XIII

"Fun to play, bad to end"

Introduction

First off, XIII is a comic book straight from Franceland. Thats all you need to know to get you started... and thats all I know... You wake up on a beach with multiple bullet wounds and can't remember who you are... As the game progresses you start to remember your awesome skills like holding two weapons or being able to hear where people walk (sounds stupid, but trust me, YOU WILL LOVE IT! Implemented well) until finally you are back to being one tuff mo'fo!

The game uses cell shading which I love to death as it makes the goame look exactly like a moving cartoon. So.... if you're curios as to the style of graphics.. yeaahhh... cel shading... It's beautiful.

ALlright! Onto business!

Graphics : 10
WEll, here is what really grabs me... Is the STYLE of how they showed the graphics... Everything comes in panels like a comic book, with screams being shouted from soldiers in cute little red ''ARRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHH!'' popping out over their head. Great stuff! I felt it was worth buying the game alone for the sniping aspect... Take your aim, ka-pow! Shows a cute little three screen pop up with a .25 second of REAL ACTION of their head getting kerplunked!

Story
The story was very interesting although the ending will make you punch your monitor, look for a patch or expansion pack that may be out right now... then look for new monitors.... Big tease... still driving me crazy and it'll do it to you. When a game evokes that kind of emotions they either are doing a good job or working for a monitor company...

Sound : 9
The soud accomponied the game very well, and of course when the action got INTENSE THE MUSIC DID TOO WOOOOOO!!!! I just wish the games firearms had more of a kick... I set my subwoofer right next to my mouse so when I shoot off weapons in other games, it shakes my mouse.. this one was kind of disappointing but hey, I'm specific about that. Other than that, the voices were very well varied and the voice acting was your average comic fair of half believable and half forced arguements.

Worth buying?

I'd say yeah because I did have a lot of fun and it is fun to take hostages, or god willing, break out the metal chair and go WWF RAW on some poor sap...
it's a lot of fun learning who you are and who's out to get you... but then again.. I'm a sucker for games like this. It was reminiscent of Deus Ex as far as exploring cause you don't wanna miss anything... moreso than an invisible war so far.... review coming soon when I smack the hell out of that game...

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/14/03