09.19
style
Adams wants more power, and seeks to exploit an alien race's abilities to get it. Ford must stop him. The concept isn't exactly complicated by any means, despite a couple twists, and both Ford and Adams never evolve beyond a very generic hero/villain dynamic. In other words, you're here for the action.
Sarcastic in-game banter between Ford and his mentor Prometheus does give the game a bit of humor that is missing from some FPS games. The developers' also frequently insert nerdy, insider jokes about gaming design and even pop culture in general, reminding you not to take a game about presidential conspiracies and alien invasions too seriously. That won't stop you from groaning at some awkward dialogue, dull plot developments, and a truly "WTF" ending, but it helps.
The art direction in Conduit 2 is truly excellent, and the chase between Ford and Adams will take you from the stunning caverns of China to snowy Siberian hills. The game's brevity is the only thing holding back more diversity, it would seem, which is unfortunate since one of the most thrilling parts about Conduit 2 is seeing what the artists think of next. Creature design is generally well done, though you'll start to feel like you're fighting the same guys even though they look slightly different.
Particularly annoying is High Voltage Software's obsession with small, ankle-biter enemies that swarm you and more or less require a physical beating to defeat. If you're playing with a Wii Remote, you're going to get annoyed because doing melee attacks isn't all that convenient. Though a slight push forward with the remote will cause Ford to swing his rifle, it's tough to do so without causing your aiming reticule to move. Those of you used to running, gunning and hitting might be a bit disappointed.
While the locales you're fighting in feel fresh and creative, the actual game progression isn't quite so fortunate. The designers deserve an immense amount of credit for keeping things moving and allowing you to find your way through levels reasonably fast. Barring searches for various bonus items that can earn you unlockable items or cash for the in-game store, you'll always either know exactly where to go or find your way reasonably fast. But the vast majority of your time in this game is spent doing the same thing. Hit the switch, blow something up, get to the cutscene. This is a complaint that could be leveled at many FPS games, so it's not as though Conduit 2 is alone in this regard, but the lack of variety does make things feel generic at times.
What's most disappointing is that the game does feature a cool, on-rails shooting sequence towards the very end that made me wonder why we didn't see more like it -- and earlier. You will also certainly remember the boss fights -- particularly the game's first one, which is thrown at you earlier than you might expect. They're big, they're epic, and they're a lot of fun. More, please.
Control has always been one of Conduit's strengths. High Voltage Software, unlike many developers, actually understands Wii's capabilities and has created a FPS game that takes those functions into account. What's important to note here is that the game features more customization than most shooting games, particularly those not on a PC. A whole range of options, from turning speed to button layout to the way the game reacts to your reticule movement, mean you can find a way of playing that makes sense to you - if you're patient. The truth of the matter is that it can take a lot of tweaking to make this game start to feel like home. If you don't like the defaults, you might be searching for a happy medium for a while.
When all else fails, plug in the Classic Controller Pro. In doing so I found I was giving up a great deal of accuracy for control scheme familiarity, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. When dealing with the aforementioned ankle-biters, this was a welcome sacrifice. A firefight meant switching back to the Wii Remote for precise headshots and the invaluable target-locking function, which gives you some level of assistance in aiming.
The single-player portion of Conduit 2 is certainly an uneven experience. The story is lacking while the interaction between some (not all) of the characters is quite entertaining. The gameplay, while action-packed and viscerally entertaining, lacks the diversity and creativity that Wii games so desperately need to stand out from the pack. Conduit 2 is fun, but it's not going to blow you away. Adding in the multiplayer, however, changes the equation considerably.
In some ways, the multiplayer parallels the single player experience. It's not reinventing the wheel, and it will feel familiar. But that doesn't change the fact that it plays well and that it's fun. There are over a dozen stages and a dozen modes for up to twelve players to play through, online. If you have enough friends or rivals, you can set up private matches with a variety of customized options. High Voltage has also thought of those looking to play with friends at home. Conduit's split-screen mode will not only allow for competitive battles but features "Invasion" mode, which is your now-standard "fight waves of enemies" mode.
My time with Conduit 2's online mode was reasonably smooth. While the frame rate isn't perfect, it's actually better in some ways than the single-player experience. During the campaign, the action would radically shift from silky smooth to choppy depending on what was happening on-screen. Multiplayer tends to be a more stable affair.
Whether playing online with friends or by yourself in the story mode, Conduit 2 features the ability to customize your character to suit your play style. This doesn't just apply to visual characteristics, but upgrades and power-ups as well. Weapons, armor, the ability to resist types of damage or hold more ammo can all be purchased through an in-game currency. Players can earn this cash by completing the main game or competing online. Certainly there is a lot of incentive and replay value built in to this game, and that's beyond simply fighting opponents.
Closing Comments
Conduit 2 is a worthy addition to the Wii library, and it’s worth playing for its visuals alone. The fact that gameplay and control operate as well as they do speaks volumes for the talent at High Voltage Software. The problem with Conduit 2 is that it never breaks away from doing what other first-person shooting games have done. It’s not telling the most original story, the action doesn’t feature much diversity, and you’re not going to care about the characters. But if you want action, and you want a strong multiplayer title to fire up and explore, you’ve got a winner here.
by: Richard George
Posted in: Shooter
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar