THE BORE
General => Video Game Bored => Topic started by: duckman2000 on May 09, 2008, 02:11:58 PM
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We've all seen the oh so pretty trailer, so here's a preview to go with it. Chris Faylor, that's "BuddyC", right?
As the character of Faith, players are tasked with smuggling sensitive information and materials without attracting the attention of what appears to be a totalitarian government. It's not about beating everyone up, or senselessly killing random civilians. Instead, it's all about trying to get from point A to point B as fast as possible, without getting caught.
Yet despite the numerous obstacles Faith faces--varying from pipe-filled rooftops to towering fences--all her acrobatics and fancy maneuvers, from wall-running to fence-hopping, are activated through two context-sensitive functions: up and down. Pull the up trigger as you run near a pipe and Faith'll leap over it. Pull the other trigger and she'll slide under it.
Obviously, Faith's arms and legs play an integral part in the whole presentation, and as such are constantly presented on-screen to help players keep their bearings. Appendages are fully rendered even when standing still. And before someone asks, because I know someone will, no, her cleavage does not obstruct your vision a la Trespasser.
Momentum plays a key part in the game, and that's where things start to get tricky. It's not enough to nail a jump or vault over the fence--you have to worry about the landing as well. A traditional touchdown has Faith planting her feet flat on the ground and losing a good deal of her momentum, which is no good when there's a squad of gun-toting soldiers chasing after you. But if you hold the down-trigger as the ground approaches, Faith will roll into the landing and maintain her speed.
It's an extremely simple mechanic, but one that hides a surprising amount of complexity. In my head, I started to look for the most efficient way to navigate the rooms and rooftops, running through the possible chains and combos--the very same mindset I've used countless times when approaching a Tony Hawk title.
http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=792