XIII

Rating:
Summary: Avoid, No Save Game
Review: 1) Although the plotting and action play in this game is not bad, the lack of a save game severely hurts this game. If you mess up, you get sent back to the beginning of the chapter, LONG cutscenes and all.

2) There are lots of sneak missions (too many in my opinion).

3) The cartoon/comic book portrayal can't carry the game and detracts from atmosphere and plot.

It has it's moments, but I got it on sale for $9. I don't recommend you pay more.

Rating:
Summary: Someone at UBI smoked a DUBI
Review: Alright....the game is a lot of fun. The graphics, however, are convuluted. Yes, the cel-shading aspect has its' merit. But, it really adds very little to the game. You tend to 'look-around' the cartoon graphics after the first 5 or 6 levels. The, it just feels like every other FPS with a shiny new wrapper. Not that that's all bad, though. After the openning sequence you begin to realize that, not only does David Duchovney star in this game, so does ADAM WEST (you know,the original BATMAN!). There are even more surprises that i think a gamer would rather discover on his/her own. Now, back to the graphics. This program runs on the UNREAL engine. That gives it framerate goodness. But, due to the new approach i guess, this is a CPU HOG! Never mind the minimum requirements on the box, you really do need the recommended specs here. The sounds are from fair to very good. Musically this is very nice. But, the sound effect overlays sound like they were done in a tin can. But, be warned, if you have a small child (like myself) you are not allowed ( as the law says you ARE ) to make even one working backup of this game. Ubisoft seems to think that noone has the right to do this. EVERYONE has the LEGAL right to do this. They spend 10s' of thousands of dollars creating a 'special' copy protection that disallows anyone a working backup. Unreasonable. Other than having to keep my discs on top of the refrigerator, this game is good fun, with a nice dash of hollywood. As the ending seems to tell us, there will be a sequel. One word of advice, UBISOFT, cut out the incredible overflow of BLURRY sequences. In cel-shading those sequences become headache inducing after a short while. And, there are occasions where this concept is way overdone.

Rating:
Summary: XIII is worthy of your look, fan of the comic or not...
Review: Aside from the guy whom couldn't spell "review" correctly, most folks will appreciate XIII as a FPS game that brings something fresh to the table of a "been there - done that" genre. X-Play (a game review cable show on TechTV) was correct for its enthusiastic accolade for this game.

Give XIII a chance. Enjoy a good game, and support developers that attempt to breathe new life into a stale market.

Rating:
Summary: THIS IS A WARNING!!!!!!
Review: DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT buy this game for your PC. It is marked down for a reason. This game is causing all kinds of problems on many systems; go to UBISOFT.COM and read the PC forums. You will find many people are in the same boat. If you have a CDRW drive the game will not even install properly. Even when I did get it to work (it was beautiful by the way) it froze my entire system and my computer is not even a year old. I have a GEFORCE 4 card with updated drivers and it still crashed. Save yourself the headache and get it for a gaming platform like XBOX; you spend a few extra bucks but it is worth it. I couldn't return my copy so I sold it to some kid. You have been warned!

Rating:
Summary: UBI Soft violates fair use
Review: Don't buy this game if you want to make a backup copy before you play. The game appears to use an extreme form of copy protection known as Tages. It will appear that you have made a clean copy, but when you play the game, it will crash, or the mouse will slowly die during gameplay, giving you only a minute of movement before your character locks up.

To top it off, the game forces you to put the original CD in the drive every time you play, and you have to constantly switch between the discs, thereby increasing your chances of scratching one of the CDs. Without a backup copy, this quickly becomes a serious issue.

There are also problems with the game if you have CD drive emulation software, CD burning software, and/or a CD-R/RW drive. The game searches for these items and, if you have them, can crash out, thinking that you are some sort of software pirate. I personally have Alcohol 120% on my system. It allows me (usually) to make a backup image of a CD, store it on my hard drive, then simply play the game from the CD image, without ever touching my original CDs again. XIII would not install on my computer with Alcohol 120%.

On the plus side, this game is beautiful to look at, but the novelty of the graphics soon wear off, and the game is just another FPS underneath. In my opinion, the storyline was dull. I'm a huge fan of the X-Files, but David Duchovny was not a good choice for the narration of the main character. The action is very static, and the AI is limited.

I think that this game is worth maybe $25, as it's a rather mundane FPS, but it's still worth owning, once UBI Soft realizes that they can't keep screwing customers over by violating our right to make back up copies of the game. I understand the need for UBI Soft to protect their intellectual property, but this is not the right way. There needs to be a way that the developers and the consumers can both be pleased with the fair use of software. Tages is not the answer.

Rating:
Summary: Boring and Repetitive
Review: First I wish there was an option on Amazon to give the game zero out of five stars. I saw this game previewed on Xplay on tech TV and they raved about it and said how cool it was and how great the graphics are. I hate to break it to them but they need to get some better game testers, there revue was horrible. Unless you are a died in the wool first person shooter maniac then this game is not for you. The Graphics are so so, There are many problems with co-planer polygons in the levels. The character animation is almost un-watchable, and what makes the game even worse is the story line. It is unimaginative and boring. The physics are horrible as well, the bullet accuracy is pathetic and the weapon choices are extremely limited. But you haven't even heard the worst part yet, most first person shooter games saving grace are the online multiplayer options they include. The online play of Thirteen XII is unbearable. The levels are small and the player limits are 6 to a game. To sum up this revue, you would be better off digging up that old copy of Duke Nukem 3d you have in the basement and playing that. This game was a giant disappointment.

Rating:
Summary: "XIII"
Review: First person shooters are a dime a dozen, and more often than not any one plays much like another. Games in this genre are only rarely groundbreaking. "XIII" does not buck this trend, but it does provide a visual style that is undeniably unique. The game, which is based on a popular French comic book, wisely decides to embrace its origins. From the cel-shaded visuals to the comic-like cinematics, "XIII" definitely differentiates itself in the visual department. In the realm of gameplay, however, it's rather standard fare.

You step into the boots of number XIII, an amnesiac who washes up half-dead on a beach. From there, it's up to you to piece the plot together as you work your way through the game. Because it's a conspiracy theory, it gradually becomes more and more clear what is supposedly going on around you, and of course there are some twists on what you initially perceive. Even so, the story is a little thin, and it's ultimately pretty disappointing. The presentation, on the other hand, is remarkable in some ways. For instance, you will occasionally experience interactive flashbacks. These black-and-white storytelling segments are seamlessly integrated into the gameplay, and really pack a nice cinematic punch. The cel-shaded graphics, speech bubbles, and picture-in-picture windows certainly add the right comic book flavor to the proceedings, but the game's irritating soundtrack and sloppy voice work do hamper the overall presentation. Yes, David Duchovny is on hand to voice XIII, but the character has so little to say that the actor is painfully underused. The rest of the game's acting is too over-the-top, even when the style of the game is considered.

One thing "XIII" has is style. The graphical approach of the game truly sets it apart, and despite some minor problems you won't find yourself mistaking it for anything else on the market. It's a slick design, though I think at times the level engineers and texture artists used the cel-shaded graphics to promote a touch of laziness. Even when the visuals are at their worst, though, you will never feel ripped from the comic-inspired universe, which is superbly consistent.

The game generally relies on a shoot-anything-that-moves philosophy, and the action is decent enough. It's nothing to write home about per se, but it works. Strangely, the game's best weapons aren't available save in a few select levels (most of which rely on a more stealthy approach). The sniper crossbow is hugely gratifying, and well-placed throwing knives can elicit some glee as well. A harpoon gun makes a cool appearance in just ONE of the game's levels, and the rest of your arsenal is entirely unremarkable. Cue the usual suspects: pistol, uzi (called a "minigun" here, for some reason), rocket launcher, shotgun, et cetera, et cetera. These more conventional weapons provide unsurprisingly conventional action, and don't quite pack the punch that they should. It's easy to shoot an enemy in the head several times before he drops to the ground and dies.

In terms of level design, "XIII" is far from brilliant. The very linearity of the levels can be distressing at times, and often you'll feel like you're playing a "rail shooter" simply because you're being shoved by the game's designers in one given direction without any opportunity to stray or any incentive to explore. On the plus side, it's very straightforward, so you'll never get lost or reach an impasse. Outdoor levels are probably the coolest in "XIII," and pack the strongest visual punch. Indoor locales are clichéd and considerably less impressive. Note to game designers working on a first person shooter: hold the factory levels filled with wooden crates, as we gamers do not want them! Thanks.

"XIII" employs a practically unforgivable save game system. Though it appears as though you can save your game at any given time (as we PC gamers expect), it's nothing but an illusion. Loading said saved games takes you right back to the beginning of the level, no matter where you last saved. Worse, the game has no autosave feature, which might spell trouble for less paranoid first person shootists. These faults make "XIII" needlessly frustrating at times - particularly in stealth missions, which will ultimately require some trial and error since you can't experiment freely without risk of dying, getting caught, and ultimately starting the level from the beginning. I assume this problem stems from the game's multi-platform release, but it's just unacceptable.

"XIII" is not a long game either, and experienced gamers will probably breeze through it. Given the game's linear nature, there's little replay value to be had. Despite some serious flaws, though, "XIII" is a good game, atmospheric enough that, cosmetically at least, it stands out from the pack. It might be wise to let it go down in price a little before picking up a copy, but most shooter fans will find something to enjoy here provided they don't enter into the experience with inflated expectations.

Final Score: B

Rating:
Summary: Above average first-person shooter
Review: For once, a game you can beat without using cheat codes! I'm a huge fan of the first-person shooters and when I heard of this game's release, I was skeptical. The cell-shaded shooter is a one-of-a-kind idea and is implemented to perfection. Multiplayer capabilities make LAN parties fun again! The storyboards are creative and entertaining, but too many questions remain unanswered at the conclusion of the game. Perhaps they are setting up the sequal.

Not THE best game I've ever played, but definitely up in my top 15 of all time. Who doesn't love using the sniper rifle? And the rocket launcher is a blast! Grab your Belkin Speedpad and get shooting!

Rating:
Summary: unique looking, solid FPS
Review: I admit, I've only played the demo, but this game is awesome from what I've played. It feels and plays out like a mix of Goldeneye 007 and No Ones Lives Forever (sweet!).

Pros:
-comic book cel-shaded graphics and comic panels (very creative)
-using objects as weapons (you can take out guards by smashing chairs and bottles over them, AWESOME)
-soundtrack (its very jazzy and upbeat, and it often helps you out in the stealth missions, speeding up when you are seen by guards)
-very challenging (a guard with a machine gun can easily shoot half of your health away within several seconds)
-awesome diversity of thugs in the first mission, I always hate it in games when there are only two or three different enemy charater models, in the first mission there was only one character model repeated twice, and there was even a black thug! (mean though how he's like the first guy you kill....)

Cons:
-crappy gun sound effects
-very challenging
-hard to kill guards except w/ headshots and chairs
-no midlevel save
-pretty violent (lots of gore and the comic book pop-ups of enemy deaths, but since most comic books are very violent....)

All in all, I'd say that if you like FPS games, definately get this, but it is quite violent , so if you don't like violent games , don't get it.

Rating:
Summary: unique looking, solid FPS
Review: I admit, I've only played the demo, but this game is awesome from what I've played. It feels and plays out like a mix of Goldeneye 007 and No Ones Lives Forever (sweet!).

Pros:
-comic book cel-shaded graphics and comic panels (very creative)
-using objects as weapons (you can take out guards by smashing chairs and bottles over them, AWESOME)
-soundtrack (its very jazzy and upbeat, and it often helps you out in the stealth missions, speeding up when you are seen by guards)
-very challenging (a guard with a machine gun can easily shoot half of your health away within several seconds)
-awesome diversity of thugs in the first mission, I always hate it in games when there are only two or three different enemy charater models, in the first mission there was only one character model repeated twice, and there was even a black thug! (mean though how he's like the first guy you kill....)

Cons:
-crappy gun sound effects
-very challenging
-hard to kill guards except w/ headshots and chairs
-no midlevel save
-pretty violent (lots of gore and the comic book pop-ups of enemy deaths, but since most comic books are very violent....)

All in all, I'd say that if you like FPS games, definately get this, but it is quite violent , so if you don't like violent games , don't get it.