For some people the very idea of going back and beating their scores will be enough of a reason to keep playing the game, but I suspect that there are just as many people who would be completely turned off by this simplistic gameplay mechanic. This is definitely a throwback to the arcade mentality we had a dozen or so years ago; it is not meant to be played for huge chunks of time, but rather in those moments when you want to play a game with a lot of action but don't have a lot of time to devote to your favorite shooter.
On top of the 49 single-player events, The Club also comes with a very average online multiplayer-mode. Not only does this game offer all of the standard (read: boring) game types, but it also gives you nice and large levels to fight in. Actually, that's the problem, the levels are entirely too big for this type of game. To make matters worse, the game's controls are not set up for an online shooter, what is passable as a single-player set-up does not cut it in the world of multiplayer shooters. Another problem is that this game is essentially competing against the likes of Halo3, Call of Duty 4, Team Fortress 2 and even Gears of War, whereas the single-player feels so fresh and new that it's hard to compare it to any other shooter on the market. There's just nothing in the multiplayer mode that will keep you coming back for more, which is sad when you consider the potential this title had.
At first the game looks pretty good, but the more you play The Club the more you'll start to see where the developers cut corners. The backgrounds are nice; they are richly detailed and generally look good. On the flip side, the enemies you fight are rather plain and ugly, not to mention that they aren't as detailed as the backgrounds and your character. As you start to see these characters constantly in your face you realize how average the game looks, even with the spectacular background graphics.
The Club is a game of good ideas, but Bizarre Creations just wasn't able to wrap it up in a deep enough package. I'm sure there will be people who can't wait to replay these levels again and again trying to beat their high scores, but I'm not sure there's $60 worth of content here. Having said that, The Club is definitely an exciting game that takes the shooting genre in a completely different direction. Part of me really likes the fact that there are companies trying new things, even if this is not a complete success. The Club is worth checking out, but I'm not sure you'll want a lifetime membership there.
B-
While The Club is one of Sega's best action games in years, it's marred by a lack of depth and repetitive gameplay. If you can get past some of these shortcomings then you will find that The Club is a worthwhile game that tries to do something different with the third-person shooter genre.
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