The highly anticipated first episode of SIN titled Emergence has arrived from Ritual and it is poised to usher in a new wave of software distribution as the game is available via download on the Steam Network as well as by purchase in the traditional formats.
While downloading games directly from the net is not a new concept, what is unique is the pay as you go method of the game. Players purchase the first episode for Suggested retail $19.99 and play the game which is for the average gamer 6-10 hours worth of gameplay.
Future episodes will be available to players at a later date which allows them to purchase the Episodes as they come available or not at all instead of having to pay $50.00 right off for a full game and roughly 20 hours worth of gameplay.
The game picks up 4 years after the events of the past SIN Games where once again the player is in the role of ace Cop John Blade of Hardcorps as he battles the beautiful but evil Elexis Sinclaire.
Elexis is the very wealth head of a corporation who desires to use genetic manipulation to change the course of humanity. Naturally Blade and his sidekicks JC and Jessica cannot allow this to happen and must take the fight to Elexis and her minions to save Freeport City.
As the game opens, Blade has allowed himself to be captured and his been injected with a substance that is different from the usual mutagen that Elexis has used in the past. With the help of Jessica, Blade has escaped and finds himself at a dock, where he must battle legions of minions in an effort to reach Viktor Radek who is a known associate of Elexis and a drug trafficker who holds the key to what has been injected into Blade.
As the course of the game unfolds, Blade will battle all manner of Human and Mutant enemies throughout locales ranging from labs, construction yards, high rise buildings, docks and more in this stellar action shooter.
Using a modified version of the Source engine, the designers have managed to make the world of Freeport one of the most lavish and detailed in recent shooter history. The unique physics of the game allows for some spectacular if deadly obstacles such as the numerous explosive objects.
Often during the game I encountered tanks of compressed gas. When I shot them in the nozzle, they would ignite and blast towards and enemy prior to detonating and covering everyone in the target area in flame.
Since the game has real world physics, the tank could veer off course, spin, and hit and ignite other objects. On more than one occasion, I found myself in a firefight only to have a stray shot ignite a tank which in turn came at me head on. This is not only a great visual but makes for a nice concept that is rarely explores. Players have to be careful where and what they shoot, as they can no longer go in guns blazing. When multiplay arrives for the game, I expect this feature to be amazing as if setting traps for real players is half as fun as doing to the A.I. ones, then gamers are in for a real treat.
The variety of weapons in the game is good as I had shotgun, machine gun, and my trusty magnum, all of which had alternate fire modes that allowed me to take down some real bad guys and the boss enemies the game provided.
Some players have mentioned that they thought the game was to difficult, but playing on the default setting, I was able to get through the game. This is not to say it was not a challenge and that there were some difficult areas, but usually I was able to get through tricky segments in a few tries and never found myself overly frustrated. The game also contained some nice in game puzzles that required you to be creative and think your way through.
Graphically the game is amazing as the rich details and color helps to immerse the player into the character and settings and is truly a sight to behold. The sound in the game is also top notch as everything from vehicles to voices and weapons fire is crisp and clear. If you have a surround sound system this game will shine.
Here is hoping the next installment is not too far behind as the first episode ends with a perfect lead in to what is sure to be a thrilling second episode.
5 stars out of 5
