The title character of The Chronicles of Riddick is famous for shining personally in the darkest of situations. When Escape from Butcher Bay was released in 2004, it followed Riddick's example. The game shined almost universally in the eyes of critics, but was left in the darkness by most players for a variety of logistical reasons. As such, the release of Assault on Dark Athena has finally given Butcher Bay a chance to shine again. The developers have fully updated the underappreciated classic, as well as included a new chapter for the price of one. Sadly, the Assault on Dark Athena campaign falls short of its predecessor due to a lackluster story and poor pacing. That said, this package as a whole is worth purchasing for anyone who has yet to play Butcher Bay.

The events of Butcher Bay and Assault on Dark Athena are placed years before those of the feature film, Pitch Black, and do an excellent job of expanding the sci-fi universe of the movie. In Escape from Butcher Bay, Riddick is left to rot in an Alcatraz-like jail surrounded by an endless desert. Over the course of the narrative, you'll investigate the histories of other inmates and learn a great deal about your character from your interactions. This subtle development of your personality slowly draws you into the world according to Riddick, and powerfully connects you to the events of the game. The plotline is also strong, and dialogue is well used.

Stealthily bringing death to enemies is tense and satisfying.

Unfortunately, Assault on Dark Athena fares a bit worse in this department. The initial goal for Riddick is to hunt down the mercenaries that make up the crew of the vessel named Dark Athena. Over time, his impetus for tracking down these intergalactic hunters is fleshed out a bit, but the story is still barely satisfying enough to carry the gameplay. This creates a distance between the player and the events of the game, and makes it hard to get into. Of the two stories, Butcher Bay's is superior in almost every way.

When it comes to the gameplay, everything is about pacing. Butcher Bay was lauded for its excellent use of stealth action, melee combat, gunplay, environmental puzzles, dialogue-based quest initiation, and platforming elements. Both games employ all of these mechanics, but where Butcher Bay stands out is in its blend of gameplay elements and resulting pace. Every moment inside the prison and out feels tense, like something meaningful is about to happen. There is no such thing as resting on one's laurels because there is never a pattern, never a way to know what is coming next. That greatness is matched in this graphically updated version, as well.

Dark Athena, on the other hand, gives Riddick all of the tools needed to assault the ship, but does not balance out or pace his use of them very well. Elongated stealth sequences are followed by extensive run and gun extravaganzas. Eventually, a consistent pattern develops, and you know when you can relax safely and when an enemy is going to pop out at you. Furthermore, platforming, the weakest of Riddick's talents, is overly prominent. As a result, there is no sense of suspense. This effectively creates a chasm of quality between the two games in the package.

Multiplayer was not a part of Butcher Bay when it was first released, and understandably so. The new addition of online multiplayer does little to add to what is really a single player experience at heart. The standard modes such as capture the flag and deathmatch are all present, but they do not accomplish anything that will take you away from other multiplayer shooters. The one mode that does truly stand out is Pitch Black. Players are placed in one of a number a very dark levels where one player is Riddick and everybody else must hunt him. He is equipped only with Ulaks (serrated knives that curve along the fist), and must use the darkness to fend off enemies who are fully armed. This mode is a very tense game of cat and mouse that forces players to work together. It's the crown jewel of an otherwise mediocre multiplayer offering.

The presentation of this package truly shines when it comes to the lighting effects. Distinctions between darkness and light are so prominent in Riddick's story that the visuals absolutely had to show off deep shadows and grand lighting schemes. There are some great atmospheric effects, immersing you in almost every moment of the game. Despite that, Butcher Bay still has its noticeable rough edges. Animation and textures show that the engine is a generation old, but the character models are very well done and overshadow this flaw. The overall look is good enough that you are never jarred from Riddick's world.

Controlling drones means risk-free shooting. It's fun for a while, but can get old.

What's better is that Dark Athena outplays Butcher Bay in the graphics department. Everything from the environments to the character models will hold up against almost any current-gen shooter. Audio is similarly amazing, and equally so in both entries. Sound effects and music accomplish precisely what they need to, when they need to. That is no small feat, but the voice acting is the star attraction. The dulcet bass tones of Vin Diesel set the bar high, and every actor in the game reaches it. Very simply, these two games have some of the best voice acting you will ever hear.

In the end, you get a great game and a solid sequel in the same package. There is a lot to be said for that combination, and the multiplayer only adds to the overall value of this two-for-one deal. Escape from Butcher Bay is as good as it ever was, and the improved presentation makes is more approachable in a gaming generation of high definition displays. Assault on Dark Athena is a solid game in its own right, but is definitely not good enough to warrant a purchase on its own. The unique combination of gameplay elements in these two titles has not quite been replicated since, making this collection even more attractive. If you've never played Escape from Butcher Bay, this update is a must buy. However, if you're only after Assault on Dark Athena, a rental might be the smarter choice.