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65%
PROS
Cool graphics, fast paced, interesting comic book style gameplay, some variance in mission types.
LOWS
Multiplayer a bust, really quirky AI, horrible saving feature.
OVERALL
This funky looking game could have been a killer, but it would need quite a few patches and a slew of online gamers to get there.
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If you wanted to take a break from the traditional FPS games on the market, it would be hard to find a clear alternative. Of course you could experiment with different MOD's for your favorite titles, but why not go with a brand new feel- why not, say, a brand new look? Ubisoft’s XIII presents an interesting first person shooter with cartoon style graphics and a relatively unique “comic book” feel. Yes it has its flaws, but what game doesn’t these days?
The story of XIII is at least fun to follow. You are this guy, “Agent XIII,” and you are being blamed for the assassination of a top political figure. Did you do it? Good question, because you have unfortunately lost your memory. This attack of amnesia causes you to pursue your identity and find out if you really did kill this guy or not. XIII kind of has a Jason Bourne feel to it, so if you liked the Bourne Identity/Supremacy movies, you will most likely enjoy the plot of this game. And just like the movies, there are minor plot twists which make the search for truth harder and/or more interesting, you know, just to keep you on your toes.
If you haven’t seen any XIII screenshots, you might want to check out the “additional images” link before reading. I’m just saying this because I think this is where XIII got all its hype from. This game really does look awesome. Aside from having damn good graphics, the entire game is shaded and colored in a way to look like Agent XIII is the next Marvel superhero. To top off the comic book effect, each offensive action taken is accompanied with “descriptive” action text: “BAM!” “ARRR!” “BOOM!” etc.
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When an enemy is alerted of your presence, similar to the Metal Gear Solid series, an exclamation point will pop up over his head. You may also get a “DANGER” caption. If you are doing a stealth mission, you can expect a series of comic book strips to pop up along the side of your screen if your enemy is about to sound the alarm. The most common example of XIII’s comic book feel is the “TA TA TA TA” that gets smaller and bigger depending on the proximity of an enemy. Each “TA” symbolizes an enemy’s footstep, so the text will get bigger and bigger as an enemy gets nearer, and shrink in size when he walks the other way. This comic book look, along with actual plot told through comic book frames, is really what XIII has going for it. This is a funky looking game, and if you want an FPS that steps outside the cookie cutter, XIII can seem like an obvious choice.
Alright so it looks cool, but does it play cool? For the most part, yes. Missions can actually be varied, going from missions where you will rely on a crossbow to make silent kills to action packed guns a firin’ missions. The big selection of weapons helps to make the game more interesting, especially when you find yourself relying on a sniper or a crossbow or shotgun in particular levels. Though the stealth missions do try hard, the AI is just not up to par to make realistic experiences, or anything like we’ve seen in Splinter Cell. Sometimes the AI will react perfectly, but quite frequently, AI may notice your presence and then just kind of wait there while you shoot at them from behind a wall. It’s not always bad though. Sometimes a guy will watch his partner die, alert others in the area, and they will all storm towards you. Still it’s nowhere near perfect.
