. The character of the main guy was an amazing character and was based off an actual real person(Williams Grover Williams)
No shit?? I wanna look that up now, no damn way
This is easily one of the most enjoyable games I have ever played and I have been gaming since the seventies.
I loved this game back in the day! Great video! I appreciate the awareness you are raising for this hidden gem. And on Sean randomly being a demolitions expert, I think it's implied he has history with the IRA. Don't quote me on that though.
He did. I did some work on his back story.
Opened my eyes to a game I didn’t know much about, and I’m sure it’s done the same for a lot of people. A really well made vid that you clearly enjoyed making, and I hope to see more of these vids for other games in future.
I just finished this Game and... Simply wow, it becomed one of My favorites games ever, i loved that ending, was so beatiful.
Great vídeo man!
I love how the last mission wasn’t some nazi boss fight like I was expecting. I thought I’d have to fight my way up the Eiffel Tower then fight Dierker where he has a lot of health. The real last mission is set where it all began for Sean where his brother died. The Eiffel Tower mission was more of a reward for playing through the game. So much effort was put into a mission with no fighting. Seeing all the nazi generals kill themselves was beautiful.
I was expecting them to get off their tables and fight me when I entered the room and was quite scared. Then when they did nothing I even walked up to some of them thinking that would trigger them but it didn’t, even when I shot them one by one. It really captures that sense of defeat the nazis must have felt. From stories I’ve read about France as the nazis started to losing the war this was quite accurate. Many resistance fighters who were so used to seeing nazis determined and driven were shocked to see when they lost their confidence. Many resistance fights near the end of the war went easier than expected because the nazis didn’t have the fill to fight anymore.
Then seeing that they all hung themselves in the bar room was so dark and such a surprise. I know some people say that the nazi guy ordered them to kill themselves but I don’t think this is true. He was killing some guys at the top of the Eiffel Tower one by one but those were probably his topmost generals. The rest I think killed themselves
That ending with the piano was INCREDIBLE
Thanks for talking about this game. It was instrumental part of my childhood. Every day I'd come home from school and take great joy in completing the missions and destroying installations. I actually cried when it ended, because I wanted to see more of the characters and experience more epic missions. It's wonderful to see someone else who had such a great experience with it. This game will live on in our hearts :)
❤
Blockbuster closing down around 2010 is what brought me to Saboteur. They were having clearance sales on games and I bought it and Bioshock.
This game is the reason I still have my Xbox360, this one of my all time faves
I played it as a kid, honestly so sad it hasn't been brought back onto the new consoles as its genuinely one of the best games I've ever played. 2005-2013 were the best years on gaming, with imo 2009, 2010 and 2011 being the standouts
I remember first time I came about finishing this game when I got to this final set piece, I walked. Soking up the atmosphere oozing from the screen. Just walking, listening to the tune and observing, made this moment so good and climactic.
I advise everyone, when you are on the final stretch, walk. Don't run, walk. For the badass climax atmosphere. Walking just fits so well to this scene.
I did that on my 100% play-through
Probably one of my favourite games ever. Would love a remaster for it, imagine that game with todays graphics, wowie
Awesome video, I got this game on the 360 years ago and loved it and picked it up on origins. If you add it as a non steam game on steam it auto configures the controls. It also fully supported my PS4 controller so I can use that too.
Great video. I bought this game for my friend when it first came out and we spent so many hours playing it. It's beautifully designed, the music is fantastic and we will always enjoy going back to this very atmospheric world. The fact it didn't get a sequel is tragic. It just makes this game a little more special, I guess.
Brilliant video LazerzZ. A good friend of mine recommended it to me a couple of months ago and I literally played it twice in a row - so much fun. One of my favourite games of all time :)
21:50 "It's poetic. It's artistic. It's beautiful."
Totally agree with you.
As poetic, artistic, and beautiful as this game may be, 21:42 almost made me burst out laughing. Dude executes one of his own men - who simply falls over, not moving from that spot - then proceeds to get shot by the same basic-ass pistol only instead of dropping like the guy he just executed, he straight-up flies off like it was a cannonball that hit him.
lshe97 yeah don’t get me wrong, sometimes it can look funny but I think that’s almost the point. The same way you can be emotionally invested in a Tarantino flick but there’s still ridiculous over the top violence.
Oh man, you gave me nostalgia. I played this game several years ago and I got the same idea that it's an Assassin's Creed game during World War 2. I was amazed by the new mechanics that I never saw in a WW2 game since I was playing Medal of Honor and Call of Duty then i saw the Assassin's Creed mechanics and I loved how I can use same gameplay in another era. Really thanks for this video I think I will be playing it again soon
0:58 ooh, that intro was something else... nice one, epic-James.
This game really was a masterpiece, absolutely loved this game, I had alot of fun with the Saboteur, I’d love a remaster!!
Another piece of epic, well-made and just overall enjoyable content. Keep it up gamer!
Edit: Also I know you prefer making actual content but I think it would be hilarious if either on here or lazerzZ extra you did one if those discord song memes for one of your AC song parodies
I just rediscovered this game! It's one of my favorites of all time. I'm glad it didn't lose it forever, thanks!
Dude, I bought this game because of YOU, and let me tell you - THANK YOU!!! This game is exactly what you described in the title of this video. If they ever remake or remaster it, they should it "The Saboteur: A Forgotten Masterpiece". Because that's exactly what it is. Imagine a WWII espionage game that is actually awesome - and top of that it's open world. It's like being inside of a GTA: WWII French Resistance game. And it's all the little details that you can only experiencing by playing it that make it so good, especially the OST and soundtrack stuck out to me within the first hour of it. The fighting is a little clunky at first but once you get the hang of it, it's cool. The stealth and movement is very good. And I love the whole black and white with the Nazi symbols on uniforms or flags being a shiny bright red type of motif that they had going in many scenes. This game would merely need a tune-up and a fresh coat of paint, and it could release today to very solid reviews. Would have loved a part II. Edit - and yeah, I got the dlc and it - really doesn't look bad for 2009.
Glad to hear it! More people need to get on this game, it's just fantastic in every single way, maybe a bit rough around the edges in some areas given it's age but it holds up incredibly well, the story, world, gameplay, and VIBE. So glad you picked it up and enjoyed it!
Weirdly enough I played this game as a kid too and have no memory of where I got it from but I do remember putting hours into this game and loving every second of it. I remember sitting in the AA gun blasting Zeplins down like it was yesterday
The wierd part is I never asked for the saboteur either🤔 I'm pretty sure that game just appears in people's houses cause I don't remember buying it either
the cloth physic,
the detailed smoking animation,
the ragdoll,
the well animated ID check on borders,
the gear shifting animation,
the shock breaker impact,
the shake and sound of guns that feel so heavy,
and so many more...i hate so many mainstream critic never see these tiny aspect on any open world games and just be like: "yups it's open world, it probably try to copy Gta, but not better" and that's it
Another subtle detail is how French street cars are low powered and have noisy engine sounds. While nazi vehicles drive much smoother and have more powerful engines. This is actually historically accurate because during WW2 the nazis withheld fuel from civilians so civilians had to use bootleg fuel
I also like how the whole of France isn’t just surrounded by tall buildings you can’t climb or an ocean. Instead they have a no mans land and sea mine field. You can run into this but you’ll be shot dead by spitfires.
It really adds to the game. The game creators didn’t just make some generic copy paste buildings for non mission buildings. Each one seems unique and like it could be used in a mission
i totally agree with every word u said , i adore this game. it is literally a masterpiece, when i first got this game in 2009 my computer at that time wasnt powerful enough to run it , a couple of years later i upgraded it a little bit , tried to install the game , it started but after the menu it crashed , the game had a lot of bugs , searched all over the internet to fix it i had to do alot of work arounds to play it , and when it worked it was running at 10-15 frames per seconds and i still enojyed each and every second of this game but unfortunatly by the time i got a descent system that can run the game it was a bit. but every now and then i install the game enojy the music and drive around in paris.
I remember when I was a kid I watch my brother play this game and I thought it was like the best game ever saw at the time
I straight up loved this game. Such fond memories of playing this as a teen
The saboteur was a great game, I remember playing it so much. Great times
I LOVED this game as a kid, and still do! It was like assassins creed in Nazi occupied France and Germany, like you I have no memory of how I got it, but i'm SO glad I did! 👌🏼✌🏼️Top content
Your retrospective is spot on! This game has a warm spot in my heart. It was my second or third platinum. I played it twice because I could not get enough of it. For 2009, it was a great single-player game in the single-player game era. It was the first game to expose my vertigo (further enforced by Dying Light). The climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower was a very sweaty palm adventure for me. When Pandemic closed, there were rumors they had begun development discussions for a sequel. When the "remaster" era started, I always held out hope for a remaster of this game. But alas, it was not to be. Great game footage by the way.
12:35 "Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted."
Thank you for the video Lazzerz. These are the videos i come for not generic clickbait crap.
There is a game called "fahrenheit" you may enjoy.
Duude yeah, he should definetly make a video analysis on Indigo Prophecy/ Fahrenheit.
One of my favorite games of all time. I was actually hype when this came out.
Well worth the wait, awesome video. Glad to see you're covering this game as I really enjoyed it as a kid and people really should give it a shot
I'm so glad I picked this up back in the day. I was heavily addicted to it back in the day!
I never expected to find a video on my favourite game that no one i know played. I'm smiling seeing this lol
Played it, loved it. Very underrated game, a friend of mine ended up watching me play through the campaign and he was hooked without playing.
GTA IV was a masterpiece that was ahead of its time. Also its driving was on point.
I don't understand the hate for the driving , I used to go on a dirt bike just for the jumps and physics of it , had so much weight to it compared to 5
I appreciate my brother so much for showing me this game. I would always use the turrets to shoot blimps and planes out of the sky to get money. This game was incredible
I fully agree with you on all points. This is one of my favourite, probably the favourite games of all time. I recently bought it again on PS3 and am currently half way through my 2nd playthrough 12 years after the first!
11 years on and off it took me to clear the whole map. There was just a crazy amount of outposts, barracks, missiles etc.
It's absolutley class game!!
I love how the in-game church bells ring every hour in real time
I didn’t notice that
Great retrospective with really good footage, yo. Also, a couple cool things you might have missed in the game:
-When you're in the Doppelseig Factory in the past, you can see mad scientists doing experiments on soldiers (the same soldiers that will become the terror squad Sean faces in the present midway through the game).
-Sean not only has quips in the regular dialogue, but he also has lines programmed from him to say whenever the player skips dialogue and interrupts an npc.
-The devs thought ahead and occasionally added special dialogue when the player gets game overs in unexpected times, like during the bar fight. Wait long enough until you get arrested.
-Sean can goomba-stomp and kill any npc if he lands on their head. Notable example: Vittore, when he's standing in the garage of the Belle (this results in a game over).
So much nostalgia... I remember wanting to go back in time and be like him. One of my favourite video game characters and video games of all time.
I remember playing it 11 years ago. I'm 26 now, and I just installed this masterpiece yesterday to live those memories again❤️ such an amazing game!
I was just thinking about this game the other day. The way the world would fill with colour when a section gets liberated was incredibly clever. It worked thematically and was also great UI
I found this game randomly 10 years ago and it was a gem.
Really good review man, also loved this game and almost no one cared for The Saboteur at the time. Well tought out review and video 10/10, keep it up !
Thank you for such a great love letter to one of the best games i've ever played. the epitome of a hidden gem.
Something about this game lodged itself in my memory, so now I sometimes see it when I go to sleep at night. Great times playing this.
Beautiful game I finished this ( one of very few ) and enjoyed it immensely thanks for the retrospective review
I want to see at least 10 exploding cows in this
hahahah
at least I did one
You will have to be happy with one bomb cow.
@@karthrukon2692 i hate that i know what you're talking about
Unbelievably good game! This vid has brought back some good memories
Definitely gonna pick up this game on Origin it looks amazing!
Try the gog version it's better. The problem lazerzz said about with the map overlay is fixed
I remember getting this and AC2 for Christmas in 2009 and being surprised that l liked this more. Played it again on PC (recently), and it still holds up forsure. Total classic.
I played this game on PS3 in 2017 it was amaizing once I was siting with my friend and we talked about how this game was AC and GTA together in WW2
Great video. Glad to see that someone else remembers this game and can acknowledge how fantastic it is. This game really needs a remaster.
The one thing I was hoping you’d mention was Sean’s response to blowing things up, my favourite was ‘ohaha, didn’t it go well!’
I bought this game years ago on a clearance table at my local EB Games. Hadn't heard about it before it but it intrigued me that then began a true love story that still lingers to this day. I played it as many times as I could and wish it was back compatible on my Xbox because there is still not enough people who have played this. Thank you for this video because you have put into words and visuals all the thing I love about this game that I couldn't never figure out how to communicate them to others
love this game, played on PC around 5 times. The history, the mecanics, everything is absolutely great
Played when released and loved from the beginning. Thanks for glorifying that true piece of art. I enjoyed watching your video thinking about playing it myself years ago.
the game actualyl have a secret "ending" you might call it-if you will spend enought time in the pre-flashback part of the game you can,by doing certain tasks,upgrae your car to have weapons,which will also transition to the race car you drive in flashback,enabling you to shoot that foker down at a race track,loading screen,credits and ofc then you will be told the mission failed but its actually nice they havent thrown at you that Mission failed screen right away.
that video is also a masterpiece. just bought the game and have various problems, some that you stated in the beginning. but i remember me playing through the game when it came out and i have the same feelings as you. great game and shame they could not make a sequel.
Great video. It’s nice to see other people love this game too.
This was a fantastic game for its time and even now, wanting to play it again and curious if they had finally released a sequel is what prompted me to do a RUclips search and what brought me here. Thank you for making this tribute to a great game.
Wonderful love letter to a banging game. I remember when this came out, I couldn't get enough of it - great atmosphere, blowing shit up in Paris however you like, the whole vibe was very fun. But you also pointed out some more considerate touches in terms of design and art direction I'd forgotten about. To me this is a poster child for AA games done right. It might not be perfect, but a fun concept, personality and obvious care by the devs go a long way.
The soundtrack and visuals complement the setting perfectly.
I've been looking for a game like this I didn't know it existed thanks james
this game was my favorite as a child i remember just running around
There’s something I appreciated in the game and it’s always how blowing something up doesn’t have enemies immediately think it’s you. They go to the source of the explosion. So you can blow something up as a distraction or get away easily if you get away. It feels good in a way I can’t explain
I played this at a friends house, the mission where you blow up the first bridge. I where HOOOKED! So i bought it from him and now I've played through it atleast twice a year since 2014
This game definitely is a masterpiece. Loved the hell out of it and still do, and was one of the people keeping track and anticipating the game. Since I knew Pandemic cause of the Mercenaries series, I wanted to play this.
This game still give me chills when the BGMs start playing. Definitely deserve not a remastered, but a REMAKE
I remember just randomly my parents come home with this game I loved the game even when I was young it is so memorable
I absolutely loved this game, so much replay value and it never gets old