BlackSite: Area 51

"A good game overall, sci-fi fans will probably enjoy it more than most."

This review is based on the single player story mode.

Area 51, you've heard about it, you've read about it, you've seen all the T.V. shows and movies, well, now it's time for you to find out what secret government conspiracies, illegal experiments and alien artifacts lie within it's walls. Yes, the story of Blacksite: Area 51 is that generic, now don't get me wrong, it's not bad, not at all, it's just not very original, but I'd say that if you read the title of the game, you pretty much know what to expect, so we'll leave it at that.

The gameplay also falls into the "me too" category, it's not bad, but it's just not that great, your character controls fairly well, the aiming is pretty tight, the vehicle handling comes courtesy of the Halo school of driving, even the weapons selection has some of that been there, done that kinda feeling, everything from your basic handgun to your all mighty rocket launcher (as always, needed for larger enemies) is here, you can even pick up the alien guns left behind by your killed enemies. Also, no more worrying about health packs, take cover when the hud starts turning red and your life bar refills by itself.

The squad command feature is very simple, aim and click to where you want your squad mates to go and they will follow suit immediately, this feature can also be used to "tag" a target for them to shoot at. The game also features a couple of "on rails" shooting segments which provide a nice diversion, "the bridge" level in particular was a standout moment for me, you'll know when you get there.
The levels are long, however, there's just isn't enough of them, I've heard of experienced players finishing the game in under 6 hours, this will probably make you think of it as a rental rather than a purchase, unless you're a big fan of the source material, or if you're a collector.

Visually, some might be put off by it's graphics, but while it's no Gears of War, it's certainly not the worst looking Xbox 360 game out there, specially if you've already upgraded to HD.
The voice acting is "B" class all the way, but nowhere near as bad as the first Resident Evil game, the dialog has it's share of cheesy moments but overall it fits in quite nicely, the sound effects are competent, but definitely lack that "wow" factor. Also, there's a few glitches here and there, nothing as severe as loosing your saved game, but I did have to restart from a previous saved point a couple of times due to the game freezing at certain spots, also, some questionable A.I. moments might throw you off a bit.

Most will probably disagree with me, but playing this game reminded me a lot of "Resistance" oh well, just one man's opinion I guess. Overall, I found Blacksite: Area 51a worthy purchase, not only because I like the subject matter but because I found it to be a solid and competent game, think of it as "Independence Day" it"s good entertainment, but it's not a classic like "Aliens" I'd give this game a 7.5 but since I have to round it up, I'm giving it an 8 because IMHO, it definitely deserves better than a 7.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/04/07

Game Release: BlackSite: Area 51 (US, 11/12/07)