Scot wakes up on the beach with no recollection of who he is, how he got there or where his trousers are. The same is true of XIII, well…aside from the trousers thing.
You'd be forgiven for being slightly apprehensive about the success of XIII. After all, cel-shaded games haven't really been popular with the general gaming public, and the ringing in my ears due to the uproar surrounding the change of visual style in the new Zelda game still rattles my brain, even this far on. The problem with cel-shading is that most people don't see it as much more than a simple gimmick, one to hook people in and have them rave about how great it all looks.
So developers take note - XIII is a prime example of how cel-shading should be carried out.
You start the game washed up on a beach with absolutely no recollection of who you are, what you're doing and why there's a bullet-sized hole in your head. After being led to shelter by a bikini-clad passer-by, you're quickly under fire again from people who were obviously unhappy to hear that the bullet in your head didn't do its job correctly. Details are scarce at this point, and with any good conspiracy story, many twists and plot revelations await you as you venture deeper into the game.
So, our man battles on, and in the first mission we're immediately given a glimpse of the tremendous ride we're about to venture on. Struggling to our feet, we immediately accustom ourselves with a 9mm and take out two men surrounding the house. Once outside the house, it's an adrenaline-filled few minutes as we race to the exit, encountering forces ready to lodge another bullet in your brain. This opening level will only take you a couple of minutes to complete, but it's a perfect starting point for a game that never stops giving all it has to offer.
You see, while XIII doesn't particularly break much new ground, it does offer a new look on the genre. It's refreshing at last to finally walk through a first-person shooter without it reeking of old, musty Halo remains. XIII certainly brings new ideas to the table, yet doesn't forgo traditional FPS heritage. Most things you see in XIII have been done before, just not with this sense of chic. Cut-scenes throughout the game are all presented with the utmost quality, while the in-game visuals are perhaps some of the most stylish seen since…well…anything.
As thick and fast as the action comes, XIII doesn't hide the fact that it is, in essence, an action-stealth title. XIII is blessed with the ability to see enemy footsteps through capitalising on the onomatopoeic effect that accompanies them. By waiting behind corners, you'll be able to predict enemy patrols and get a feel for when the best time to strike is. By interacting with certain objects in the environment you can sneak from behind and knock them out. For instance, a harmless chair or ashtray can be used as a weapon for laying out a security guard.
Taking out an enemy stealthily rewards you with a special, three-pane comic book effect at the top of the screen, displaying "before and after" shots from when the bullet left your gun and emerged from their head. Again, the presentation is magnificent, and the developers have done a marvellous job of integrating the comic-book feel into the game.
There will be many times when you'll encounter resistance that simply won't be resolved by the usual stealthy means. Combat encourages you to take out enemies with headshots, since they will fall with one shot while shots to other areas can take a few extra bullets. There are occasions where combat feels slightly forced, requiring you to take on waves of combatants while something gets fixed for example, but for the most part, the combat works well.
As far as conspiracy theories go, XIII delivers a well-paced, provocative rollercoaster of events. You may think you've seen it all before, and again, for the most part, you quite possibly have. But the emphasis here is on just how well XIII gets it all across. David Duchovny, Adam West and hip-hop star Eve all lend their vocal talents to the game and deliver their lines with the kind of professionalism you'd expect. And while Duchovny can drone a little at times, we can probably put that down to his wary state of mind.
Even despite a few niggles, XIII manages to provide the player with a gaming experience they're unlikely to forget for a while. The unique visual style, well-paced story, cautious atmosphere and brilliant voice-acting all come together to bring forth one of the best shooters to grace our gaming machines since Halo burst onto the scene with the Xbox launch.