Portal
- Built from the ground up for Wii, the ambitious FPS is finally here. Has it been worth the wait?
by Matt Casamassina
June 22, 2009 - Before The Conduit, High Voltage Software was a company known for the Hunter: The Reckoning series on a good day and its selection of licensed software on a bad one. But more than a year into Wii's life cycle, the studio's leaders realized that few third-parties were even trying to make high quality titles for the traditional player and so they jumped at the opportunity -- the chance to prove themselves. Unfortunately, like so many other developers interested in creating Wii titles not overrun with mini-games and waggle, HVS had a battle on its hands because most publishers weren't up for the gamble. That being true, the company started work on a Wii-exclusive first-person shooter backed by a powerful proprietary 3D engine designed to maximize the system's technical potential -- and it funded the entire project itself. It was a risky move that most developers could not afford to take, but it paid off -- not only did The Conduit eventually land a big-name publisher in SEGA, but the game has remained at the tippity-top of our audience's most wanted lists since we unveiled it so long ago.
It's kind of a videogame Cinderella story, but does it have a happy ending? For gamers, yes. The Conduit is not a revolutionary first-person shooter, but it's a damned good one, particularly if you only own a Wii. High Voltage has created an FPS with great controls and graphics, a fun single-player romp and an addictive multiplayer offering. The biggest complaint I can make of the package is that it doesn't really upend the genre with some fantastic new twist, but simply clings to the fundamentals that made shooters fun to begin with. Thus, if you already own a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, both clogged with FPS titles, you've probably experiened some variation of The Conduit before. At the same time, the game certainly fills a library gap on Nintendo's console so if you've been marveling at the shooters on the other systems but don't have the cash to throw around, here at last is an effort you can be proud of.
Watch our Video Review of The Conduit
In the Conduit, you play as Agent Ford, a mysteriously gifted operative who goes to work for a top secret organization known only as the Trust as it fights against an impending alien invasion. The narrative, which also involves government conspiracies and advanced computer technology, has been seen in numerous X-Files-y themed videogame forms spanning multiple generations, from Area 51 to Perfect Dark, and at this point it borders on cliche. While the premise itself is not new, High Voltage has to its credit cut no corners where presentation is concerned. Not only does the story throw you for a loop now and again, but it's all made more immersive by way of excellent voice acting courtesy Kevin Sorbo of Hercules and Mark Sheppard of Battlestar Galactica fame. A series of well-produced pre-level cut-scenes and in-game dialogs between primary characters keeps the story flowing alongside the play challenges. The tale is engrossing while it lasts, and yet it all ends so suddenly that some players are bound to be disappointed. Of course, assuming sales are good, a sequel is all but guaranteed.
High Voltage's Quantum 3 engine pushes Wii on a graphical level. Oh, and we like alien guns.
I've no doubt that overzealous system-hating fanboys will assert that there is nothing particularly special about The Conduit, but I don't believe that. In my experience, the title features the tightest, most comfortable control scheme of any console-based first-person shooter to date and that's true because of an innovative, highly customizable configuration that's already changing the way developers approach FPSs on Wii. It's also an accomplishment that shouldn't simply be shrugged off. After all, Nintendo's console was founded on a unique controller and The Conduit makes good on its potential by enabling you the option to fully tweak your controls to your liking, setting horizontal and vertical sensitivity, dead zone, turn speed, running speed, HUD layout and transparency, and more. You can fiddle with the settings until you create the perfect control scheme for your preference, and all of your modifications will be seen in real-time as you play the title, which is a pretty amazing feat. As a result, you will inevitably discover a configuration that makes playing the game very, very fun because you'll be able to reliably target and shoot down enemies without wrestling with a setup that you're not comfortable with. It's such a simple inclusion, but it makes all the difference, and you can bet it's going to be copied endlessly.
see the full review on ign.com
Last edited by iecman5 on Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:17 am; edited 2 times in total
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and ince its the weekend its going to go fast so monday here i come.
