Saw Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Saw: The Video Game Saw II: Flesh & Blood

Saw II: Flesh & Blood is a third-person survival horror game developed by Zombie Studios and published by Konami. It was the second video game in the Saw franchise and was released on October 19, 2010.

Plot[]

The first part of the game revolves around Campbell Iman, a drug addict and terminal cancer patient abducted by John Kramer, better known as the Jigsaw Killer. Shortly afterward, Campbell wakes up in an abandoned railway building with a death mask locked onto his body. He has to cut beneath his right eye to retrieve a key to stop the deadly mechanism. After his escape, Campbell has to go through numerous deadly traps to discover the truth about his estranged son. However, before Campbell finds him, he has to face another test. Upon finding himself in a giant hall, he must either fight for his life or sacrifice himself for a stranger's life.

Following the first section of the game, the players take over the role of Michael Tapp, the son of David Tapp, who committed suicide in his apartment after the events of the first video game. He comes across the Chief of Police, Henry Jacobs, and a vice detective, Joseph Poltzer, who investigate the scene. However, as Michael leaves the building to have a smoke, he is abducted by a pig-masked man, who injects him with an anesthetic and takes him to the abandoned Holmes Hotel, where he has to play one of Jigsaw's games to find out the truth about his father's death. Thereby, he has to save numerous other victims trapped along his way. Unfortunately, most of them are criminals whom Detective Tapp previously arrested.

While proceeding through the hotel, Michael finds Henry Jacobs in a trap and learns he is a drug trafficker. Upon being saved by Michael, Henry pretends to be grateful but later meets up with his accomplice, Joseph Poltzer, and orders him to kill Michael to ensure their corruption is kept secret. As he continues his way, Michael comes across Sarah Blalok, who is, in fact, his father's neighbor and a drug addict. She is trapped inside a glass tank, which quickly fills with water. Michael saves her from drowning but is abandoned by her as she blames him for ruining his father's life. Michael follows her and escapes the hotel, only to find himself inside an abandoned chemical plant.

The next victim Michael has to save is Joseph Poltzer. Despite Michael's knowledge that Joseph had planned to kill him, he saves him from a trap but is also abandoned by him. Afterward, Michael proceeds through the chemical plant and soon finds out about another victim. Carla Song, a doctor who stole pharmaceuticals from her clinic to sell them on the street, is strapped to an elevator, which would tear her in half if Michael did not save her in time. Eventually, he accomplishes this task and goes on, thereby finding the last victim of his test.

Solomon Bates, a criminal accountant Michael had already encountered at the beginning of his test, is trapped in a furnace room. Upon his salvation, Michael confronts him with his crimes. Solomon ultimately admits to being a drug cartel member alongside Henry Jacobs, Joseph Poltzer, Sarah Blalok, and Carla Song. While investigating the Jigsaw case, Michael's father found out about the cartel but was more interested in pursuing the killer than arresting the corrupt cops. Michael admits that he had stolen his father's files about Jigsaw and published them in a newspaper article to push his career and get revenge on his father for being abandoned by him as a child. This article also gave Henry Jacobs a legitimate reason to discharge Michael's father from the Metropolitan Police Department and prevent him from discovering the drug ring.

While Michael proceeds through the building, he witnesses the deaths of Carla and Sarah, who are killed by Henry and Poltzer to tie up loose ends. Henry, however, is later killed by Jigsaw's accomplice, Pighead. During a final encounter between Joseph and Michael, the latter fatally shoots his adversary with his gun. After defeating him, Michael goes on to the last part of his game and finds himself in the same room as Campbell Iman. Depending on the player's choice, there are two possible outcomes.

Path of Blood: If the player saves Campbell, he survives the final test, while Michael is crushed to death by the surrounding walls, which close in on him. Jigsaw confronts Campbell and says he is now free to find his son. Campbell, however, attacks Jigsaw, stating that his son can never live safely in a world with people like him. Jigsaw evades his attack, causing Campbell to be killed by a swinging scythe. Afterward, Jigsaw ends his game with the words "Game Over."

Path of Flesh: If the player sacrifices Campbell, Michael survives the final test and is taken to another room. A videotape left for him claims that he and Jigsaw are similar as they both desire to bring justice to a world of criminals. Michael then faces two doors. One leads Michael to freedom and gives him a chance to use the evidence found by his father to print the story of Jigsaw and the drug cartel, but he is told people will forget sooner or later. The other door reveals a Pighead costume and offers Michael the chance to learn Jigsaw's methods to help others. However, Michael's choice is not disclosed to the player.

Cast[]

Gameplay[]

Saw II is a third-person survival horror game with action elements that retains its predecessor's gameplay style. The player controls Michael Tapp, a reporter who has to survive a deadly game set up by the Jigsaw Killer. The game's primary goal is to traverse the environment and solve traps to escape. Michael has several abilities to fulfill his tasks, such as searching corpses to find valuable objects or clues. Other items, such as case files and cassette tapes, provide additional background information about the Jigsaw investigation.

Unlike the first game, the combat system mainly consists of Quicktime events. The player must press a randomly assigned button to defeat their enemies. Also, Michael can use traps in the environment to kill his opponents. Michael's health bar, once depleted, can only be restored by bandages, water bottles, or hypodermic needles, which can be stored in an inventory. When losing health, the environment slowly fades to black and white.

Minigames and puzzles are vital aspects of gameplay. For example, the players frequently come across circuit boxes where they have to match opposite-colored wires to proceed. Lockpicking also returns but uses a new minigame where players must manipulate the tumblers to unlock. Additionally, certain puzzles require the player to turn off the light to discover clues painted on the walls and floors with fluorescent colors. Finally, numerous traps are littered around the environment, which the player must avoid by completing Quicktime events.

Like in the first game, the player has to save certain characters from death traps to continue, where if the player fails, the character will suffer a gruesome death, with the player having to reload the latest checkpoint.

Additionally, Saw II introduced another kind of collectible. Scattered around the world are multiple Billy dolls. While collecting them is not required to progress, the players can retrieve these puppets by solving more difficult puzzles.

Development[]

After the first game's release, Konami intended to turn the franchise license into their next major survival horror franchise. Relying on visual intensity rather than psychological terror, Konami felt both Saw and their other survival horror franchise, Silent Hill, could survive together without competing. Plans for a sequel became evident when a cryptic "case file" was placed in the first game, and an internet job listing by Zombie Inc. for a focus group was released. Both pointed to a possible April announcement of a sequel in Los Angeles via press release.

The game was officially announced at Konami's Gamers Night 2010 with a trailer and gameplay details. The trailer depicted Jigsaw voicing over an anonymous man in the "Venus Fly Trap" who attempts to cut his eye out to retrieve a key before failing and being killed. In the same press event, details followed, including the new setting between Saw II and Saw III and the storyline of protagonist Michael Tapp. Konami's European Marketing and PR Director Martin Schneider stated, "[the] original Saw video game gave horror fans and gamers a new outlet to advance their favorite genre, but left them wanting more. Saw II will give it to them, but be careful for what you wish for! Our successful partnership with Lionsgate allows us to advance the survival horror genre, giving players the most intense look into the Saw universe ever."

On May 5, it was confirmed that Konami would display Saw II at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010. At E3 2010, Tobin Bell was announced to return to voice the Jigsaw Killer and lend his likeness to the game. Furthermore, the subtitle Flesh & Blood was confirmed. The game was also shown at the San Diego Comic-Con 2010 at the Konami booth. In an interview, producer Jaime Benecia stated that all characters and plotlines in the game had to be approved by Lionsgate to fit the canon established by the films.

Reception[]

Upon release, Flesh & Blood received mixed reviews from critics. It currently holds a 51% score in the aggregator GameRankings. Matthew Castle from GamesRadar gave the game a 7 out of 10. He praised the improved combat, elaborate set-pieces, and puzzles, comparing them to the Riddler's challenges in Batman: Arkham Asylum. His only negative remarks were poor checkpoint locations and subpar graphics. Game Informer gave the game a 4.5 out of 10, saying: "The game failed to polish the concepts of the original." Anthony Gallegos of IGN gave the game a negative review, 4.5 out of 10.

See Also[]

Navigation[]

Advertisement