XIII Review

By Kristan Reed Published 11 December, 2003

Unlucky for Ubi?

Version tested: Xbox

Gaming can be such a contradiction. One minute you're sporting the intense expression of immersion, caught up in a thickening plot that's spinning out of control in a breathtaking web of conspiracy, built around the solid frame of creeping stealth tension and manic action, and the next you're a foul-mouthed sea of rage with veins bulging out of your temples in throbbing sympathy as you're forced to repeat the same section for the 50th time. Welcome to XIII, a game that so easily could have been game of the year.

When Tom delivered his various previews earlier this year, it wasn't especially clear how XIII was going to stitch together into a coherent whole. Like being shown a couple of unrelated scenes from a movie it's easy to make knee-jerk value judgements about what it's going to be like, when the reality is somewhat different when you play it as intended. Any initial suspicions that XIII was going to be A N Other FPS dressed up in swanky threads have been comprehensively blown out of the water by what strikes this author as one of the richest, most varied and involving games released this year. And also one of the most annoying, damn it to hell.

A tattooed tit

'XIII' Screenshot one

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. The game is based on a Belgian graphic novel (popular in France!) and its premise centres around you, the mysterious central character, an amnesiac with 'XIII' tattooed on his body. Found washed up on a desolate beach in New England, it's clear that whoever you are you're a wanted man, and most people you meet want you dead. With only a key to a New York bank as a clue to your identity, it quickly becomes apparent that you're Steve Rowland, the man wanted for the assassination of the president, JFK-style. Oops.

In a game so heavily reliant on narrative to give it context and structure, Dargaud - the developer - has effectively styled the game to look just like a graphic novel, right down to the cel-shaded appearance so beloved of game developers in recent years, but complemented by interspersing cartoon stills to augment the narrative. But it's the use of words and symbols to depict visualisations of the sounds that gives XIII the finishing touch, with shocked enemies appearing with an exclamation mark above their heads, or "Nooooooo!" as they take a bullet in the cranium (complete with a three frame close up of their death). Even explosions ("BAOOM"), the firing of your gun ("TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT") and the sound of an approaching enemy ("tap-tap TAP" in increasing or decreasing font size depending on how near or far they are from you) show up on the screen, and in the latter case it's a wonderful innovation that's not only cool to look at, but is genuinely useful in making you aware of imminent danger.

Unlike almost every FPS we've played, XIII mixes up its gameplay styles like almost no other game of its class, with all manner of mission types including Bond-style stealth reconnaissance, unlikely escapes, chases, rescue missions, unarmed combat, hostage taking, all complemented perfectly with the usual staple diet of run and gun blasting with a finely balanced selection of weapons.

Hooked

'XIII' Screenshot two

In terms of control, XIII plays it by the book, sticking very much to the classic FPS configuration, with an alt function for every weapon (usually a melee attack in the absence of, for example, a zoom or a grenade). Gadgets, meanwhile, are accessed by the D-pad and give you access to the ever-useful grappling hook, the lock-pick, health packs and various other one-use only type items like bombs and so on. Aiming feels crisp and precise, with none of the heinous targeting issues present in games such as Rainbow Six 3, and everything feels natural within minutes. Frustratingly, though, XIII lacks a lean function - something we suspect would have cured almost all of the game's ills, but more of that later.

The catch-all action button also allows you to interact with scenery items, usually to break things (including the necks of hostages). Talking of which, occasionally you'll find yourself bereft of weapons, and XIII not only allows you to bash chairs, ashtrays and brooms over the heads of unwary assailants (that sometimes you must incapacitate but not kill), but in the presence of gun-wielding police or guards, taking a hostage might be your only route to success, and dragging a scared-stiff body around while waving a gun in the faces of your enemies is handled exceptionally well. Turn your back on them and they'll shoot, given half the chance, but sidle along and creep backwards and they'll nervously hold fire, giving you crucial leeway in your charge to safety.

Likewise, the ability to carry out stealth kills is handled with grace, neither being too twitchy or fussy in the manner of the Splinter Cells of this world. In general, enemies patrol a set area, so it's easy to predict what you can and can't get away with, and the trick is to make sure no-one else sees or hears what you're up to and try and pick them off one by one. Disposal of unconscious bodies (i.e. ones you haven't shot) is also a simple process, and adds greatly to the credibility of the game world to realise that you just can't leave your victims lying in a heap without chucking them in a handily placed cupboard first.

I'm gonna kill you like a dog

'XIII' Screenshot three

Keeping silent and out of sight are always important factors in XIII, with the AI always keen to scream at the first opportunity. But thanks to a silenced pistol and a couple of scoped weapons, you're generally well stocked with opportunities to take them out at long range. If enemies do see something, they go through stages of awareness, and react accordingly. A sudden movement in the distance or noise might provoke some temporary curiosity (a question mark above their head) and some half-hearted investigation, while a sudden loud noise or your appearance might lead to alarm (exclamation mark) and a frantic head-turning search for the source, while a near missed shot or you appearing right in front of them provokes "Danger" quickly followed by the cry of "Alert!" to all their colleagues. But usually you've got a clear second advantage with which to fire as much lead into their head as possible.

We say "usually", as for the vast majority of the game, XIII lets your skill take care of the drones thrown into your path, and dishes out plenty of health packs and check points to ensure a steady progress. That is, until you meet the psychic enemies of doom that seem determined to make you want to hate the game and everyone connected with it. You'll probably curse anyone within earshot, curse the joypad for making you die, and curse the fact that a significant part of your evening is being sucked away by game design so hateful that it should come with a health warning attached. Case in point is the dreadfully designed Canyon section that places three RPG-wielding cretins in strategic vantage points. No problem there, as such, apart from the fact that if you show so much as one pixel to them, they rain explosive death down upon you. Now, even that wouldn't be a problem if you could run away quickly enough, but the rocky terrain is such that you'll regularly get snagged on the scenery, meaning a trek back to the checkpoint.

So on and on, attempting to pick them off with the sniper rifle, but with the absence of a lean key you're forced to inch bit by bit until their head is within sight, but of course - "Blam!" - the second you inch out from behind your cover, another RPG is loosed off and you're left scuttling back. In the end, it came down to luck. Each of the three have five RPGs, and once they've been fired they're left firing a largely useless gun back, but this section alone gobbled up a good hour and a half on its own, and probably 50 attempts. All this after seven hours of good solid progress. Not amused.

The evil that game designers do

'XIII' Screenshot four

And then a few hours later comes The Boss From Hell after a level with odds so stacked against you that you'll arrive pretty roughed up anyway. Not only does this 'boss' utterly cheat, with an almost 100 per cent accuracy, and a rushing attack that makes it practically impossible to avoid, but the level is designed so that you can't safely shoot him unless you're close to him. In the end we probably cheated as much as him, taking refuge in a building that, for some inexplicable reason, he doesn't/can't enter, and diving out taking a few per cent off his health and repeating ad-nausea. Even the lone GameFAQs guide couldn't offer any help. We suspect they played the PC version with its unerring mouse accuracy and cheating quicksave mechanic. Gits.

These two gameplay spikes, the occasional unsympathetically placed checkpoint save, and the rigid sense of linearity throughout depressingly sullies what is at times a fantastic package with such attention to narrative detail, it ranks among the finest gaming stories ever told, with an atmosphere that is truly breathtaking at times. Not only is the story told with unusual conviction, it's splendidly voice acted (by Adam West, of 60s Batman-fame, no less) and illustrated with true graphic novel style, and it's one of the few FPSs I can recall that bothers to provide a whole pile of extras that all add to the back story and help solve the mystery of the twenty conspirators and XIII's role among them.

Poking around in otherwise useless locations not only unearths the inevitable health packs and extra ammo, but the occasional document as well, which when you exit to the front end results in a page where you can access a whole series of scraps of evidence, financial transactions and the like which, while not crucial to the game, add the final layer of polish and effort that helps make it an even more satisfying experience. In a genre where narrative is usually limited to unbearably lame cut-scenes, voiced by amateurs and bolted on after the event, it's very clear that Dargaud has in fact written the story first and then built the game and its environments around that, and it makes for a massively refreshing change. If this is a pointer of the future of videogames, then I, for one am excited at the possibilities.

Jazz. Nice.

'XIII' Screenshot five

Another area well worth praising is the audio, which with its dramatic jazz-tinged spy-mystery feel ebbs and flows with the action. But whether it's a relentless series of manic drum fills or a panic inducing throb of shady keyboard stabs as you lurk in the darkness, it's a carefully considered and well executed backdrop to the action and among the best scores ever to accompany a game. The voiceovers, as previously mentioned are also top class, even down to the random conversations you regularly eavesdrop on.

Although we've touched on the visuals already, they're far more than cel-shaded gimmickry. You'd have trouble placing the Unreal II source in a game with a style all of its own. And whether it's depicting an island military base or the innards of a submarine there's always something surprising and unique to discover as you battle your way to the truth. The moment you arrive on the edge of a cliff to witness the lapping waves and beautiful sunset is one of many such outstanding moments when you appreciate the visual tourism on display. The characters, as well, are exquisitely designed, full of cartoon expression and a unique presence that allows you to forgive the even their exaggerated leaps as they engage you in combat. There's room for improvement, sure, but the novelty value makes it all feel so much more fun, which is, after all, the point. A times you feel like cel-shading has been used to allow the team to get away with the apparent lack of texturing, but you really won't care. That's not why we're here.

Although it's clearly a side portion to the main dish, the addition of online multiplayer to the Xbox and PS2 versions (two-player split-screen for PS2, four for Xbox and Cube), comes as a welcome addition with the standard Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, capture the flag, and format-specific modes. The PS2 version ships with The Hunt and Power Up, but only four-player online support versus the Xbox's eight, while the Xbox version comes with Sabotage mode exclusively. Wha?

Exclusive exclusives

Sabotage mode is a simple defend/attack the checkpoints affair that has you blowing up or defending the points, while the PS2-only Power Up is a comedy take on Deathmatch, with 'amusing' power ups such as the SuperGnome that deforms the player for a limited period, and The Hunt has players legging it after a running target across a map, with the idea to inflict the most damage you can. All good, albeit non-essential stuff, and with 14 or so maps there's enough to keep you going for some time, although we'd be surprised if the Xbox version didn't offer maps for download at a later date even though it's not a feature listed on the box.

In truth XIII is a flawed masterpiece. A game brimming with variety and a freshness lacking from most of the factory farmed franchise exercises that pass through our offices with crushing regularity. The visual style and narrative will admittedly have a select appeal, and some of you might come away underwhelmed from initial impressions, but my advice is stick with it, because it's one of those games that becomes more endearing the deeper you delve into it. Having played literally hundreds of games this year, and devoted an unhealthy number of hours to XIII already (18 and counting) I've come away with a warm glow that Ubisoft has tried to conjure something a little different and has for the large part succeeded. With some minor tweaking this would have been hailed as a classic, but instead it nestles in that frustrating 'nearly' category.

8 / 10

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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 (60) Latest comment 4 months ago

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

  • Killerbee #1 8 years ago

    I'm still not quite sure about the styling.

    Mind you, I thought that about Zelda until I actually saw it in motion and it looked beautiful.

  • binky #2 8 years ago

    no more games, seriously. ive got too many... i cant cope!!!

  • Killerbee #3 8 years ago

    The 'canyon' bit reminds me of the sniper town in MOH: Allied Assault. Hateful bit of game design.

  • mcmonkeyplc #4 8 years ago

    I second that binks im havent even finished rainbox 6 three yet cause that damned xbox live taking all my gaming time.

  • krudster #5 8 years ago

    Oh, there's loads more to come from us yet....Metal Arms, Secret Weapons Over Normandy, In Memorium, Breath Of Fire, Onimusha Tactics, Ghosthunter, Contract Jack, Mario Party 5, Cm 03/04, WRC 3...

  • Blerk #6 8 years ago

    Breath Of Fire, Onimusha Tactics, Ghosthunter

    Looking forward to those ones, given that (in order) :
    a) I have this but haven't played it yet
    b) I was looking forward to this but have heard it's a bit 'meh'
    and most of all
    c) Because I suspect this will be getting the kicking of a lifetime... :-)

  • The_Pope #7 8 years ago

    Is someone going to fix the broken screenshots?

  • pjmaybe #8 8 years ago

    I liked this game for about 15 minutes, then it gets sadly very repetitive, and mutates back into the standard FPS fodder.

    Enemy AI isn't bad (though enemies tend to "moonwalk" around the place a bit when the action hots up...weird), weapons are your bog standard "machine gun, pistol, big assed rocket launcher, knives" kinda thing, the storyline is reasonably engaging but sadly it's just too damned repetitive to keep you going (unless you are the world's biggest FPS nut and still find them to be a varied and engaging genre)

    Oh, there are boobs in it but they're a bit triangular.

    Peej

  • pjmaybe #9 8 years ago

    Oh. And there's stealth in it. And we all know what Uncle Peej thinks of stealth. Stealth sucks. Doesn't stealth!

    Peej

  • sam_spade #10 8 years ago

    "Is someone going to fix the broken screenshots?"

    I think the shots of the cell-shaded walls are intriguing. I mean, look at the detail.

  • UncleLou #11 8 years ago

    Hm, the canyon wasn't very frustrating imo, maybe because I was playing with the mouse/kb combo. :-D The omission of a "lean" key is a crime though, true.

    Nonetheless, I stopped playing somewhere in the middle of XIII - after the novelty of the style wore off, I got a bit bored. Not that it's a bad game, mind, I'll finish it some day (no really, I will!)

  • krudster #12 8 years ago

    The shots will be fixed, oh yes. They will.

  • Ted Cuntablast #13 8 years ago

    Can someone get the inevitable 'as good as Halo then' comment out of the way please?

    Oh.

  • Abscido #14 8 years ago

    Ghosthunter - "Because I suspect this will be getting the kicking of a lifetime..."


    Don't be so sure ;).

  • Stevas mkII #15 8 years ago

    I've already commented on my opinion that FPSers are becoming very stale and boring, but XIII has actually tried something a little different. And I'm not just talking about the style, either. While I'm one of the biggest haters of the one man army syndrome of the genre, there just seems to be something much more believable about this one. Love the conspiracy stuff. Makes a pleasant change. On the other hand it does still fall into many of the pitfalls of the genre.
    Managed to pick it up in Game the other day for twenty notes (they had an offer on where you could get it for twenty if you spent another twenty on something else; one christmas pressie covered and a shiny new game for me to take home - job done). For the Cube, too. So it's not like it had been out long. Nice one.
    Agree with everything in the review, with particularly violent head-nodding going on when I read the 'big-up the audio' part. Rarely have I smiled so much because of a soundtrack to a game. Very Dirty Harry.
    However, one major gripe for me is the lack of any serious customisation options for the controller layout. I'm just talking about the Cube version here, so I'm not sure if it's applicable to the others, but there doesn't appear to be any option to play the way I've grown up playing these games (since Goldeneye). If you perfer to use your left thumb for aiming and your right for movement, beware...
    I'm sort of getting used to it, but it's another thing to scream annoyance over when you die horribly, again. I really can't see how people play these games like this. It seems... backward.
    Then again, I am sinister.

  • UncleLou #16 8 years ago

    We suspect they played the PC version with its unerring mouse accuracy and cheating quicksave mechanic. Gits.

    Amost forgot - there is a quicksave in the PC version, but it does nothing else then save your last checkpoint. D'Oh. Not different from the console version then, except that you do need to save or you'll lose your progress.

  • Blerk #17 8 years ago

    Don't be so sure

    Christ, Ronan - don't tell me you liked it? It's awful!

  • krudster #18 8 years ago

    Good to hear the lack of "save anywhere" in the PC. That's killed many a game for me, most recently Max Payne 2 which I couldn't resist saving every 30 seconds on.

  • marilena #19 8 years ago

    Allrights, I'll say it. It's not my type of comment, but come on, really, as good as Halo? No way. I guess it's better on the XBOX than on the PC, with all the technical problems out of the way, but still, it's just a corridor FPS with a gimmick that gets old very fast.

  • krudster #20 8 years ago

    Look, shut UP ABOUT HALO!!

    I'd have given it a 9/10 ok?!!!

  • Abscido #21 8 years ago

    I won't elaborate here (I'll save that for the review) but suffice to say that it will be getting both a good kicking *and* a big hug. Make of that what you will!
    Edited by 1 at 11/12/03 @ 12:06

  • binky #22 8 years ago

    Halo MUST be better than this surely?!!?!?! OMG!!! WTF!!! LOL!!!

    Im with Peej weejy on the stealth issue though. Does my head in. NO MORE STEALTH PLEASE.


    Thankyouplease

  • UncleLou #23 8 years ago

    Look, shut UP ABOUT HALO!!

    I'd have given it a 9/10 ok?!!!

    Why didn't you do it then? You gave it 8/10! (PC) :-D

    /runs

  • krudster #24 8 years ago

    Look, Halo in 2001 on an Xbox: 9/10
    Halo in 2003 on a PC with no upgrades to the visuals and a decent multiplayer: 8/10

    Y'see? No more Halo talk from me.

  • pjmaybe #25 8 years ago

    "Im with Peej weejy on the stealth issue though. Does my head in. NO MORE STEALTH PLEASE. "

    There's one bit (*SPOILER*) on the sub where you've basically got to wait around until people's backs are turned, kill 'em silently then drag their bodies off and hide 'em somewhere so they won't be seen (Splinter Cell stylee) - This bit was ludicrously annoying (though relatively easy to complete) - Every fibre in my FPS-playing body screamed "Wade in there with a high powered machine gun and blast the fuck out of everyone before they hit the alarm" but no, you had to do it the "stealth" way.

    At least other stealth games (well, one other I've played - Hitman 2) gave you the option to either be sneaky or just go in there like John Rainbow (in joke, play XIII and you'll know what I mean)

    Peej

  • krudster #26 8 years ago

    Yeah, John Rainbow indeed!

    And that bit you're talking about isn't strictly true Peej. Out of the five people you kill leading up to that bit, you only have to hide the last one, so it's not quite as anal as you're suggesting.

  • Abscido #27 8 years ago

    I would have given Halo 7/10 on the Xbox, myself.



    Wait, wait ..... I'm just kidding. Sheesh.
    Edited by 1 at 11/12/03 @ 12:27

  • pjmaybe #28 8 years ago

    "And that bit you're talking about isn't strictly true Peej. Out of the five people you kill leading up to that bit, you only have to hide the last one, so it's not quite as anal as you're suggesting. "

    Fair enough - I hid 'em all so I probably made it worse for myself. But stealth really does sucketh. To be fair to XIII it doesn't rear its ugly head too much but when it does, alas more often than not it's a case of some stupid AI bobmonkeyhouse setting off an alarm and it's game over, would so love to have seen the level carry on (even though an alert has been raised) so you at least had the chance to fight your way out of it. Sloppy design in an otherwise well put together game.

    Peej

  • krudster #29 8 years ago

    Personally I didn't have too many problems with the stealth sections, so long as I picked off the enemy at the right time.

    It seemed way more forgiving than traditional stealthy games in that even when they're radioing their alerts, there's still time to clobber them without them successfully raising the alarm - unlike, say SC, which can be unbearably exacting.

    Several times in XIII I goofed up then managed to successfully rescue the situation.

  • BartonFink #30 8 years ago

    Ghosthunter - "Because I suspect this will be getting the kicking of a lifetime..."

    Don't be so sure ;).
    Fairly sure this will get the good sound kicking it deserves.

  • Blerk #31 8 years ago

    suffice to say that it will be getting both a good kicking *and* a big hug

    Big hug: great graphics
    Good kicking: everything else is shite

    :-)

  • V0oD0o #32 8 years ago

    I enjoyed XIII, I didn't have a problem with the canyon at all.

    Every level there was something amazing to look at.

    A very good job by Ubisoft

    I played it on the PC, so I think the bit where you hid is a lot easier on th PC.

  • pjmaybe #33 8 years ago

    Just out of interest though, would anyone have touched this game if it wasn't cel shaded?

    Peej

  • groovychainsaw #34 8 years ago

    I don't think its JUST the cell shading though, it's the overall style, the music, the boxout killings help create a different atmosphere. ADmittedly though, it did strike me as very linear, and stealth can be a bit annoying (apart from in the thief games, which gave you a good chance to kill everybody).

  • pjmaybe #35 8 years ago

    I only asked because, aside from the cel shading and the comic stylings, the game could almost be the spitting image of Project IGI 1, even down to the choice of some weapons...

    Odd though, this game has generated a lot of excitement based on mostly its graphical style, yet when something similar was attempted with a racing game it pretty much bombed (see, I can't even remember the name of it, it was so pantsy)

    Peej

  • Malimbah #36 8 years ago

    Just out of interest though, would anyone have touched this game if it wasn't cel shaded?
    definitely 'coz I've got all the comic books of this serie ...and I love it
    So I am very curious about it !

  • Abscido #37 8 years ago

    "Just out of interest though, would anyone have touched this game if it wasn't cel shaded?"

    I'm beginning to think I'm the only person who didn't take to the cel-shading. XIII's whole style just makes it look dated, in my opinion. It's nice, certainly, but everything looks too edgy/blocky for my tastes, and the lack of decent lighting and other nifty effects were a detraction for me. Certain bits (the flashbacks in particular, and the 'dizzy' effect) complimented the style well, but all in all I'd have preferred a more realistic engine to go with the enjoyable storyline.

  • Tricky #38 8 years ago

    (see, I can't even remember the name of it, it was so pantsy)

    That'll be Auto Modellista then Peej. Soon to be released on X Box with the online play that was missing from the PS2 version here in Europe which might make it vaguely worth a perusal (shyeah right, what with all the PGR2 playing going on, it won't get a look in).

  • Tiger_Walts #39 8 years ago

    krudster
    11-Dec-03 11:16:25 Oh, there's loads more to come from us yet....Metal Arms, Secret Weapons Over Normandy, In Memorium, Breath Of Fire, Onimusha Tactics, Ghosthunter, Contract Jack, Mario Party 5, Cm 03/04, WRC 3...

    I was thinking of getting my sister In Memorium, it's just the kind of thing she'd like. I couldn't really justify the £30 price point though, I've already got her pressies anyway.

  • pjmaybe #40 8 years ago

    That's the kiddie, Tricky...Hmmm went down like a lead balloon over here didn't it.

    Still maintain there's only one game that cel shading worked well on and that's Jet Set Radio.

    Peej

  • redemption #41 8 years ago

    it's a beautiful game, probably not so if it ran at a 30 fps clip. i think the higher framerate helps the stunning presentation. i agree that the story is one of the driving factors.

    which brings me on to this story about a punk at gamefaqs.com, who managed to give the entire plot away within 40 characters of text in a topic title. in 15 years of gaming i have never had someone so negatively affect a game. teaches me to play with the 'tards in the 'tard playground. he got deleted, and by "he", i hopefully mean the chump himself.

    /1..2..3..4..5..6..

  • krudster #42 8 years ago

    Well done you.

  • bungalooBunny #43 8 years ago

    I quite liked the style - prolly without that wouldn't even think about getting it. Got a bit put off though when I saw about 10 used copies avaliable in a Game store - Just made me think 'already?!?'.

    Halo 2, Half-Life 2, Doom 3.. damn you all to hell having the release date postponed..
    Edited by 1 at 11/12/03 @ 16:06

  • markypants #44 8 years ago

    I don't think I'm going to buy it I mised all the 12 games before it... Do you need to have played I, II, III, IV, V ,VI, VII, VIII etc first, or can you get straight into it without having played all the other games?

    ~markypants~

  • pjmaybe #45 8 years ago

    "PS. Has anyone else heard about the ridiculously high amount of memory blocks needed for the Cube's Sim's Busting Out, 161 blocks. "

    Not played Animal Crossing yet then?!

    Peej

  • krudster #46 8 years ago

    The GoldenEye comparisons are pretty on the money, certainly in terms of atmosphere.

  • marilena #47 8 years ago

    So, am I the only one who thought the story was crap? Sure, as a whole, it's ok for a game, but there are some things that simply killed it for me. First, the beggining is such a Bourne Identity ripoff that Ludlum should definitely sue (if he's still alive, I have no idea). Then, there are the moments that simply destroy any suspension of desbelief you might have. For instance, in a level, you have to get to a general without alerting the guards, because they execute him. In the next level, though you haven't reached him yet, he doesn'y get killed if you raise the alarm. And then, after escorting him for an entire new level, thinking you're saving him against all odds, he suddenly has a sniper rifle. "Take this son, you might need it". WTF? He could have escaped whenever he wanted! Or the mission where you are supposed to find a fuse to make an electrical system, but you don't now that the electrical system doesn't work yet! I could go on and on, there are too many of those during the game. Also, I never felt overwhelmed by an ocult conspiration. Everything seems to be so clear all the time, even when you don't know the truth yet, that it doesn't matter. The surprises are not necesarily predictable, but aren't shocking enough either, and (I think) that's because the characters are too generic and you never get to care about any of them.

  • kingmob #48 8 years ago

    While I thoroughly enjoy the games style (10/10 for presentation) the gameplay soon left me feeling very bored.

    Generic FPS no.324325

  • krudster #49 8 years ago

    Hmm, the story's got holes in it, that's for sure, and the beginning is an obvious Bourne Identity rip off, but the very fact we're even here discussing it is a *start*. How many game stories can you even sodding well remember? At least this one actually registers.

    As for the generic FPS comment, I couldn't disagree more.

    Things like Chaser and Devastation and Unreal 2 and the like are generic. This is anything but generic. It may not be the *best* shooter ever made, but the atmosphere, music, voices and story just contribute to making it more enjoyable for me. XIII is one of those baffling games that is greater than the sum of its parts.

    Taking it apart, you can't quite figure out how it works, but it does.

  • krudster #50 8 years ago

    My full and frank aplogies. Fixed. To be fair to us, loads of reviews have misreported its Belgian origins, so we're not alone.

    I'm still playing this, if that's a good sign. On the very last bit...

  • krudster #51 8 years ago

    Not sure why the change didn't output, but it should be ok now.

    Finished the game yesterday afternoon, taking the total play time to about 20 hours. Time well spent despite a few spikes where I found the difficulty prohibitive. (The last boss is pretty rock, even with tons of health packs), and although on the face of it, yes, it's linear and pretty standard in many respects, something about it drove me on, kept me going.

    I think ultimately, that "something" is the atmosphere. The voiceovers, the music, the story all create a unique ambience that hooked me, and although I could rant on about, yes, the weapons are a bit bland, and yes, the AI is a bit dense at times, and yes, it's not that original, but I didn't especially mind. The game just worked for me. I think we're going to find that as time goes on we'll stop bleating so much about the mechanics being the same, and start differentiating games on how they make us feel - the emotions they provoke and the atmosphere they create.

    Of course, if you don't like the story, then there's not much for you here, but anyone curious about XIII should at least give it a try.

  • Ted Cuntablast #52 8 years ago

    play.com are doing this on Xbox for £17.99...

  • krudster #53 8 years ago

    For that money it'd be rude not to.

  • pjmaybe #54 8 years ago

    It's well worth a go at £17.99

    *SPOLIER* The last two levels are perfect examples of why stealth sucks in games. You sneak around trying to infiltrate a base, you're not allowed to kill anyone but can disable 'em, the place is filled with guards, cameras and you have to go around knocking the guards out, hiding the bodies before you're spotted - and when you're spotted, you've literally got microseconds to do something about it before a guard trips the alarm...

    I re-did that level UMPTEEN times but got there in the end, it was just SO BLOODY FRUSTRATING!

    Peej

  • krudster #55 8 years ago


    *partial spoiler, but also useful to know*

    Come on Peej, the last two levels weren't *that bad*.... In all seriousness, you don't actually have to hide a single body, you just have to know where the extra guards are going to appear and deal with them with a handy broom. Why did you bother? I can imagine these levels would be frustrating if you had to repeat those sections endlessly having to re-hide everyone, but you honestly don't.

    Seriously people, the stealth isn't as much of a factor in this game as everyone's making out. Compared to SC, this is like an arcade game. The enemies are quite thick, really, but it's way less frustrating as a result.

  • IronGiant #56 8 years ago

    Just finished this game and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.. after being really underwhelmed with the 1st couple of levels i got into the game and actually wanted to see it through to the end, always a good sign.. i'd agree totally with Krudster's comments in that the game just works as a whole, the atmosphere, style, graphics, music and crossbow bolts to the head all combine to make an excellent game. Well worth a pop.

  • Machiavel #57 8 years ago

    Back to £17.99 at Play.

    /confirms order

  • Stevas mkII #58 8 years ago

    Can anyone here confirm whether the Xbox allows you alter the set up of the joypad so that you move and strafe with the RIGHT thumbstick and aim with the left? I know the Cube version forces you to play it the cack-handed way (move with the left, aim with the right), but ever since Goldeneye I just can't play a console FPS unless I can use my left thumb to aim.
    Strangely, if it's a third person view I find I'm the exact opposite. Hey, that's being sinister for you.
    Edited by 1 at 11/02/04 @ 13:57

  • SharksInYourMouth #59 4 years ago

    You know looking several years back, I never found this game very difficult or frustrating at all.
    Don't see why it shouldn't get a 9/10

  • skunkfish #60 4 months ago

    Picked this up second hand a few years ago and never played it... Now I've given away my PS2 and my PS3 can't play it I may never get the chance :(