The Conspiracy

There has been no shortage of FPS action games this year and XIII seeks to carve its place into this bloody genre. Based on a French graphic novel, XIII uses these visual roots as the foundation for its style. With some interesting game play features, the voice talents of David Duchovny, Adam West, and Eve; will these combined elements be enough to make XIII your lucky number?

A Twisted Tale of Deceit

XIII tells the story of a conspiracy that involves 20 men who, like the classic song by Johnny Rivers, have had their names exchanged for numbers. You start the game in the typical fashion of most students, awaking incoherent with no memory of the night before stretched out bleeding on a beach. Luckily, a bay watch babe comes to your rescue and takes you to a medical hut. Unfortunately her silicone-enhanced sexiness gets riddled with bullets five minutes into the game and government goons are hungry for your blood. This ushers in the beginning of your epic killing spree to discover who you are, who wants to kill you, and why.

The story progresses with pre rendered cut scenes between levels presented in animated comic panels that really add flare to the presentation. Within the game certain effects trigger "flashbacks" that provide clues to your past and identity. This little story device goes a long way in establishing the recovering amnesiac angle. It's these story elements that are XIII's greatest strengths, but unfortunately we can't simply judge based on story alone.

The game gets its inspiration from a French graphic novel of the same name. The story remains largely unchanged though the game doesn't cover the entire scope of the conspiracy. If you've got a French tongue then I strongly recommend you go check out the novel's web site at http://www.treize.com/. Not only is it laid with much of the same visual style of the game, but it also has you collect points by answering XIII trivia that unlocks content.


Getting a Handle on the Action

This FPS borrows from the tried and true control scheme of Halo offering novice and pinpoint styles. Using the Left analogue for movement and the right for looking the controls are easy to pick up. One element the controls lack is the ability to lean around corners. Typically most FPS's wouldn't require this, but XIII has various levels where stealth is required to accomplish the mission. While your character is capable of literally seeing enemy footsteps behind walls (this 'sixth sense' is one of the many skills you acquire as you discover your true identity throughout the course of the game) - it would still have been useful to not overly expose yourself and effectively use cover found in the environments. Though your super spy talents don't stop there and will be covered later for your eyes only.

The Comic Look

The visual style has some rather creative ways at approaching the genre besides its cell shaded market ploy. Nailing enemy goons in the head brings up a short comic strip at the top of the screen relaying your gore-rif-ic kill in panel format. The sound effects are not only heard but scene ala comic style BAOOMS and TATATATs. One of the most useful elements of these visual sounds is the ability to see enemy movements behind walls, so before you open that door you'll know whose name to write on what bullet. Note: The PS2 version of the game falls behind the other platforms in this department. While the Xbox allows for animated comic strip kill shots, the PS2 merely provides three still images. This little flavor takes a lot of the spice out of the game. Not to mention some of the environment and models are not as crisp.

The end level cut sequences are presented in the previously mentioned animated graphic novel panels that strongly support this comic look. Watching these sequences provides enough incentive to run through the lack luster levels just to see what happens next.

This theme even carries over to the shell screens of the game that adds to this strong artistic style. Every attention to detail in regards to conveying the look and feel of the XIII universe has been given to the interface yet the game itself seems to be missing the same flare.


Levels of Mediocrity

The design of the levels leaves something to be desired. While you'll find yourself hopping the globe to meet new people and kill them in stylish ways, the environments are typically small forcing you along a linear track. Some of these locals include the seedy street of New York, a frozen winter land, sun-parched deserts, and of course a multitude of military bases. The indoor environments are often blocky and bland though the out door scenery was quite nice. The animated textures of the wind running across snow and the deserts harsh cracked landscape do a lot in providing atmosphere. Unfortunately due to the linear track the levels keep you on they'll feel more like walled in nature trails. On a positive note, the length of the missions sets a quick pace, so you'll never find yourself milling around one area for too long and thankfully there are checkpoints dispersed generously within them to save your joystick some abuse.

While the levels try to offer different objectives they merely boil down to getting from point A to point B. Within them you'll find yourself escorting allies, planting bombs, infiltrating areas, stealing items, or just plain racking up a body count. Mainly these simmer down to levels of frustration, especially the stealth missions in which guards were able to spot me from across a camp, at night, while I crouched beside a box. In addition to their eagle eyes many of them possessed the uncanny ability to shoot me while pointing in the opposite direction. One die-hard grunt even rammed his rifle through his stomach to shoot me as I approached from behind. These glitches in the AI made sneaking difficult to say the least.

Skills of a Killer

XIII supplies you a variety of options when dispatching your enemies. 14 weapons offer up their destructive capabilities from throwing knives, sub machine guns, sniper rifles, and rocket launchers. In addition to the weapons, XIII also makes use of some hand-to-hand skills that can be employed if your shoes don't squeak while sneaking up on enemies. You'll be able to grab human body shields, snap necks, and deliver a KO judo blow.

In addition to these traditional weapons you can also use everyday objects to knock the silly out of military fools. Why pepper that guard with your assault rifle when you can pick up that chair and blast him over the head with it? While using everyday objects adds some interesting tactical advantages, such as knocking out innocents who get in your way, using an ashtray against troops with automatic weapons is more hazardous than smoking. What would a super assassin be without his grappling hook? Well XIII makes good on this by providing you with one of these handy lil gadgets along with some lock picks to get into those hard to reach places.

In addition to the tools of the trade you'll also gain the skills necessary to maximize your lethal potential. This is done by finding secret files throughout the levels that allow you to unlock specified skills. These skills include holding your breath under water, detecting enemies, and knowing how to effectively use medical kits. While these skills add some depth to the game play they're set up in a linear fashion so you'll gain certain skills at specific levels. This helps convey the fact that you have to relearn these abilities that you have lost with your amnesia. Though more replay value could have been implemented if the player could somehow choose what to remember first. Maybe using guns more often than stealth could produce those traits sooner and vice versa? Just a thought. This would allow players to attempt missions again with various abilities.

The Sound of Betrayal

The audio in the game has its high and low points. The jazzy music helps the fast paced action and the environment sounds set the mood of the level. The gun effects are a little light on the base but over all convey their caliber. The most notable sound that throws the game out of whack is David Duchovny. Understandably, who else would the developers want to portray a character caught up in a massive government conspiracy? Yet, David's voice just doesn't match the tone of the character. Some may argue that David's character underwent surgery to look like a grizzled assassin, but his voice doesn't carry the soul of someone who is capable of shooting a bolt through a sniper's eye at 150 yards. Of course the head of the FBI anti-terrorist organization, Amos, takes the cake with his high-pitched nasal yammering that makes you want to rip off his remaining arm and ram it down his windpipe.

Invite your Friends for some Mundane Mayhem

The multiplayer portion of XIII seems to have been added as an afterthought rather than a fleshed out part of the game. All the standards are found here including death match, team death match and capture the flag. Some unique multiplayer modes are Power Up in which players who cant hit the broad side of a missile silo are awarded with powerful bonuses so they can compete with their coordinated friends and The Hunt which requires player to chase a target and shoot it, the more damage done the smaller the target gets.

Case Closed

XIII attempts to offer a stylish FPS shooter that incorporates some creative elements to this genre. Unfortunately the level design, poor AI, and lack luster incorporation of these elements keeps it from standing above the rest. The cell-shaded style really adds to the games comic feel, but this style is becoming over used and is losing its luster. Lack of replayablity, light multi player, and mediocre action leaves XIII as a reasonable rent, but buying the game would be like taking a bullet to the head.


Gameplay 6 Intuitive controls, short levels that keep the pace moving, and some multiplayer modes add enough excitement for about a weekend.

Graphics 7 While this cell-shaded shooter is stylish and makes good use of its comic book roots the style is losing the coolness factor.

Sound 6 While my girlfriend fawned over David's sultry tone he just didn't fit the bill of a grizzled killing machine. Though it was great to run around with Adam West schooling mercenaries with our bat like reflexes.

Value 5 The innovative elements of the game are consumed in a conspiracy of commonality.