Geist

"An average FPS from an average developer"

Alas, Nintendo, famed developer and publisher of usual gold. Whether it was Goldeneye or the Metroid Prime series, Nintendo has always pleased fans of the genre with great graphics, innovative gameplay and lasting replay value.

Geist, while not internally developed by Nintendo, was definitely sponsored and guided by the Big N. N-Space, famed developer of some Rugrats, Mary - Kate and Ashley, and sub-par Duke Nukem sequels, has proven themselves inexperienced when it comes to making the next blockbuster.

Graphics -
Wonderful, especially by Gamecube standards. We've got decent lighting, good looking textrues, (even on enemies) and some good distance when viewing. The actual art is decent as well, with cleverly built levels, interesting psychadelic-ish art, and some decent (at best) cutscenes.

However, take it off of the gamecube, and the graphics aren't too hot anymore. Xbox and PC obviously beat Geist.

Sound - This is another flat point in the game - I've never jumped, rocked my head, or hummed a instrumental line in this game once - It simply works. it offers Dolby Digital Surround, but doesn't take advantage of it at all.

Gameplay - Here's the one itsy bitsy innovation N-Space included, which is the possession gameplay aspect. With this, any animal, human, and some objects can be possessed. From that point each possessed is fully interactive. Whether that means turning a clock, shooting a man's gun, or flapping a ghost's wings, this aspect of the game is is novel, if a little unrefined.

Another shortcoming in this aspect is the actual controls. They are slow, a little unresponsive, and the frame-rate can affect aiming. It's not bad, but certainly noticeable, and this can hinder progress.

Story- it's clever, and certainly one of the few reasons to push forward. Many of the characters are fairly cool, but the developers can't create an emotional bond like they should.

Multiplayer - Excellent, especially considering the GC's competition. With Metroid Prime 2's multiplayer lacking, and Timesplitters 3 being the only alternative, Geist fits nicely as a shallow, yet fun deathmatch experience. It allows bots, has a fair bit of strategy, and runs smoother than the single player. It's fun, but feels a little unoriginal even with the possession elements.

Overall - Besides the obvious aesthetic shortcomings, and occasional gameplay hiccups, Geist is not a terrible purchase by any means. It's clever enough to hold your attention momentarily, and it has multiplayer to kill a few more hours. However, it is not worth the $50 asking price. It simply doesn't grab the player like RE4 or MGS did years ago.

So pick it up for $20, enjoy the Eternal Darkness-style humor, but don't let it replace the heavy weights. Keep Doom 3, Half-Life 2, and Halo 2 running to satisfy what this game can't.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 02/28/06