XIII Guaranteed to Cel a Lot

At least, that's what these new screenshots would indicate.

UbiSoft's XIII is going to blow them all away. These new screens show once again the oozing visual style of this phenomenal first person shooter - and while it doesn't boast the brand power of Halo, Half-Life or Doom, it has just as much class.

So, the President of the United States of America has been assassinated. You wake up on a desolate strip of New England beach. The near-fatal impact of a bullet has left your head pounding, and your memory erased. What's more, the number "XIII" has been mysteriously tattooed on your chest, while your pocket holds a key to a New York City bank box.

Head swimming in amnesia, you struggle to your feet only to encounter more assailants intent on finishing the job. To your shock, you handle the hitmen with the killing skills of a professional - before heading to the bank in search of any shred of information about your lost identity and your involvement in the President's murder. What lies ahead is a deadly quest not only into your shadowy past, but America's darkest corridors of power.

XIII puts you in a world to unravel a whirling conspiracy plot where your identity, the President's assassination, and the future of America are shrouded in mystery. The level of visual style is immense, with graphic novel presentation, flashback graphics and pop-up windows creating a pretty groundbreaking entry into the genre.

Be prepared for gameplay scenarios with cunning use of human shields, silent weapons and XIII's internal "sixth sense" that detects approaching enemies. To survive, you'll master techniques ranging from covert infiltration to heavy combat as you battle sinister conspiratorial forces. Handling a dizzying array of weapons ranging from silent crossbows to precision sniper rifles, you'll also be able to square off against other players in multiplayer modes such as the cooperative Cover Me, along with classic modes such as Capture the Flag and Deathmatch.

Stay tuned for the latest on XIII, which we'll be getting or hands on in some post-E3 form shortly.

Adam Doree
Director, Kikizo.com