XIII

"Wow! This is better than I expected!"

This is the first ever cell shaded first person shooter that has been made. Cell shaded means that the graphics are cartoon, yet 3D. I was a bit skeptical at first, and seeing videos and advertisements on the television didn't quite convince me. However, I gave the game a chance, and I'm happy I did! There are several weapons that have been very nicely done with the cell shading system, the enemies are fairly smart, and the levels are awesome.

Story 10
The story grapples you in an instant! You wake up on a beach, not remembering who you are or how you got there. A lifeguard sees you, and helps you. Your only clues as to who you are, is a key to a safe, and the number XIII tattooed on your chest. Just the first level makes you love the game, and it took me 2 tries to finish it, which is rare. Most games have the first 2 levels really easy...

Sound 8
Well, the sound in this game is fairly simple, and there isn't much music in the background. The guns however sound very realistic, and the enemies scream and shout quite a bit, which pumps your adrenaline hard, especially when you're unarmed or on a stealthy mission. Yes sir! There are stealthy missions too! A great feature is when you get too close to an explosion. Everything sounds ''blurry'', and gunshots will not sound loud at all. This only lasts for a few seconds though...

Gameplay 10
The controls in this game are very standard considering it's an fps. Nowadays, all fps games have good controls, using both the analog sticks well. This game handles very well, and it never lags. I don't know about the online play, since I don't have an adaptor, but if it's really that important, ask on the boards... One feature I like is that the cross hair on the sniper weapons is not very stable. It moves around, just like in real life.
One of the coolest thing about this game is that you can pick up scenery and use it as a weapon. You can for example pick up glass shards and throw them at people, or you can grab a chair or an ashtray to knock someone out. Gotta love it!

Overall 9
Overall this is a great game. The only thing that puts it down is the sound. There isn't much of it, and it would have been better if they had added more music. Great game anyway.

Rent or buy?
If you like fps games, definitely buy this game. There is even multi player mode, online and offline. If you just want some fun over the weekend, or you aren't much into fps games, rent it. Unless you like this type of game a lot, you will get bored quickly...

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/24/03