XIII isn't just a roman numeral to me after playing this exciting first-person shooter, but instead the name of a secret agent who wakes up on a beach with amnesia and slowly starts to realize he is a killer. This is the first cell-shaded game I have ever played, and I must admit that Ubisoft did a fine job combining mystery and comic books with intense game play.
As the character XIII, you must find out who you are and what you are doing there, and decipher the weird dream sequences from days past. You don't know what characters you are going to meet, or which side they are on.
The environments that you run into in XIII are so greatly detailed and interactive that you can shoot your enemies off of cliffs.
Some levels have areas that don't appear to lead to anywhere in particular, but this is one of the best aspects of the game. You actually have to search around these levels to find your way through the game.
Usually, in other games in this genre, you run through levels as fast as possible and kill everything in sight. If you do choose to run through this game, killing everything in sight, you won't have any problems with weapon choices. Your character even has the ability to pick up chairs and bottles and use them to smash enemies' heads if you don't want to kill your enemies or are told not to do so.
My personal favorite out of the 15 possible weapons has to be the assault rifle with a built-in grenade launcher, which can kill a bunch of nasties at once when they're running after you. You can also choose between throwing knives and shooting shotguns or pistols of all kinds of calibers. Hint: Make sure that you use the correct weapon for each occasion. For example, do not use the shotgun when you are sneaking up on people. Other enemies will notice you and set off an alarm.
What sets this game far apart from other first-person shooters is how the movies are done. This game is based on a popular comic book, and the creators embraced the idea with this game. For example, if you kill someone with a clean headshot, small frames will appear in the top of the screen showing blood spraying out of the character and across the landscape. Comic book text appears, showing emotions of death. This is one of the best things about this game.
You get to zoom in on the death scene, which is cool. Additionally, the game uses comic book lettering reminiscent of the old "Batman" TV show with Adam West. When a grenade explodes and blows up an enemy, words like "BOOM" and "BANG" appear. This aspect of the game reinforces the comic book theme and reminds me of my love of comic books as a child.
Overall, this game is excellent. If you're already a huge fan of first-person shooters, and even if you aren't, buy XIII. Ubisoft has struck gold with this groundbreaking game. I give it an A+ and suggest that you buy it.
Don't tell your mom I suggested it, though. This game is rated Mature.
Reach the reporter at matthew.hinshaw@asu.edu.
