The name for this game was clearly conceived before the explanation for the acronym - but don't let that fool you, this game generates probably one of the best atmospheres in any game for a long time.
The graphics are on a par with Half-Life 2 and Doom 3 - probably because the engine is from one of those games... and the physics is reasonable but don't expect anything quite like HL2 here.
What really sets the game apart though is certainly the atmosphere and the AI. There is actually relatively little combat in this game and you can go for several minutes just running along abandoned streets or through empty warehouses without seeing a soul... but the haunting music and frequent whisperings and visions will make those of softer stuff break out in a cold sweat.
The game seems to have borrowed heavily from "The Cradle" levels of Thief 3: Deadly Shadow and the infamous Japanese film "The Ring". The image of a creepy little girl is pervasive and it occurs so frequently that it starts to become disturbing.
Being less than a pussy, the atmosphere is not as impressive as the AI of the enemies you face. This is the first game I have ever played where the AI has actually acted in what could be considered a rational fashion. Your enemies won't stand out in the open or run toward you firing blindly.
They take cover, they dive, they roll, they shoot blindly over boxes, toss grenades, fan out and swear like sailors. They'll punish you if you think that you can just stand up and walk into the middle of a firefight, all guns blazing and do anything except die...
Unless of course you use the "slowmo" style - in the style of Jedi Knight, The Matrix and Max Payne - time slows down (for a short while) and one can leisurely concentrate on filling the enemies face with bullets. This is all very handy as factors as movement, being in "aim" mode and so on all contribute to accuracy.
Which I suppose brings us onto the weapons choice. It isn't too wide - and you can only carry three weapons at a time but the weapons are all very nice. They all have distinct "feels" and whether it be the pistol or the particle weapon - they're all useful in the right hands.
All in all, this is a game that you have to try to know if you'd like it. For any serious or even moderately gifted gamer, you could blow through the single player game in 2 days on the 2nd hardest difficulty (I wasn't even trying and managed) but you're playing this game for the story... and the atmosphere and it has both in a good quantity. The action in the game is great, so much so you'll probably want to go back and show some of those troops who's their daddy.
Create an Account
Member Login
