Breakdown Review

By Kristan Reed Published 22 June, 2004

In Japan, Derrick sounds like a cool name for a lead character in a videogame.

Version tested: Xbox

Order yours now from Simply Games.

There's something about the first-person shooter genre that Japanese developers just don't get. After 12 solid years of running and gunning, you would struggle to count the number of FPSs originating from this celebrated centre of gaming creativity on the fingers of one hand. Let's think: Outtrigger... no, Maken X doesn't count, and...um, Breakdown. It's a fascinating situation, and it's almost as if they've been shielded from it - instead content to make any number of freakishly bizarre niche titles to satisfy their wanton lust for dating games or Let's Make A Horse Riding Go-Go Trial Simulator Yay 11.

But at last Namco has elected to hop on board this traditionally overblown westernised genre, evidently keen to bring a greater sense of immersion to the table with as much emphasis on first-person punch-ups as shooting, but in doing so has managed to create a whole layer of problems that are rarely overcome in a game whose ambition rarely equates to genuine entertainment.

Oh no, I've lost my memory

'Breakdown' Screenshot 1

The setting is typically hackneyed sci-fi fodder, but nevertheless one of the game's strong points with lead character Derrick Cole waking up in a "strange research facility" with no memory of his past and about to be executed. But just as they’re about to open fire, a typically athletic (typical in a videogame, at least) woman by the name of Alex Hendrickson turns up to save his arse, and so begins the gradually unravelling tale of how he ended up there, and why he appears to have special powers that enable him to fend off a legion of super-human warriors (from oop North, apparently) known as the T'Lan.

After a promising beginning where our 'hero' barfs up his freshly eaten burger in first-person, the game quickly slips into a pattern of armed and unarmed combat. Electing to only give the player minimal ammo, two different types of gun (pistol/machine gun for the most part) and making your projectile weaponry useless against the T'Lans (until much later when you get a special Laser Rifle) you're forced into up close and personal duke outs with many of the enemies you meet.

As a straightforward shooter, Breakdown tends to offer up soldiers in clusters of twos and threes, and overcomes its enormously floppy control sensitivity (which you can't manually adjust, irritatingly) by providing what appears to be a useful autolock facility - except that your shots are pointlessly ineffective from anything approaching long range. Shootouts tend to fall into a repetitive pattern of ducking behind whatever cover the game offers up and popping out whenever the enemy's clip runs out. Still, given the close-nature of the firefights, you're always likely to take a fair bit of damage and much restarting occurs thanks to the trial and error nature of the gameplay.

Start over

'Breakdown' Screenshot 2

In its favour, Breakdown provides an intelligent checkpoint system that never forces you to replay significantly large sections again, although the chances are that certain parts of the game will drive you to distraction - unless you find out, for example, that you can simply use cover to slip past every last man jack of them. Still, at the very least it's an often demanding game that greets you with a Game Over screen far more than is strictly necessary.

The more innovative side of Breakdown is the first-person punching, which Chronicles Of Riddick implemented so successfully recently (or rather, will do, as it's not out in Europe until August). There are broad similarities, but the overall feel and implementation is totally different, with no means of being remotely stealthy. Breakdown always faces you with predictable AI that requires the player to basically just go for it. In the case of the T'Lans, they do actually deign to follow you around a bit (as opposed to the utterly dumb soldiers that insist on staying broadly where they spawn), but most encounters tend to involve little more than charging in aggressively and raining blows on them until they fall five or six bashes later, or, if you're feeling a little more tactical, blocking and then raining blows.

While the feeling of immersion is undoubtedly heightened with this ostensibly zoomed-in approach, having to perform menial search tasks with every downed corpse is plainly something you could do without having to do every single time in order that you actually might have a clip or two spare in your arsenal. Also, the initially appealing health system of using cola machines and searching bodies for snacks becomes a tiresomely unnecessary distraction, especially once you realise that the game give you full health at the start of every checkpoint regardless.

Diminishing returns

'Breakdown' Screenshot 3

After five hours or so of wandering bland corridors and bouts of repetitive shooting and punching, the incentive to continue diminishes. For what is one of the few Xbox-only Japanese titles, you'd expect much more than almost featureless corridors, and only the occasional glimpses of artistic talent from Namco's team. It's hard to believe this really started life as an Xbox title and isn't simply a cross-platform port, such is the proliferation of blurry textured walls and grid like level design. Once in a while you come across an interestingly designed room, but they really are once in a blue moon. The escape from the flaming building and the brief excursion outside provides a brief respite from the disengagement, but before too long it's apparent that Namco has little idea how to make a decent FPS.

From whichever angle you look at it Breakdown simply hasn't got enough going for it to warrant buying it at full price. Maybe when it eventually goes to budget price you could justify giving it a look, because it's by no means a terrible game. It's just not in any way cutting edge. Nor is it entertaining enough that you'd be inclined to recommend it to anyone besides ardent FPS-philes, who see it as their divine duty to play everything connected with the genre.

For a first attempt, Breakdown isn't a total disaster for Namco. There are some interesting game elements in place and a decent enough storyline to salvage some of the more unsavoury portions of what's on show, but too many things are unacceptable by today's standards, and if Namco has any intention of devising a sequel it needs to have a total rethink. By all means give Breakdown a try over the weekend with a rental, but it's simply not good enough to splash out for at its current price point.

Order yours now from Simply Games.

5 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (23) Latest comment 8 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • IronGiant #1 8 years ago

    Yup, pretty damn crap game.. Riddick does it much better.

  • Senor_Sanchez #2 8 years ago

    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

  • bionutz #3 8 years ago

    Erm,

    What is this change of atitude: "Eurogamer shop - games you want to play" was it a while ago, and now: "Order yours now from Simply Games.
    Rating: 5 out of 10". Erm sorry, but if it's under 6-7 shouldn't even be a hint about buying it. Maybe there should be something like "Rent it now from Simply Games". And this brings me to the other subject - I don't mind paying a bit for this website, to remove inadequate advertisment - what about a premium version of this website?

  • Blerk #4 8 years ago

    Clang! Another 'hyped beyond belief' game falls foul of the 'not actually being that good' problem.

  • oceanmotion #5 8 years ago

    Can't wait for Riddick. Will never play that rubbish game.

    When can we expect the Driver 3 review. I need a good laugh. It got a 5.4 from IGN and Gamespot. LOL!

  • bionutz #6 8 years ago

    Oh Disc,

    I see what you mean (I remember Gamespot). Ok, I'll reformulate: I'd donate some money every month, just because I appreciate this website so much. Forget about the premium version!

    My apologies,
    Ioan.

  • binky #7 8 years ago

    dont donate. Raupers Loaded ;)

  • Dr.Haggard #8 8 years ago

    Not going to read the review because I'm playing it atm ( I prefer not to read others opinions - professional or otherwise - on games I'm either playing or know I'm going to buy), but I'm surprised at the score.

    I'm thoroughly enjoying it myself, it's got a good atmosphere, a good story and some really nice, original touches that immerse you in it. The average graphics aren't a concern at all, they do the job.

    Maybe if I was playing it exclusively rather than in between bouts of Thief 3 then perhaps I'd want more and be tougher on it, but whatever, I've been having a lot of fun with it. Despite its numerous flaws and annoyances it's nevertheless a game with atmosphere and a good story that has succeeded thus far in sucking me into its world, which is becoming all too rare an occurrence.

    Personally I haven't regretted trading in Ninja Gaiden for Breakdown, it's proved far more immersive and enjoyable than the former, but then I wouldn't have regretted trading in NG for Barbie's Horse Adventures ;o)

    /ducks

  • Dizzy #9 8 years ago

    Namco mediocrity strikes again!

    > trading in Ninja Gaiden

    WTF?

    /slashes Dr.haggard with Dragon Blade
    / Ultimate combos his *ss

  • StixxUK #10 8 years ago

    Well, luckily my disappointment at this game being fairly rubbish is totally offset by my surprise at Riddick being excellent. Chalk one up to western console developers.

  • bionutz #11 8 years ago

    bring riddick on PC! Pretty please!

  • Dr.Haggard #12 8 years ago

    Well, luckily my disappointment at this game being fairly rubbish is totally offset by my surprise at Riddick being excellent

    Indeed. Don't anyone take my positive comments about Breakdown as any indication that I think it is even in the same league as Starbreeze's latest masterpiece (and for that matter, since I mentioned it in my post, the divine experience that is Thief 3).

    Nevertheless, whatever league Breakdown is in, for that rare immersive quality it possesses it's proving to be well worth this gamers time and money.

    IMHO it's certainly leagues ahead of that glorified arcade game that is NG *smirk* ;o)

  • IronGiant #13 8 years ago

    he he you're definitely in the minority around these parts then.. Breakdown is pap. Ninja Gaiden is a slice of gaming greatness. All IMHO of course.

  • Dr.Haggard #14 8 years ago

    All IMHO of course

    Exactly. Wouldn't life be dull...etc :o)

  • Zero Beat #15 8 years ago

    I hated the first person shooting in the demo but the rest seemed quite good. The first person platforming in the alieny environment was surprisingly fun.

    At £20 from Videogamesplus.ca I'm still considering a buy. Roughly how much shooting is there compared to melee fighting and plain adventuring?

  • IronGiant #16 8 years ago

    Indeed it would.. be interested to know how well/badly this has done at retail as maybe a sequel would be killer.

  • krudster #17 8 years ago

    Melee fighting to shooting seems about 50 -50

  • krudster #18 8 years ago

    It didn't make this week's Xbox Top 20, meaning really piss poor sales for a new game. Like, less than about 800 copies.

  • Pac #19 8 years ago

    >immersive quality

    Sorry Dr.Haggard I think you must be confusing 'immersive quality' with nausea brought on by playing laclustre first person perspective games.

    NG has got to be one of the best games this year bar none.

    Its a Pity there are not more publishers like Tecmo who take the time to really perfect the polish on a game before trying to extract our cash.

    Note to Atari - leaving review code to the last minute will not seperate me from my hard earned Euro.

    Seem to remember there where no reviews of Enter the Matrix to be found in launch week either.

    Edited by 1 at 22/06/04 @ 17:12

  • Zero Beat #20 8 years ago

    Broken down at 50/50 I may just leave it until it's even cheaper. -_o

  • Dr.Haggard #21 8 years ago

    Its a Pity there are not more publishers like Tecmo who take the time to really perfect the polish on a game before trying to extract our cash.

    Yes it was very polished, there's no denying that. Not my cup of tea though. I don't want to get into a discussion about NG, perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned it (albeit in jest).

    I think Breakdown is pretty immersive. Not in a Thief\System Shock way, not even in the same car park, but immersive nonetheless. I do find all the first person stuff a bit annoying at times, and initially a little nauseous yes, but I think some of the ways they hook the story into the gameplay are great.

    The opening scenes are excellent, and the later visions etc, and never dragging you out of your first person viewpoint can really help you feel involved, even when they do take control away from you briefly at times to make sure you see something.

    It's sci-fi, it's got a creepy story, it's first person...after the demo my money was on the table.

    I'm not surprised it's not getting great reviews, if I was being objective I'd probably agree that it doesn't deserve more than a 5 or 6, but then no one asked me to be objective ;o)

  • krudster #22 8 years ago

    We can recommend some better games!

  • frod. #23 8 years ago

    Made me laugh did that there review. Sign of a good one if you read it when not interested in the game. Well done. :D