Wow, look at all 'dem perdy colors
We all remember the game Descent...right? Well, for those who were living
in a cave during that period of time, here's a little refresher course. The
game was similar to the ever-so-popular 3D shooters of the time, only it used
fuller, "360 degree" movements in all directions.
Well, Forsaken, Acclaim's newest, is extremely similar to descent,
involving a bunch of spaceships in zero-gravity battling throughout small corridors.
The game does deliver breathtaking graphics as well as enjoyable multiplayer
support.
Unlike Descent, one area where Forsaken seems to slack off is
in its sketchy story. Basically, you're a bounty hunter, battling it out in
a post apocalyptic setting, trying to loot this destroyed world. Oh yeah, there's
also government vehicles trying to kill you and the other looters. It almost
feels as if the story was written around the game, as opposed to the game being
developed around the story. It's as if one developer said to another: "Hey,
we've got this sweet looking game all ready to go, I think we need a story or
something, right?" Then the other said, "Uhh, ok. How about if the world was
destroyed and a bunch of things are trying to kill you?" Basically, it's hard
to tie in the story to actual game when playing.
While the story is nothing to get excited about, the graphics are. Forsaken
is the perfect game to prove to your parent/child/significant other that the
$2000 you just spent into upgrading your system was worth it. Those running
on a D3D compatible board will be dazzled by highly detailed objects (all vehicles
are rendered extremely well, are well detailed and have great textures), awesome
lighting and other visual effects. Just take it from me, Forsaken's accelerated
graphics will catch the attention of anyone passing by.
There are some lesser aspects of the game, visually speaking. All the levels
feel enclosed and most of the textures have a bland, blocky, square-ish feel.
In other words, the levels have simple designs and a low polygon count (there
are minimal curved surfaces). On the flip side, Forsaken runs at awesome
speeds, especially for those with D3D acceleration. All in all, the visual effects
should keep your average gamer slack-jawed and drooling.
The
music is also very well done. The CD is packed with awesome, techno and jungle
beat songs; the perfect compliment for the high-speed action of Forsaken.
The actual playing and controlling of the game is more complex than what the
average 3D gamer is used to. The free movement in all directions ads an extra
element for dodging and evading. Rookie players might need a bit of time to
get used to the controls, which involve strafing horizontally, vertically, accelerating
forward and backward, and rotating along the x, y and z axis's.
Those of you who find Quake 2 a bit dizzying will
be made perfectly nauseous by Forsaken. The constant, fast paced, omni-directional
motion can make you long for the simple, steady comfort of a roller coaster
ride. Even those of you with rock-steady inner ears may want to avoid large
meals before playing (at least until you get used to it).
As mentioned before, the story does a poor job tying different levels of the
single player together. Even with this absence, single player is fun at first,
but some stages can grow tiring due to the fact that many levels have a similar
appearance. The 'puzzles', for the most part, are just very simple tasks such
as opening doors, pushing buttons, acquiring keys and opening portals.
The Multiplayer support, is great. Forsaken comes with a couple of
popular multiplayer modes, including the average free-for-all, capture the flag,
flag chase(only one flag), bounty hunt (find gold bars), and team bounty hunt.
Basically, those players who couldn't find their niche in single player, should
find it playing multiplayer, easily accessible over the net.
Forsaken is a solid 3D action game for your more-talented-than-average
gamer. While the story is a bit irrelevant, the impressive graphics and good
single and multiplayer support should help get your money's worth.
-One last thing...I loved the gratuitously included calendar of the Forsaken
girl :)
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