Weapons Online, Sensors Online, All Systems Nominal

As a Mechwarrior FAN, this caused certain function of my brain to malfunction and go haywire. More Info

Living Legends should get a move on!!

[Francois]

The….uhh….left arm of the law.

Having played games from the late 1980’s through to the current day and age, I’ve come to love a lot of games and game genres for that matter. A certain genre that’s always had a place close to my heart, is the 2D side-scroller (aka platform games). At the mere mention of the name “side-scroller”, images of Commander Keen and the Vortigons come to mind. Along with Dangerous Dave, Crystal Caves, the original Ghosts n Goblins, Duke Nukem 1 and 2….the list goes on and on.

The genre kept evolving with new games being released adding more elements and twists to the play. One such release that really stood out, was Abe’s Oddysee in 1997. A fresh take on platform adventures with beautiful environments to travel through, an interesting world and story and a control system that worked. The year after saw the release of the second game in the planned five game series, Abe’s Exoddus. Continuing the success and innovation of Abe’s Oddysee and allowing gamers more time with the unlikely hero, Abe.

But all of that is irrelevant, really. It just serves as a means of showing that I’m a big fan and follower of the genre. And one of the favorites being the original arcade Bionic Commando and the NES version.

When the announcement came that they were making a 3D Bionic Commando, I was actually not that thrilled. Bionic Commando is like a fragile piece of equipment in a shop. It’s the mentality of “You can look, but don’t touch! You’re probably going ot break it”. Even more so when they announced there will also be a re-make of the original game. But as time went by and the trailers and screenshots started floating about the internet, I started to relax a bit more. It looked like they were doing a pretty good job. And what else would I have expected from the creators of the original game.

Thrilled was I, when I purchased the game over the weekend for PC and started the download. Words like “agony” come to mind when I think of how I watched the progress meter fill up. But all of that is in the memory box now. The one that I keep under the bed in the darkest corner. In it’s place, are warm, fuzzy feelings. Feelings of nostalgia reborn. Feelings of “happy as can be”.

Bionic Commando Rearmed (BCR) lives up to it’s promise. The promise of being a re-make of the original game. When playing the game, it feels like you’re playing the old one…..but not really. It’s a strange feeling indeed. Everything seems familiar, yet new at the same time. The arm is there, the jump isn’t there and the frustration is there, yet it’s all coated in a beautiful layer of coloured pixels. The graphics are eye-wateringly beautiful. And I don’t mean the colours are so bright they make your eyes water. I mean tears spring to one’s eyes when looking at BCR and seeing how Private Spencer is all grown up now…..*sniff*.

Bionic Commando Rearmed in action

The gameplay is a ton of fun, yet just like the original, completely unforgiving. For some of the later levels, you really need to have mastered the bionic arm, dodging, blocking bullets, shooting and swinging all at the same time. The game can get pretty intense (specially if you bump up the difficulty) so hardcore gamers will be pleased with the difficulty. Specially the Challenge Rooms scattered through the game (which you can access from the main menu once you’ve unlocked them). They truly are challenge rooms. They’re simply a scenario you’re presented with and your objective is to get through it as quickly as possible. Based on your time, you get a rating between 1 and 5 stars. And if you can beat the time of the creator of the level, you get a nice badge to show that you’re the king.

The game also supports a multiplayer mode which I’m keen to try out. Swinging around like a bunch of monkeys trying to shoot each other with powerups dropping all over the show sounds like the formula for fun, if you ask me. And doing it all in a gorgeous looking environment like the one BCR presents to you, it can only be a pleasure to play.

The overall feel of the game can be summed up into one word, “Complete”. It doesn’t feel as if there’s
anything wanting from the title. You’re never left feeling “I wish they did that”, or “It would have been nice if they added feature <insert feature here> to the game”. This game is well-rounded, well-executed and well-everythingelse.

The only negative thing about the game, is not about the game itself. It’s about the state of current gaming affairs. Most gamers are used to being spoonfed when it comes to gaming and difficulty settings that rarely challenge. In this regard, BCR is every bit as difficult as the original was. It’s not an impossible game at all, but the try-try-again nature of it is going to frustrate more than a few gamers. And proof of this is already spreading across the internet with people moaning about how difficult it is.

But in my books, that just seals the deal. Capcom wasn’t scared to stay true to the original game. They stuck to their guns (and experimental arms), and produced a proper re-make of a classic, loved game. If you’re feeling a) up for a challenge, b) nostalgic, c) in the mood for something fun or d) a really good game, give Bionic Commando Rearmed a try. I’d recommend it on any platform it’s available on. Even though the PC version is $5 more expensive than the console versions, I’d still say it’s a steal for the amount of game you get for your money. It more than outweighs the price.

So get swinging, rolling, shooting and jumpi running and get your copy of Bionic Commando Rearmed. It’s charms will grow on anybody and will have you coming back for more punishment =)

I need lives. I need lives for the master!

In one of my previous posts, I mentioned an “upcoming title” called Dracula: Origin. A point-and-click (P&C) adventure game that was to be released in August. So lo and behold, August has arrived and with it, the sinister Count.

I was in two minds when I considered buying the game. The hardcore adventurer in me screamed out to immediately purchase it, lock myself in my room and play and play and play. But the sensible part of me (the part that actually learns from prior experiences) was shrugging away from it thinking “ugh, not another one of those adventure ‘attempts’”. The recent adventure games I’ve played consisted of some good ones and then some that’s left a bad taste in my mouth (probably a result of eating the game cover out of frustration). So I was skeptical as to what this game could offer. But my adventure side won me over. Even if it’s just purely to be complete and give the developers the chance they deserve.

But I have to say, I am pleasantly surprised!! Firing up the game presented me with an interesting, yet simple main menu. Something that served as an initial annoyance, was the fact that the game does not support widescreen format. I have two thick, black bars running down the sides of the screen. But almost immediately, I thought “Hmmm, how retro. How……old-school“. And just from that, I already had a positive feel for the game. This tiny fact showed me that the developers do not care about fancy thingies. They’re not influenced by what people think. They’re here to make a game.

Starting a new game, I watch the intro video with joy. It’s got the typical adventure-game feel to it that’s been lost for so long. And for the first time in quite a while, the voice-acting wasn’t a burden to listen to.

The interface for everything in the game, is simple yet effective. It’s never a chore to do anything and you’re never left feeling “but that’s dumb”. Playing the game for a few short minutes, the interface starts to feel completely natural and you’re left to enjoy the game as the story unfolds. On then to my second greatest fear. The puzzles.

And long has it been since I felt what I feel when completing a puzzle in Dracula: Origin. Completing a puzzle leaves you looking around and thinking “damn…..I wish there was somebody here who could have seen me figure that out!”. None of the puzzles are unfair, unoriginal or any number of words starting with “un”. Nor are any of the puzzles illogical or weird as is the case with most new generation of P&C games. The subtle hints the player receives gradually introduces them to every scenario and it starts to snowball until the player understands exactly what is expected of them and they’re left to figure it out. Never do you feel burdened by the puzzles or lost when you accidentally find a solution by attempting to combine all items in your inventory with every other item. All the puzzles play out in such an elegant manner that most of the time you feel like you’re progressing much too fast.

Although I haven’t quite finished the game yet, I’m already happy with the length so far. There’s enough new locations to keep one interested and enough brain-racking to make you come back for more.

Dracula: Origin then, is the adventure game I’ve been waiting for. A new generation game with all the ingredients of the past. It’s really a joy to play if you’re an avid P&C gamer, and a nice pastime for the gamer who just wants something to play. I’m not sure how true to Bram Stoker’s novel the game story keeps, but from the bits and pieces I’ve read and know of, it seems it’s quite close. So a game for any Dracula fans then as well.

Dracula: Origin really is a must-have for adventure game enthusiasts. I don’t think anybody will be disappointed with this buy.

Here’s hoping Frogwares delves deep into their pool of talent and starts producing more adventure games for us to slurp up. I for one, am definitely going to look into their Sherlock Holmes series of games. For now I’m just happy that a developer has arrived to give me my fix ;P

Vast and empty expanses

No, the topic isn’t about what’s going on in my head (although that description is close), it’s about space. The final frontier. The uncharted territory. The rest of the universe for the human race, a mere speck of life in the milky way.

There are quite a lot of games that play off in space or has something to do with space and alien worlds. I guess a reason for that would be because of the unknowiness (that’s a word for the 2009 dictionary right there) of space. It allows developers free reign on the story they want to weave. And for the most part, it works well. But some games should have been kept from escaping out of the earthly atmosphere, for the story just doesn’t gel well enough.

Surprised I was then (and a bit apprehensive), when I heard the next hack-n-slash game from Gas-Powered Games that will run under the “_____-Siege” banner, was going to space. I was (and am) a huge fan of the Dungeon Siege series. I spent hours upon hours playing the game attempting to finish it man-alone with no party and no pack-mule. It was a fun and engaging game. So what could space offer this series ?

I followed the development of the game closely and salvaged any information on it that I could. And the news was pleasant, to say the least. Space Siege promised to be a new innovation on the old hack-n-slash mechanics. So I promptly downloaded the demo when it was released a few days ago and I set out to see first-hand if the game would match the news.

And the short answer would be, yes it does. The first thing I noticed while playing, was how “clean” the game looks. It could have been the settings I was running it on, but I didn’t have so much as a hint of any jaggy edges, texture artifacts or graphical glitches. The game looks and feels solid. Which makes it a joy to play. Also, the control system is not overly complicated and access to everything is laid out in a neat manner which is easy to learn.

Combat is handled in a straight-forward manner (hold down fire button while pointing at enemy) and the player’s special abilities are useful in tight quarters. Some of the abilities result in an interaction between player and enemy models a la cinema flair style, which is rarely seen in hack-n-slash games. It’s a neat little touch that gives the game it’s own personality. It remains to be seen how the special abilities scale up when the character advances levels. So too will the core of the game play. Where the player needs to decide if he / she wishes to upgrade their character with cybernetic enhancements at the cost of humanity.

Playing through the demo, it’s not clear if there are any consequences in which path the player decides to take. So it will be interesting to see how this mechanic is brought into play.

The story I cannot comment on much for the demo is quite short, but so far it seems to be a promising plot. Enough to make me want the game now =)

The game is set for release on the 22nd of August. A date you should mark on your calendar if this type of game is up your alley. It looks to bring some new ideas to the table and offer a fresh breath of life to the Siege series of games. It’s a game I’m definitely looking forward to playing.

Inter competition

The debate rages on daily if not hourly somewhere in this world and I’m pretty sure at this very second you will start the very same debate. What is the best gaming platform ?

While the short answer is that it comes down to personal choice, Microsoft has stepped up to the challenge and provided the means to put this to an end. They recently announced that Games For Windows Live would be free to all PC users and that they would be able to challenge gamers on the 360. While this is not a new feature, the cost that was attached to owning a Games for windows Live Gold account has been dropped.

Coupled with this, they have now announced that gamers on the XBOX360 with silver accounts (the ones that can’t play multiplayer but can do everything else) can play certain games that have been released on the games for windows live platform. This means that there’s no reason for all XBOX and PC gamers to not step up to the challenge and beat the living daylights out of each other.

While it must be stressed that this was announced as a time limited offer (so make the most of it), I am very sure that we will be seeing this kind of service from Microsoft in the next few months leading up to the release of their new dashboard for the 360.

As always Iam up for the challenge. If you have a games for windows live account or a live account, my gamer tag is humanstalker. Send me an invite and we can game some time.

Just plug it into the back of my head

I love tactical shooter games, the more real, the better.

In the online PC version of COD4, on a full-ish SGS server your life expectancy is insane, some people stop playing online because most of the time, you don’t survive the duration of a single clip. Ja, that would happen in real life as well if you’d run in the in the middle of the street, spraying-&-praying. A lota players are playing a semi-realistic game, arcade style…

I’ve dreamt of a FPS where it’s as close to real life as possible. Things like taking a chest shot and dropping, loosing ability to walk, realistic firing accuracy, getting tired, using your body as a human shield, forcing players to go from cover to cover, covering team mates, etc.

Would it really be fun? A lot of people will probably get annoyed, but i think all the milsim fans out there will just love it. Some game developers have sorta tried it, take for example Flashpoint, they pulled off some realism, while still keeping it fun. Flashpoint 2 and the Source realism mods I’d say is your best bet for the ‘most’ realistic gaming, but nobody has gone all the way, guns blazing…

I’d love to see someone try and cut away all possible arcade from a FPS war title and attempt maximum realism, is that so hard to ask?

[Francois]

For in the darkness, no one can hear you scream…

…in frustration. Or in fear. Or surprise. What am I on about ? The new Alone in the Dark (AITD) game.

I was (and still am) a huge fan of the first AITD game back in 1992. The game was a breakthrough for it’s time (the first 3D survival horror game ever). The atmosphere and sense of dread you felt while walking through the spooky mansion on creaking floorboards, through rooms emitting funny sounds and passages and caves that left you feeling cold was absolutely incredible. This wasn’t a game. It was an experience. The way your heart beat wildly as you prepare to enter a new room not knowing what’s waiting inside. How your body tensed up if your character was in a tight spot and you had to get him out or die unceremoniously. And the fact that the sound was done to perfection, even allowing it to be played on a PC speaker, all contributed to the game being one of the best for it’s time, and all time for that matter. Playing the game today your first impression might be to throw up when looking at the graphics, but underneath all those polygons, lies a game that will draw you in.

1994 and 1995 saw the release of two more sequels to the game. Alone in the Dark 2 and Alone in the Dark 3 respectively. Both of which carried on the same flourish of atmosphere, game play and sense of anticipation. I added these to my collection and love replaying them from time to time when I’m feeling a bit nostalgic. Then, in 2001 AITD made the move to a new engine. Utilizing a mixture of 3D and 2D techniques that allowed the game to successfully imagine the use of a flashlight in it’s dark scenes. But I was left wanting when I played it. Gone was the atmosphere drenched environments I became so familiar with. In it’s place, was a Resident Evil-ish game. Not to say that it was a bad game, it just didn’t feel like Alone in the Dark. And taking the environments into consideration, the game could just have been called “Dark”.

Approaching 2008 then, I wasn’t too enthusiastic upon hearing of a new AITD game. If the last was anything to go by, we’d be moving still further away from the core of what made AITD stand out on it’s own. And after playing the new game, I’m left with mixed feelings.

The very first thing I noticed, was the graphics are pretty damn good. Most of the current generation bells and whistles are included in the engine and it runs very smooth. One up for the win column then. And then you’re introduced to a new mechanic. One that has never been used before (that I’m aware of and I could be wrong). When in first person mode, you can blink the character’s eyes. Holding down the button, will of course present you with a black screen. At the start of the game, your character is groggy for some reason, with blurry vision. Blinking his eyes, will clear his vision. “Hey, that’s neat”, I thought. But then it went ape. Having to blink the character’s eyes every two steps, it became a chore rather than a mechanic extremely fast. Some tip-ex here and there, and it’s been moved to the lose column. I would have felt much more comfortable if the player blinked his own eyes in a situation where his vision blurs the entire time. This would have brought across the feeling of helplessness you’re supposed to feel in this game. The feeling of “C’mon man, open your eyes!!!! I can’t see wtf I’m doing! There’s something making funny noises in your pants!”. Thank goodness that blinking only lasts for the first few minutes, although I don’t know if it’s going to make a return later in the game. Here’s hoping it won’t.

After the initial “intro” sequence when the player starts to get into the game, one would think that it becomes easier to play. Well the unfortunate truth is, the annoyances just keep popping up. One of the major gripes I’ve had with the game so far (one which has cost a lot of love to be lost between me and the game), is the viewing system. You can alternate between first person view (FPV) or an outside view (OSV – the camera is fixed at a certain point in the room / area you’re in and you see your character from a distance). I have no problem with either of the two views, but I do have a problem with the game deciding which I should use. Frequently I’d switch to FPV to move about more accurately and view my surroundings properly. When all of a sudden the game would switch me back to OSV. Switching back to FPV would result in the same happening again. Walking around a bit and switching will allow me to stay in FPV for a while, until the engine deems it better to be in OSV again. A NOOOI YING! Isn’t this supposed to be the player’s choice ?

Focusing on something other than the camera then, let’s look at the inventory system. Quite innovative I have to admit. Accessing your inventory sees your character opening his jacket and looking down, with everything he’s picked up positioned inside the pockets of his jacket, pants and in holsters on his belt. Add to that the fact that you can combine most items as you see fit, the recipe for something special starts to form. Combine duct-tape with an explosive bottle of liquid and throw the resulting object towards an enemy. It will stick and now you can have your fun trying to hit the bottle to make him go up in flames. Add the double-sided duct-tape to a glow-stick and throw it against the ceiling to illuminate an area. Lighter and mosquito spray anybody ? Duct-tape + flashlight + two-handed weapon ? It all makes for some interesting game play, but of course there has to be something wrong with such an idea. And in this case it would be the control of it all.

Clumsy is the only way I can describe it. I felt like a fumbling fool trying to combine items, attempting to make him release a certain item and use another or just to actually make him use the one I want. I’m not sure how this compares to the XBOX version. Once I’ve played through the game, I will most definitely play it through again with my own XBOX controller. Just so I can get a complete view of what the game is like and give it a fair summary. And to maybe better understand some of the design decisions.

Also, similar to the previous game, the freedom you had in the first three games are non-existent. Sure, you can proceed in any way you want. Locked door in the way ? Burn it. Or shoot out the lock. Or bash it with a fire extinguisher. You have freedom in that way, but not to go where you want and re-visit areas. I suppose they did it because you don’t need to re-visit areas and the game is supposed to feel cinematic. Like you’re playing a movie. But it would have been nice to feel a bit more like you’re not just following a deliberate path.

So all I’ve said so far is pretty negative. Does the game have any positives you might wonder. Yes is the short answer. But they are unfortunately outweighed by the bad.

Fire is basically at the core of the game. Enemies need to be burned in order for them to stay defeated. Also, fire spreads as it would in real life. Along the walls, ceiling, rugs start burning, furniture and it’s quite disconcerting if you’re caught in the middle of it. Some pieces of furniture you can pick up (small chairs for example) and hold it close to a flame to ignite it. It then serves you as a source of light for darker areas. It makes for a nice change in game play from most games.

The cinematic feel of the game also had quite a bit of work put into it, it would seem. Climbing on the outside of a torn apart building with explosions launching debris at you from below, more debris falling at you from the top all promising to knock you off your carefully chosen perch. It adds that heart-stopping feeling to the game. And the game is quite forgiving if you die as well. You don’t need to replay loads of game time. The game is divided into nice sized chunks of game play and you’ll start at the beginning of the one you’re busy with. In a word, it’s pleasant.

For anybody who’s not a hardcore fan of the series, I’d advise caution when considering buying this title. My forever continuing obsession with tea leaves tells me this isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. It does provide survival horror fans with enough of a game to keep them hooked and interested, but the controls and the engine deciding what view for you to use will probably make the game unpopular with most. But still, if the developers release a patch here and there to address these issues or somehow smooth them out, this game should be in every gamer’s collection. It’s really not a bad game at all. I suppose for most it’s just not a good game…. yet =)

To click or not to click, that is the action

Being one of the few people who’s still a good ‘ol point-and-click adventure game fan, a lot of people will probably skip this post. But my fellow clickey adventurers, hear me out. And possibly provide me with the answers I’m in dire need of!

I vividly remember the days spent infront of my 386 with it’s VGA screen, pondering on a puzzle or two in some of the classic adventure games of “back in the day”. Games like the Monkey Island series, Grim Fandango, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, Day of the Tentacle and not to forget the popular Space Quest, King’s Quest and Leisure Suit Larry series’. Going back even further, we see games like Hugo’s House of Horrors making the rounds.

What made these games special, was the sheer attention to story and the way it was presented to the player. In short, they had Charm. Which is more than one can say for the current generation of offerings. The current generation of point-and-click (P&C) Adventure games feel more like projects that somebody simply flung together to get through a story as quickly as possible. They don’t feel like a game made to be enjoyed at all.

But a few gems do shine through the rough around it though. The recent introduction of two new series of Sam and Max adventures did the older games justice. The humour and adventuring, although bland in a few places, was carried over from the past and the heart of the game remains true. But what we want, is another Full Throttle level of greatness. Another The Dig! And games like Fahrenheit / Indigo Prophecy and Still Life have certainly delivered the goods. We don’t want some rehashes and meagre offerings. Which brings me to the latest Simon the Sorcerer game.

I was a humongous fan of the original Simon the Sorcerer games in the 1990’s. So when I heard a fourth installment was on it’s way, I sat tapping my feet impatiently waiting for it’s release. And a few days ago, the time had finally arrived for the game to be ripped open, and installed on my PC. But first things first. I believe there are two stages that are important when looking at a game. Initial feeling of the game (the first 10 minutes you spend with it) and nearly finished feeling. Of which my first stage feeling is quite grim.

What my ears had to endure in the first 10 minutes of the game, was atrocious. I could easily play that pyramid game with words when I think about it: Horrific……..Excruciating. The voice acting hurts the game in a big way. The voices are juggled between voice actors who are audibly trying to be funny to those who have no emotion whatsoever in their voices. It really is a big disappointment and it set the expectation for the rest of the game pretty low. But true to it’s adventure game roots, the option to turn the voices off was included in the game. Which is what I did within the first 5 minutes of gameplay.

And thank goodness for that. The familiar charm of the game was slowly but surely returning to the game. Kind of like the colour returning to somebody’s face after you’ve been strangling them. The initial grimness I felt is starting to melt and I’m starting to enjoy the game more and more. The developers did an excellent job with the graphics. There’s that certain “charminess” that has been absent in so many of the latest P&C offerings. Which is a big relief. Maybe this will be the turning point and the adventure genre might return in full force.

Another recent game in the genre that was poorly received, is Dead Reefs. It doesn’t quite fall into the category of point and click, but it is an adventure game. But yet again, voice acting was the biggest thorn in it’s side.

Nevertheless, if you’re one of the few hardcore adventure game fans still around (alive? ;P), I would most certainly recommend taking a look at the latest Simon the Sorcerer game. Also, if you haven’t played them, Still Life, Fahrenheit, Dead Reefs and Sam and Max season 1 & 2 are all worth having a look at. Also, keep an eye out for the upcoming Dracula Origin. I still intend on playing Overclocked: A History of Violence as well, so maybe check back in the future for some thoughts on that.

Happy clicking!

It’s but a Flesh Wound

Thx Flagshipped

But has thou the faith to survive the onslaught of evil ?

Sometimes I’m in the habit of buying a game, and then getting side-tracked with either a newer game or an old one I start replaying. So I end up uninstalling the game and putting it on the shelf for a later stage. But I do get to these titles at some stage. No matter what, I have a strict policy of finishing every game I own. One such game, is Clive Barker’s Jericho.

Way back when the game was announced, I was jumping up and down like a kid before Christmas at the thought of a new Clive Barker inspired game. Still fresh in my mind was Clive Barker’s Undying. A game overlooked by, I’d wager, 90% of gaming population. For whatever reasons I cannot fathom. Undying was to my mind, a masterpiece. It had atmosphere, a fantastic story, intriguing gameplay and did I mention atmosphere ? It was a game ahead of it’s time, maybe. And it’s lack of popularity could also be because of it’s lack of advertising. I’ve always been a gatherer of gaming news, but I never once saw as much as a glimpse of Undying. Yet when a friend introduced me to the game, I was drawn to it immediately. Even though Undying is an old game now, it’s definitely still worth a play-through by anybody interested in the horror FPS genre.

The announcement of Jericho then, meant another game from the mind that brought us the Hellraiser movies. Another game stepping into twisted reality and blowing our minds with images and ideas so horrid and terrible that they seem plausable. So does Jericho live up to that reputation ? Thank goodness, yes it does.

What’s it about then ? To quote wikipedia : “Certain Apocryphal and Gnostic texts speak of a being created by God, in His own image, before the creation of Adam and Eve; according to legend, this being was abandoned by its own Creator…The Firstborn, too powerful for even God to keep from breaking into the mortal world, would make seven attempts to escape, each time taking back a piece of the earth to add to its domain and each time sent back to the Abyss…The Jericho Squad is sent to Al-Khali to prevent Leach from opening the breach and unleashing the Firstborn upon mankind once again“.

A thrilling story unfolds from there and the world your eyes are bombarded with from the word go, is realized in perfect graphical splendour. Even though the game is near on a year old, the graphics still surprised me. Lighting is used in such a way as to bring the world to life and add that extra level of atmosphere. Not that the game needs it. Jericho is literally oozing with atmosphere. Throughout the game, you get to control all the different members of Jericho squad. Each member with his / her unique abilities. Ranging from Abigail Black’s “Ghost-bullet” ability where you get to telekinetically control a bullet fired from her sniper rifle in order to kill up to three enemies with one shot, to Simone Cole’s “reality hacking”. Allowing her to affect reality using complex mathematical equations. She’s also charged with keeping ammo levels high, effectively “rewinding” time in the team’s ammo belts to the point where they were full.

The deeper one delves into Jericho, the more intruiging the story becomes and the more you start to ponder on “What if this were all true…”. Some of the game’s reviews I’ve glanced at on the net, mention bad level design. I think it’s not so much bad level design as part of the linearity of the game that shows. But the game being linear doesn’t hurt it at all. It still remains an experience to run around the guts-infested levels being assaulted by creatures straight out of hell and your worst nightmares.

Some reviews also have bad mention of the timed events. These are somewhat of a cut-scene where the player gets to view the events from one of the teammates’ viewpoint and having to press buttons as they are flashed on the screen in order to get out of sticky situations. Press a wrong button, and it always ends in death or something horrible happening. True, some of these scenes end up leaving one frustrated because you really have to be quick and accurate in most of them. But to me, it just adds that extra sense of accomplishment once you get through a particularly difficult situation. Also, it adds to the reality of “being there” even more.

Sure, this kind of game isn’t anybody’s cup of tea and most people want freedom in a game. But if you’re interested in experiencing a horror story as it unfolds and feeling as if you were truly there, Jericho does this masterfully and really brings it’s twisted world to life. I’m actually dreading getting back to the game. Not for fear of what lies next, but for fear it will end. That’s the kind of imprint it’s leaving on me already.

In closing, Jericho goes straight to my column of “Must buys” for any horror FPS fans out there. It lies there right next to Undying and Call of Cthulhu. If you enjoyed a game like F.E.A.R, you will most definitely enjoy Jericho. It’s pacing is perfect, it’s story leaves you wanting more, it’s controls are intuitive and most of all it’s a lot of fun to play. From steering a bullet through three skulls in a row leaving them in smithereens, to engulfing enemies in flames as a result of blood magic. It all fits together nicely like a well-oiled machine and apart from the often difficult timed events, the player feels as if they’re in control all the time.