Breakdown

Namco's unique sci-fi action-thriller is here. We've smashed through the game in order to provide a complete, er, 'breakdown'. Includes new direct feed videos!

	Version Xbox	Developer Namco	Publisher Namco (US) EA (UK) June 18	Genre Action / Adventure

By Joseph Jackson

One of the most striking trailers shown at Microsoft's E3 conference last year was for Namco's Xbox exclusive title, Breakdown. Combining first-person shooting, fighting, driving, and platforming elements together to form one bad ass sci-fi action-adventure, Breakdown looked poised to take first-person gaming to a whole new level. And while details of the game's storyline and gameplay were a little sketchy at the time, one thing was for certain, Breakdown looked hot.

There's a small misconception out there that Breakdown is the first game to combine first-person shooting and first-person fighting elements together but that couldn't be farther from the truth. The Super Spy, a 1990 Neo-Geo game, has that distinction over Breakdown. Both games share a few similarities, which makes me wonder whether Namco actually borrowed some of their ideas from The Super Spy. While Breakdown features a much more involved storyline and has a few more moves than The Super Spy, both games handle everything from a first-person perspective, letting you see just the arms of your character as you dish out some lethal rights and lefts, while blocking enemy attacks and blasting them with handguns and machine guns.

However, The Super Spy is a very lackluster game and it was our bad experience with it that raised some concerns over how well Breakdown would play, since the basic play mechanics of both games seemed a little too similar. Well rest assured, Breakdown is finally here and we were able to breathe a huge sigh of relief when it turned out to be an addicting and immersive gaming experience.

In Breakdown players assume the role of Derrick Cole, a former U.S. Marine who's rescued from the brink of death and wakes up in a mysterious laboratory with a bad case of amnesia. Having been the subject of some top secret scientific experiments, Derrick soon discovers his extraordinary powers and puts them to good use as he fights for his life against a relentless military faction and a legion of super-human warriors who have made their way through the inter-dimensional gate, Nexus. `

However, Derrick is not alone as a mysterious woman named Alex appears out of nowhere to help him. Together they escape the research facility and head to Site Zero, embarking on a mission to save the world from impending doom. BUT not before Derrick hurls and unleashes the most vividly detailed first-person vomit ever seen in gaming history - a scene so disturbingly accurate you can practically feel Alex's hand slapping your back while you're hunched over in front of the toilet, catching a whiff of your oral discharge, you filth!

While quite clichéd, Breakdown features a very compelling science fiction storyline that will often times leave you wondering, "Is it just a dream?" The intrigue and mysteries that surround Derrick's suspenseful search for the truth will draw players into the harsh realities and alternate realities he experiences throughout his journey, leaving them with even more questions than before. Who is Solus and what role does he play in these cataclysmic events? What is the significance of Site Zero and Nexus? All will be revealed!

Combining hand-to-hand and weapons-based combat with platforming, driving, and puzzle solving elements, Breakdown contains a nice variety of first-person play features that really put you in the thick of things. You start the game off as a weak and confused Derrick Cole who just awakens from his coma. After noticing a strange apparition of sorts you begin a few short training missions, performing various physical tests all under the supervision of the research facility.

These brief missions allow players to become acquainted with Breakdown's excellent controls by performing some of Derrick's basic moves like moving his head to focus on certain things, running, turning, jumping, swinging along from bars, hand-to-hand combat, and so on. Fighting initially consists of some basic punch and kick moves, jump kicks, back fist, and some cool combos.

Breakdown provides a significant amount of interaction with objects in the environments, allowing players to pick up and read documents attached to clip boards, pick up telephones, blow apart certain objects to acquire whatever's hidden within them, activate certain machines. Derrick can also buy sodas from vending machines -like in Shenmue- and chug down generic brands of Coke, chew on rations, gulp down hamburgers and so on. It's perhaps a little too interactive at times as you can actually shoot or hit any of the innocent characters you meet and interact with throughout your journey. Strike or kill any of them and your game ends!

Things soon get interesting as Derrick experiences some strange hallucinations (breakdowns) and then notices trails of dead bodies leading up to his encounter with a group of walking nightmares known as T'lan Warriors. Unfortunately, still in his weakened state, Derrick can't inflict any type of damage on these intimidating brutes yet so making a daring escape is his only option.

The level of immersion that Breakdown provides is astounding. Forget about playing as a character named Derrick Cole, you ARE Derrick Cole and it's all well represented in first-person perspective with every hit he takes and every move he makes. Derrick will experience a series of hallucinations and alternate reality sequences that reveal that things just aren't what they seem. He'll spot images of a cat crossing his path, watch as his skin disappears leaving his arms in skeletal form, enter bizarre worlds straight out of the twilight zone, and even engage in some Back to the Future-like activity in order to rewrite certain parts of history.

These dream-like, alternate reality sequences are quite surreal and Derrick experiences them at many points throughout the game, often times resulting in his fists glowing, signaling that his powers are slowly returning. Once at a certain level, he's able to break through the shields of the T'lan warriors and subdue them with his fighting moves since weapons are useless against them.

Replenishing the vital power meter is easily accomplished by collecting the energy orbs the T'lan leave behind whenever they're killed and you're going to need all the super powers Derrick can muster against the legion of ugliness headed his way later in the game, and believe me, they get uglier, with some even using stealth against you.

Fortunately the game's targeting system allows players to cycle through enemies and land those punches, kicks, and shots without much worry. However, even with a well-implemented targeting system, battling multiple types of enemies tends to be quite tough and requires a bit of strategy as you're left prioritizing which enemies to kill first.

Breakdown expands beyond just first-person shooting and fighting to include some challenging platforming sections and even driving portions that will have you engaging in some hit 'n run activities while cruising through expansive 3D environments.

I rather enjoyed the straightforward nature of the game and how hard it was to get lost. The paths are pretty obvious are you make your way through lengthy corridors of research facilities, ventilator shafts, sewers, underground tunnels, mountain passages, and venture into some very bizarre areas - all leading you to Site Zero and your final battle.

Graphically, Breakdown is a mixed bag and slightly disappointing as a game developed specifically for the Xbox, since both Namco and the Xbox are capable of so much more.

There's a noticeable difference in quality between the outdoor and indoor areas in the game. While the outdoor environments feature beautifully textured and detailed landscapes filled with particles, smoke, and great lighting effects, the indoor areas look quite plain and contain a variety of lengthy, generic, overly GREY halls, ventilator shafts, and rooms that don't look as good as the ones shown in the trailer. And, to make matters worse, aliasing issues still seem to plague Namco games and it isn't relegated to just the PS2 anymore.

However, while the general environments are a mixed bag, the alternate reality - dream sequences are the coolest parts of the game, featuring a variety of soft focus camera type effects, strong lighting and other cool visual effects that provide an ultra bizarre look. The character designs also sport great detail and smooth animation. Which coming from Namco is expected really.

What also shouldn't be surprising is that Namco has provided the game with an exceptional soundtrack to accompany the intense action. Licensed music along with a variety of atmospheric and orchestrated tracks provide Breakdown with a great, almost movie-like score. I lost count of the amount of times I nearly banged my head against a wall while jamming to Trust Company's, "Take it all". Really good stuff!

The sound effects are also well done and consist of good quality punches, kicks, weapon discharges, explosions, enemy grunts, and echoing voices heard during the alternate reality, dream-like sequences. And speaking of voices, Breakdown features some pretty solid voice acting complete with swearing! Yes, the characters swear quite a bit throughout the game which is a total trip to hear.

Overall, Breakdown was quite a thrill ride from beginning to end. Sure it has a few flaws here and there but what game doesn't? And at the end of the day, isn't providing a fun, memorable and engaging experience what gaming is all about? With that I think Breakdown is definitely worth your attention.