 |
Coming Soon > PlayStation Game Cheats > PlayStation Reviews > Staff Review | |
 |
 |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Setting
the Scene: The original Fighting Force sold by the barrel load. Personally I thought it was a great idea for a game that just failed to reach classical status. With quality graphics and addictive gameplay younger players seemed to be instantly drawn in, but as the levels moved on veteran gamers were crying 'déjà vu' as they began to experience more of the same thing. Fighting Force was no easy ride when the difficulty setting was cranked up high, while the two player mode proved excellent short term value. Surely all that's needed to provide a worthy sequel would be a few more more varying enemies (like the health recharging cyborgs and the electro firing security guards) and a slight modification in gameplay to hold interest during the later levels. The time has finally arrived. The sequel, intelligently titled... Fighting Force 2, has done away with dual fighting mode and tries desperately to become yet another single player action shooter. Let's check out the storyline.... An artificial lifeform, genetically modified to survive in any environment, fight without conscience and obey without question. Completely reliable and totally expendable: the world's first synthetic soldier - a human clone designed for a single purpose. The military's definition of scientific warfare. Immoral, unethical, mercenary...and illegal. But anything that can give a corporation the edge can always be sold to the highest bidder... and who knows what goes on behind closed doors? Created to combat the rising tide of international corporate crime, the State Intelligence Police (SI-COPS) have a few concerns about the Nackamichi Corporation. With enough evidence to authorize a covertly funded program, they're ready to send in a mercenary of their own to investigate illegal trade in biotechnology and cloning at the global giant's various development facilities. The mission: to seek out and erase sensitive project data, desist experimental development and eliminate key personnel. The perks: global travel, hi-tech gadgetry, large expenses budget and a credible cover story. The drawback: Black Book classification. Screw up and you're on your own. SICOPS contract Hawk Manson - a known operative capable of delivering the knockout punch. Fighting Force 2's brand new engine combines elements of stealth, strategy and interaction. The fighting part is up to you - but the successful negotiation of complex R&D facilities requires a lot more than muscle-power this time. Whether you're stealing blueprints, observing experiments, transmitting data or simply tracking down escaped mutants, you'll be left in no doubt that for your every action there will be an equal and opposite reaction. The outcome depends on your chosen tactics - whether you lie in wait or choose a storming assault, improvisation and foresight are key to the success of this mission... and your own survival. Sound and Vision: The story is presented in what these days seems to be the customary standard for game openings. My, how things have improved over the past few years. No sooner has the CG intro rolled to a close when Hawk is shown leaping from a helicopter, onto a moving train and then disembarking at an underground rail station. Game on! Viewed from the third person perspective the camera tracks Hawk from a safe distance. He seems fairly responsive when moving around the set and similar to the last game his moves include jumping, punching, kicking or select a weapon and firing it. A shoulder button is also configured to switch to an almost first person mode for more accurate shooting. The interactive scenery once again is to be an integral part of the gameplay. Almost everything on the set can be destroyed to reveal weapons and power-ups. Smashing crates quickly unveils a shotgun, Uzi and a couple of grenade, with many of the hand weapons having an infra-red mechanism to aid accurate targeting. Explosions have been well handled as they light up the surrounding area with an almighty flash. Anyone too close to the point of detonation will be hurled back by the blast, crashing into anything or anyone who happens to have been standing behind you. This can greatly reduce Hawk's health, which is displayed permanently at the top of the screen. Apart from filling enemies full of lead they may also be confronted using hand-to-hand combat. Each strike on your opponent will see blood spurt in the air while performing a special attack shows a light blue trail to give the effect of speed. I must admit to being a little confused as the original 3D game-engine that gave us those gorgeous visuals appears to have been scrapped when all that was required was a few fine tweaks. In it's place is a brand new engine that promises amazing visuals and advanced special effects negotiated through R&D facilities. Don't get me wrong the results are impressive... it's only that the graphics have lost that unique realistic appearance and now look similar to many other arcade shooters. Click HERE To read more of this Review... |