Wages of Sin picks up where the original game left off. With Elexis gone, someone else takes control of the the mutations for their own purposes. The mob boss Manero uses Elexis' formula, adds a few new surprises, and turns the army loose on Freeport for his own insidious purposes. John Blade, our relentless, macho hero, is out to stop Manero with some new weapons and vehicles.
Upon installation, the game is first patched to the latest version. Sin was a mess out of the box, and Activision put out a rather large patch right away after the game's release. The version that Wages of Sin updates the game to is what the game should have been in the first place, with some additional tweaks to the AI that help out immensely. Level and game load times are also shortened by a huge margin, something that those who played Sin out of the box will greatly appreciate.
Wages of Sin looks much like the original game with some new extras added in for good measure. The lighting effects are still excellent, and the overall environment is quite impressive. Sound effects are a little better this time around, with less "hiccups" in the effects. However, some unevenness in the sound levels makes parts of conversations sound "echoey" or flat at times.
Level design is very well done in this add-on pack. There were some memorable levels in the original that aren't followed up quite as nicely, like the opening bank robbery scene that you assault from a helicopter, or the level where you have been mutated yourself. There are some interesting original levels in this pack, like the art museum level, casino level, and apartment level - they just don't have the twists that the aforementioned original levels contained. The stealth missions are back - ones that encourage you to avoid gunplay in favor of sneaking. One of the things Sin was known for was the fact that much of the environment could be destroyed or reshaped in some way. This isn't as prevalent in the add-on, but it still looks great and works well.
As far as the background story goes, much of it is pretty standard stuff. There is a subplot that has to do with Elexis and a cult that revolves around her, but doesn't really go anywhere. In the end, we're left with the same cliffhanger that we had with the original game. The main plot, based on the Manero character, does work, but isn't as original as that of Sin. I'd have liked to see a real sequel, complete with the return of Elexis - so we could tie up that thread once and for all. But I suppose that's better left for a real sequel, not just an add-on pack. This game would have been better served by producing a new threat, not just a sideline plot to the original game. I still liked it; I just feel that if the main plot couldn't be furthered without ruining a sequel, then a new menace would have made for a better background story.
Wages of Sin also adds some new weapons to Blade's arsenal. The plasma crossbow is a nice stealth weapon and features some good effects but comes up short on distance attacks. The swarm missiles are some of the most fun new weapons - just don't use this baby in close quarters. There is a flame-thrower, complete with impressive special effects. Also included is a concussion gun, which looks great while firing but is fairly useless; it doesn't really do much more than toss your target back a couple of feet.
Enemy AI has also been beefed up in Wages of Sin. While still not as sophisticated as Half-Life, players should be impressed by the now effective dodging of certain enemies. One particularly innovative bad guy retreated from my assault, through a door. He waited in ambush for me and fired at me as soon as I opened the door to follow him! This was a welcome addition to the game, and I was certainly surprised by it. Speaking of Half-Life, there's a level in Wages of Sin that features security guards that will assist you with the mutant hunt - sound familiar? On the downside, these guys get killed MUCH too easily, but it was still a nice effort.
Multiplayer enhancements included are as numerous and interesting as those in the single player game, something rarely found in an add-on pack. In addition to new multiplayer maps, the new weapons are available, as well as a guided missile. The hoverbike, which is seen in the single player game, but not useable, is available for use in the multiplayer arena. In fact, the hoverbike deathmatch is as original as an add-on gets. A new game - Mob Rules, is available as well. If you're a multiplayer Sin fan, you'll probably get more out of this pack then those buying it for the single player missions.
