WinBack: Covert Operations

"MGS has some competition!"

As very little of you know and none of you care, WinBack was my favorite Nintendo 64 game. So when I heard about the PS2 port of it, I had to pick it up. This game is not as good as the original, in fact, its better!

Difficulty: 10/10
Wow. This game is hard. The difficulty has been spiked up from the original version, enemy AI is increased tenfold, and you cant take nearly as many shots as you could in the original. For hardcore action gamers, this will be a fun and sometimes frustrating challenge. For beginners, steer clear, this may be a little too tough.

Sound/Music: 8/10
Nothing mind-blowing here, but not a disappointment. Everything sounds as it should, and you can even toggle Japanese dubbing on/off. The music can change depending on the situation(If your health is in caution, music will get faster and more adrenaline-pumping, when you drop into danger, music gets frantic), most of the time the music will be low and quiet. I find this convenient in certain areas where you need to hear what is going on.

Gameplay: 10/10
The controls are a little awkward at first, but you will soon grow used to them. They don't run as smooth on PS2 as they do on N64, but still very manageable. You can roll behind objects, blow stuff up, set C4 charges, pop around corners, and more. Although you can't shoot and walk/run at the same time, you'll find that you don't really need to, as there is usually enough cover to hide behind. There are 31 levels with bossed peppered through them, numerous weapons at your disposal, and even 3 different ending you can earn depending on your finishing time. There are also many different modes to play through and unlock, such as ''Bot Mode'' or ''Trial Mode''. 28 characters to choose from in VS mode, each with different abilities and weapons adds to the fun too.

Graphics: 9/10
The graphics are sharp and crisp, and there is little frame-rate slowdown. The once very blocky characters have been replaced by more lifelike, smoother characters. Backgrounds are good, and objects are easily recognizable. Lighting effects are alright but nothing above average.

Storyline: 10/10
A terrorist organization called the ''Crying Lions'' has gained control of a top-secret military satellite cannon and fired upon the US Center for Space Development, turning it into a pile if ash. Minutes later, the US Department of Defense received a call from a ''Kenneth Coleman'', leader of the Crying Lions. Kenneth called for the the liberation of his homeland Zarozcia, and made it very clear that he would not negotiate. I 3 hours, the G.U.L.F. satellite cannon will be fully charged and ready to fire again. The Sec of Defense orders the Elite S.C.A.T force (Strategic Covert Actions Team) to infiltrate the terrorist complex in Westham and regain control of the satellite before it fires again.
OK so its not Final Fantasy X deep or Silent Hill scary, but it doesn't have to be. Its an action game, what do you expect?

Replay Value: Moderately High
With 3 different ending and multiple gameplay modes, you might find yourself playing through again and again to get all the endings.

Buy or Rent: BUY
A keeper for any action gamer. The price should be very reasonable now, considering its an older release.

Overall: 10/10
Deep down, its still the same WinBack I've been playing since I've had a Nintendo 64, and I couldn't be happier. Bot mode is awesome, and the upgrades this game has received are plenty and raise the overall fun value of the game.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/01/04