new Games PC 2010

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Latest PC Games This is a collection of 2010, which will soon release gan

2010 will be a good year for the enthusiast gaming, especially those who love this type of FPS games. Below are 10 FPS game that definitely makes a surprise in 2010 and games that you definitely want to try to play.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2
(PC, PS3, Xbox 360. March 2, 2010)

Bad Company was the first FPS game that will show the environment that can be destroyed for the multiplayer shooter. If you want to take cover, is not safe to hide behind the wall again, where can be destroyed with a grenade. In Bad Company 2, do not expect much protection in the building, because the result will be like a wall.

Crysis 2
(PC, PS3, Xbox 360. Fall 2010)

Though late in 2 years, Crysis still looks beautiful and can turn off the system very strong.Crysis 2 will certainly reach that level and will be made by using CryEngine 3 new, which includes support DX 11.

BioShock 2
(PC, PS3, Xbox 360. February 9, 2010)

Take route 10 years after sebelumynya BioShock, BioShock 2 will provide many new nuances from the previous. One of them is you can control the Big Daddy and will be able to walk out of the underwater city, Rapture. In addition, there is also a multiplayer.


Deus Ex 3
(PC, PS3, Xbox 360. Q4 2010)

Deus Ex series of games purely cultic concept cyberpunk. And while Deus Ex 3 will take time lines 2027-25 years before Deus Ex - would still keep the cyberpunk culture alive and awake. So far, Eidos has not released any details about this game other than the concept image.

MAG
(PS3. January 25, 2010)

MAG will be one of the most anticipated game by PS3 owners and especially those who like to violence. MAG is the first gamer to feature 256 players playing simultaneously, in which 64 are for the PC version. This game will provide a detailed status, awards, team-based system and more.

Rage
(PC, PS3, Xbox 360 & OS X. Q4, 2010)

The first original game from Id Software for over a decade and the first using the Tech 5 game engine. Rage will take the concept of the world after the destruction by nuclear and will combine two types of games, between the FPS and racing games.

Halo Reach
(Xbox 360. Q4 2010)

Has this been discussed at E3 2009 - Halo Reach will definitely go on the Master Chief and Halo this is the last game to be developed by Bungie.

Alien Vs. Predator
(PC, PS3, Xbox 360. Q1 2010)

The first AVP team of creators working on this franchise back and will probably result in something more. 3 types of races will still be used, in which we can choose between the Marines, Aliens or Predators. This game is made with a new engine, supports DX 11.

Postal 3
(PC, Xbox 360, PS3. Q2 2010)

Postal series was labeled as one of the most controversial games ever created and has been banned in several countries. Postal 3 will have the same fate, the typical GTA game is hard and cruel.


Red Steel 2
(Wii, February 16, 2010)


Wii owners do not need much berharadp in 2010 when talking about FPS, besides Red Steel 2. The first Red Steel has a flash which is very disappointing, but this sequel to the series, so much improved and the developers hope that the results can exceed what has been determined.

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S.T.A.L.K.E.R

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is a First-Person Shooter game that tells about the situation after the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor.
In fact, the Chernobyl reactor had indeed been a real burst in 1986, but in STALKER is told that the reactor exploded again for the second time in 1989 and made the area within a radius of 30km around it not only filled with radiation alone, but also a strange energies, enemy troops, bandits, mutant, and a precious artifact. Artifact was none other than radioactive objects that have specific benefits so attractive to traders and scientists.

In this game you play a character called the people as "Marked One", ie a soldier who suffers amnesia after rescued from a car accident and then taken to a trader (trader).
Trader named Sidorovich This will provide the mission that later can help to uncover who exactly you are, why the words "Kill Strelok" in your hand, and what really happened in Chernobyl area.
From there the beginning of the game starts and after taking your mission directly into the most astonishing part of this game, the atmospheric environment which is like a virtual world that is really life and the area is very spacious as are boundless.
Game developers is quite succeeded in creating a virtual world with the ecology of life and put you in it as a small part of a giant ecosystem.
One of the things that make the virtual world feel alive is the presence of various groups of humans and animals, each run their daily activities. They have their own interests and do it yourself also, somewhat similar to the AI in the game Oblivion.

There are many different types of people you would have encountered, ranging from travelers, military forces, to the group / faction that can be friend and foe alike. There was also a mutant, ranging from the shape of animals until half-human creatures, like people who can attack with his thoughts and various other creepy creatures.

Number of residents who live in the world of STALKER, makes this game unlike any other FPS game that is generally only associated with any action encountered a solo shot.
In this game you are part of a world that truly live, where you can easily make friends and also enemies of course.
There are very many kelompok-kelompok/fraksi who live in the virtual world of STALKER, but be careful with whom you join, for joining up with one group can mean an enemy of the other groups. So do not kill one's origin, because his friend would have his revenge on you or your group.
These people sometimes do not even hesitate to come and invade your group's headquarters.
So just like in the real world, we can not simply walk quietly after killing someone.
But this does not mean no fun shooting in this game, because almost all the missions require you to fight either alone or with your group.



GRAPHIC DISPLAY (score: 10/10)

STALKER a game with arguably the best view in 2007. For those who think Oblivion has a very nice view, so be prepared to see the detailed graphics and level of reality above the level of Oblivion.

Unlike most new games that use the Half Life2 game engine and Unreal 3, STALKER uses an engine called the X-Ray, cultivated their own developers. This, of course they do because I have found no other games to look as good as STALKER

In this game you will see a virtual world of the living and a very spacious outdoor area with all objects that look very detailed and realistic. The effects of dynamic lighting, HDR, particle effects, and weather effects make you willing to travel just to witness the beauty of the atmosphere in this game.
The mood change between day and night, the weather also changes, there is rain, flashes of lightning, and wind like a world that is really alive.
Swaying grass and everything is drawn in detail and realistic.
If you have ever admired the prairie in Oblivion, you will be amazed again when in the middle of the prairie STALKER

In the dark, whether it's at night or in the tunnel, you can use a flashlight. Flashlight light and shadow effects caused looks very realistic, except that the light flashlight to lure your enemy.
Environment which is shown this game basically shows the realistic atmosphere of chaotic post-nuclear explosion. Everything is in ruins, visible buildings and vehicles damaged here and there. In some areas filled with radioactive, looking graphical effects that probably you've never seen in any game before.

Shape the character also looks very nice and quite reallistis. Detail is very good character will burden your videocard especially when in an area with lots of characters hanging around. Under these conditions only the videocard is very high end are able to overcome them (see the System Requirements section.)



SOUND (score: 10/10)

Sounds quite good, with bullets whistle that sounded pretty realistic. All karaker speak in russian so impressed as the original situation. Soldiers also shot and wounded will groan with a curse (with russia bahasia course)



gameplay (score: 10/10)

STALKER is a FPS action game with RPG type open-ended/non-linear, this means you are free to do anything in this game. So do not like the game Rainbow Six Vegas, Ghost Recon, or Call of Duty which is a linear game where you've fixated on the mission and the story line which has been determined.

Though nuanced RPG, but in this game there are no settings to attribute strength / intelligence or development of skills / abilities the character who is usually a complicated element in RPG games. However you can equip characters with various combinations of objects to increase resistance to damage, so as to enhance character attributes.

Character you have indicators of health, stamina, and hunger. So when injured use medkit, when stamina down to rest / decrease in inventory of goods, when hungry to eat, and when exposed to the effects of radiation cured with radiation antidote (you can also drink vodka must it will make you drunk).

As with Oblivion which is also classified as open-ended, the main mission on STALKER certainly exist, namely the mission given by the trader Sidorovich early in the game, namely killing Srelok. But you will free to choose any mission that may be offered by others. Basically STALKER has muliple-ending, so a wide selection of missions you can take toward the end are different.
Side missions are generally culminate in exchange for money / goods from the donor missions, and could have nothing to do with the primary mission.
But you could also earn money by way of an adventure exploring the area for looking for artifacts and selling them to a trader or a scientist. Artifact that dot the outcome there can also be used alone to enhance character attributes.

Equipment and weapons found or taken from dead enemy can also be used alone or sale.
The money will be used to buy better weapons, anti-radiation jacket / bullet, and various other equipment.
You can carry quite a lot of weapons and other equipment in inventory, but more and more that brought you the slower the mobility. If the most goods in inventory then you can not even run at all.

Although you will find a variety of vehicles ranging from cars, tractors, to the helicopter, but none that can be ridden. It certainly was unfortunate given the vast unexplored areas, so that really tiring and time consuming if the paths on foot.
Probably no vehicle in this game intentionally dilakukant so you always see the natural beauty slowly. For suppose there is a car, you certainly will drag from one place to another and ignore all the beauty of the atmosphere that you might pass. In addition, suppose there is a car for racing-kebutan, the hordes of wild animals roaming the streets became less scary anymore. Therefore reductin vehicles in the game can be tolerated.
NOTE: Virtually all vehicles yanga exist in this game is designed to be ridden, but STALKER developer accidentally "lock" it so as not to be dikendari for the reasons I mentioned above. But if you really want to drive vehicles that exist, then you must install the mod file first vehicle that will be explained further.

Existing weapons in this game is very diverse ranging from 70s era rifle to modern.
Weapons can be obtained by found him lying like that, buying from a trader, was given by someone, or you take a shot from the enemy.
Weapons that can be used in this game are as follows:
Knife (knives), Black Kite, Big Ben, Noiseless Kora, Fort-15, PMM, Walker P9m, Noiseless Pistol (PB1s), Martha, Kora 919, HPS1-1M, SIP-t M200, Fort12-MK2, UDP Compact, Combat Chaser (shotgun), sawn-of dbl-Barrel, Chaser 13, TOS34, SPSA14, Lightened IL 86, Sniper TRS 301, Balance IL 86, Fast-shooting AKM 74 / 2, Sniper Obokan, Noiseless Viper, Thunder 5:45, Viper 5, AKM74 / 2, AKM74/2u, Obokan, IL 86, Thunder S14, GP37, TRS 301, FT200M, S61 5K, VLA SPeccial Assault Rifle, Vintar BC, Sniper Rifle (SVDm 2), SVUmk2, Bulldog 6, Rocket Launcher , Gauss Rifle.
Like the weapons in RPG games generally, all the weapons in STALKER game also has an indicator of usage. Indicators green color bar on each weapon signifies reliability, damage, range, firing speed, etc.. The worse indicator of a weapon, the more often the weapon jammed and missed targets.

In essence, the common tasks that you do as a STALKER, among others, looking for artifacts to sell and eradicate the mutant, was fighting with enemy forces, avoiding hazards, collecting information about the Zone area and its inhabitants.

Battle in outdoor and indoor conditions is very exciting because the enemy AI has a very good level.
Humans are the most clever enemies because they can attack from unexpected directions, shelter, skulk, and keep track of you. They also can take advantage of the situation in the area to attack. While animal / mutant generally attacks clustered blindly but can also run terbitit-ass if they feel you are no match.



CONTROL & INTERFACE (score: 10/10)

Control in this game is pretty easy to like FPS games in general.

There are 3 kinds of in-game menu interface, the menu character RPG-style inventory, PDA menu viewed missions that have not / have been completed, and a menu map that shows a map of the area. The destination, called on every mission will be clearly illustrated on the map, so it is very helpful in completing the mission.



REPLAY VALUE (score: 10/10)

As an open-ended game, you'll never get bored playing this game repeatedly. Every time you play, the enemy of the enemy appeared in a location that is not the same (random). Even though you are loading the save game, the position of the enemy may not be the same as when you do save the game.

With the multiple-ending, then it is likely you will play this game over and over again even if you have completed this game.


INNOVATION (score: 10/10)

Unlike most First Person Shooter games in general, STALKER combines RPG elements with the story line of open-ended and multiple-endings in it without having the hassle and complexity accompanied by typical RPG. Also STALKER uses a virtual world that actually live and inside inhabited by humans, animals, and mutant, each of which has its own life in a world full of radiation.
There has never been like this game ever invented by mankind.



Multiplayer Mode

Like most FPS games, STALKER also presents the multiplayer mode.

There are 3 modes to choose from, namely Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Capture The Flag is called as "Artifact Hunt".
By killing your opponent, you will get money at any time respawn can be used to buy weapons, ammunition, and better armor (ala CounterStrike).

Unfortunately there is no co-operative multiplayer modes. Suppose there would be very exciting to travel with your friends to fight the enemies.
Level-level in multiplayer mode using the base map in single player mode. This shows that the developers prioritize STALKER single-player modes.
And again there is no vehicle that can be climbed certainly will not make a STALKER multiplayer mode is more fun than Battlefield 2. Yet in terms of graphical display, STALKER certainly far more beautiful.



SYSTEM REQUIREMENT

As a game bearing the title game with the best graphics display, then it is natural that STALKER is also the hardest game in 2007. With all the graphics settings set to maximum level, then the Geforce 8800 though still stuttering in certain areas. To get a smooth framerate, this game requires mininum is to overclock the Geforce 8800GTS 575/2000 (Geforce 8800GTS OC edition sold in the market at a price of around $ 370).

But if it turns out you are still using low caste videocard that cost under 3 million, then you can adjust the graphics settings for STALKER "compatible" with the beans class videocard. But keep in mind that the new look of this game can be enjoyed rather good with the price of 2 million class videocard (GeForce 7900GS/8600GTS).

One more thing to remember is that STALKER is a game that bears the NVIDIA logo, so of course game development is sponsored by NVIDIA. Therefore, if you want to get a graphical view of optimal and trouble-free make sure you use artificial videocard Nvidia, not ATI.
STALKER is also sponsored by ASUS which in fact is the videocard and motherboard manufacturers in the world no.1.


UPDATE: PATCH

Patch 1:01
Make sure you mempatch first version of STALKER to 1:01 before the play, because there are about 66 bugs that will be corrected by this patch. Save games created in older versions will not be used after this game dipatch, so do not play this game before downloading the patch it.

STALKER PATCH 1:01 (8.6 MB) DOWNLOAD


UPDATE: MOD

Vehicle / Transport Mod v.1.0
Actually there are vehicles that this game can be ridden, but STALKER developers are deliberately "locked" so the vehicles could not drive for reasons described previously.
But if you want to be able mengenderai existing vehicles, please install this Mod Vehicle. (Make sure that previously installed patches STALKER version 1:01)

CONCLUSION (TOTAL SCORE 10/10)
* Obtained from the average value of Graphic, Sound, Gameplay, Control-Interface, Replay Value, Innovation.

STALKER is the best FPS game in 2007 which is a masterpiece of game developers from Ukraine, that GSC Game World.
Sergiy Grygorovych, the programmer is not useless to be imprisoned for many years to give birth STALKER
STALKER achievement once again proves the greatness of Russia in the world of software. Graphical display and innovation that brought this game to make the American game programmers could only swallow hard and realize that they actually had been defeated by the Russian people.
See, the majority of media reviews on the outcome there is generally gave high ratings to the game "hammer-sickle" is.

Indeed there are certain people who give low marks to this game for reasons too heavy. This is of course ridiculous reason for low value is actually more suited intended for videocard jadul they use. People who say this game the same heavy indulgence in depravity of their own PCs. If the videocard is still primordial better not comment anything about STALKER, because users are low-end videocard can never see the beauty that can only be enjoyed by users of high-end videocard. That will be the same silly as pedicab driver who comment on the quality of 5-star hotel.

Please remember, the game spectacular claim it's a communist country specifically created to satisfy the users of high-end videocard, so if the videocard is still old school, you better watch it lebik documentary G30S PKI while reminisce on the edge of Crocodile Hole.

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Transformers

Transformers: War for Cybertron

Release date: Out Now

Publisher: Activision

Developer: Activision

Platform: Xbox 360

Genre: 3rd Person Shooter

No. Players: 1

No. Live players: 1 - 16

Official link

News of a new Transformers video game didn't garner much attention from the unwashed masses; mainly due to the two latest outings, based on the feature films, having been horrendously average. Though when it was revealed that Hasbro would be attached to the project – people began to listen. With them aboard, it brings a certain level of authenticity and quality that fans would naturally expect from a Transformers product. A fresh change to those pitiful Michael Bay films, especially the sequel, which were critically panned and rightfully so. Question is, does Hasbro being on board help the product or hinder it? Does War for Cybertron deliver the fan service Transformers fans have had long-coming to them?

While the previous Transformers games were basically simple movie tie-ins, this particular game is based around the War for Cybertron, which they claim was the conflict to ‘start it all'. Megatron, infamous villain from the feature films, comes into direct contact with a chemical force known as ‘Dark Energon', which embodies corruption and evil. With the help of Starscream, Autobot defector, he is able to manufacture his own supply of ‘Dark Energon' – which he intends to use to corrupt the very core of Cybertron. As a narrative, its place is long before the films and even precedes the forthcoming Transformers: Prime animated TV series. While War for Cybertron features two campaigns, one each for Decepticons and Autobots, that can be played in any order I do recommend you tackle the Decepticon campaign first as it does prelude the Autobot story. All in all, it's a surprising and interesting insight into the early stages of the Transformers mythos (which was good for me, as I wasn't a ‘fan' coming in) with dozens of familiar and much-loved faces to encounter, or even play as, along the way.

War for Cybertron is a fairly basic corridor third-person shooter than draws comparisons to the Gears of War games; though, it lacks a cover system, which I found to be unfortunate as it feels the game could have benefited from one. The control scheme is all very stock standard and will have even the youngest Transformers fan tearing it up within the first level. Where it veers off the traditional path is with your ‘transform abilities' – I mean, we all know these are robots in disguise, right? With just a simple click of the left analog stick, you'll immediately under-go your transformation relative to your current robot, e.g. Megatron will morph into a tank, whereas Starscream will take the form of a jet. It's a cool feature to be able to change into vehicle form whenever you see fit, and at times, it will serve you well (like the long, drawn out dilapidated highways which, to traverse on foot, would take an eternity) – though, other than that, the advantages are sparse. It looks damn cool, though!

So with under-complicated controls that will suit anybody, this game does rely on its ‘wow factor' pretty much all of the time. For the most part, this does happen to work, as towering clanking robots do tend to distract the casual gamer from what, in reality, is a very bare bones affair. What helps is that War for Cybertron is miles beyond what the movie tie-in games managed to achieve. Each campaign has five chapters a piece, each taking about forty minutes to knock over; so the full game clocks in at about six hours, which is short, but as is the standard of video games today. Each chapter gives the player a selection of three bots to use, each with their pros and cons but, in the end, it is just a popularity contest as to who you take out for a spin. The enemy A.I. isn't overly bright sadly, which does render the game to be quite easy provided you take your shots and bide your time. On hard, employing a run n' gun tactic will see your shields carved up in no time, so using walls and other barricades for cover are certainly recommended (presuming you want to come out alive). Most chapters have some variation of a boss conflict to close the deal, which certainly either has the player welcoming or dreading the end. These can vary from routine and pathetic to bizarrely original and wonderful. It's certainly a mixed bag.

An unexpected positive to come from War for Cybertron is without a doubt the multiplayer component. It has countless modes for the player to engage war in, pretty much all of which being commonplace in any ‘shooter' game these days. The game supports up to ten players in these modes, which isn't a lot but it prevents the games from being over-crowded and with a sadly low amount of people playing War for Cybertron online, as it is, makes it that much easier to manage to find a way with little waiting. If you're not feeling player-on-player conflict, you and up-to two others can take on the campaign together (which is sadly only available online as the game lacks split-screen in a horrid developer decision). The player has the ability to craft and modify his bot to his liking; from the paint-job to the chassis, with higher levels yielding better unlockable goods. It's pretty shallow, but it's better than nothing, I suppose. You also have four ‘classes' you're to level up, with each having their own unique play-style and challenges; it's similar to the load-outs we've become familiar with in Modern Warfare, and that Bungie are implementing into Reach.

Visually, the game is the pure definition of ‘mixed bag'. At some stages it can look on par with other Unreal engine games the likes of Gears of War, and at other times it looks like a 360 launch title; it's very up-and-down so it's very hard to know how to feel about it. Hasbro worked closely with High Moon Studios to create brand spankin' new, darker toned models for each Transformer to compliment the game's narrative; which pays off big time as they look just terrific (when the game is looking its best, that is). Being that War for Cybertron is set on the eponymous planet, you'd expect the level design to reflect the inspired look at this early documented conflict in Transformers history – you come to expect the same amount of care Bungie are handling Reach with, treating it as a character in itself, which in Transformers case happens to ring true. Sadly, visually, the level design is a bit of a letdown. It's repetitive enough to grow tiring, and is generally just ugly to the eye; some set-pieces rouse a feeling of awe, though it is often fleeting.On top of a shockingly solid multiplayer experience, War for Cybertron follows the growing trend of including a ‘wave repel' mode, in the vein of Gears' Horde and World at War's Nazi Zombie modes. Escalation lends more from the latter than the former, including buyout points for the player to buy bigger and better weapons as each wave progresses – each map even has doors that, for a price, will open and extend the playing area. So, while being a carbon copy, it doesn't prevent Escalation from being a riot. Sadly, in my experience, getting into a game with a bunch of selfish imbeciles was a fairly common experience – so once people learn the spirit of the hunt, I'm sure the quality of the game will only increase. Being so rock solid, it only saddens me that not as many people are playing War for Cybertron, as it has crept far under the radar in that respect.

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Plants vs Zombies Review

Plants vs Zombies

Release date: Out Now

Publisher: Microsoft

Developer: PopCap Games

Platform: Xbox 360

Genre: Strategy

No. Players: 1 - 2

Official link

It was inevitable that Popcap's Plants vs Zombies – a game that has sat firmly in the top 10 iTunes charts and sold nicely on the Nintendo DS – would eventually make its way onto the Live Marketplace. Much like the company's insanely addictive predecessor, Peggle, it's up to the consumer to decide whether the console upgrade is worth the extra investment, since purchasing it through XBLA is roughly 5 times more expensive than if you have already bought it for your phone or iPad.

For the uninitiated, Plants vs Zombies is, at its core, a classic tower defense strategy game. What separates it from the plethora of similar style games out there is that it's simply, cute and full of that noxious Popcap charm. Essentially, this is the perfect introduction to tower defense games.

The basic scenario is as follows: hordes of brain-hungry zombies are entering through bushes at the end of your backyard and must be stopped before they can get to your back patio and inside your house (where they can, and will, munch into your skull). Your lawn is a weapon and it's up to the player to plant and maintain a variety of botanical species to fend off the lumbering undead masses.

Things start off simple with basic pea-shooters and walnut blockades which help to slow down the zombie intrusion. With a total of 49 different plants available to unlock, it isn't long before some more effective weapons become available at your disposal, including corn-loaded catapults, Mario-style 'chomper' plants and hot chili peppers that send a trail of flames down one open path, incinerating all the undead in their wake.

As the difficultly ramps up, the grid becomes slightly larger and those pesky zombies start adapting to the environment. About halfway through the game your backyard has a lengthy water feature installed in the middle of it – which allows scuba-diving zombies to swim their way closer to the patio without being hit by regular plant missiles. And if that wasn't annoying enough, wait for the odd Olympian zombie that comes striding through the yard, high-jumping itself over obstacles to eat your most precious shrubs.

Building a defense grid garden doesn't come cheap, and players must plant non-weapon seeds such as Sunflowers to harness sunshine – which can in turn be spent on bigger, stronger vegetation. This is where the game's main strategy comes into play: do you spend the initial time in a new level planning as many Sunflowers as possible? Or is it safer to just plant a few and make sure there are some weaponry plants in place first? The game manages to keep players on their toes by introducing a night-time setting during one section which, of course, makes harnessing sun slightly difficult!

Visually, Plants vs Zombies has never looked as crisp, vibrant and gorgeous as it does in HD on consoles. A simple still-screen layout doesn't mean that this isn't one of the best looking XBLA games available, and this visual sheen is accompanied by an aptly pop-tastic soundtrack that remains slightly creepy in the background and never becomes distracting.

Once the core mode has been completed there are still large amounts of extra ways to continue enjoying Plants vs Zombies. A mini-game mode is made up of inventive tidbits such as playing one of the levels as a Bejeweled clone. And then there's 'Zombotany' – a mode which sees the zombies turning the tables and growing various types of the game's plants as heads. The mini-game section alone is huge and is a constant delight. As well as versus and co-op modes, there's also the addition of the 'Zen Garden' – a greenhouse where plants can be planted, nurtured and grown into valuable flowers and trees that can be sold for loads of moolahThe main 'Adventure' mode of the game is made up of around 50 levels, culminating in a boss battle that feels slightly cheap as it relies more on luck than any skill learned during the game's progress. The pay-off is worthwhile though as players are treated to a famous music video rendition by all of the title's characters during the credits.

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Quantum Theory

Quantum Theory Review

Dumb enemies, repetitive levels, and downright unappealing looks makes this a theory that's not worth testing.

Quantum Theory is a shooter that evokes strong feelings of deja vu but not for the reasons you might initially think. While there's no denying the game has taken strong visual and gameplay inspiration from the Gears of War series, it's the game's willingness to recycle its own scenarios ad nauseam that really brings about the sense that you've done all of this before. Enter room, take cover behind conveniently placed column or waist-high bench, shoot at dim-witted enemies, go into another room, and do it all again. This is the experience that Quantum Theory provides, making it a dull, derivative, and repetitive shooter in a market crowded with better alternatives.

First impressions count, and the one Quantum Theory overwhelmingly gives is that of a clone of Epic's lauded Xbox 360 (and occasional PC) series. Syd--the game's main character--is a gruff, muscular, no-neck type whose bulky frame and ponderous gait make him a dead ringer for one of the boys in Delta Squad. The game's cover-based mechanics are also familiar, right down to the roadie run-like maneuver that Syd can perform. Even its setting of humans fighting in the ruined beauty of a postapocalyptic world initially echoes that of Gears, although it quickly becomes its own beast once you enter the large tower in which the vast majority of the game takes place. Syd wants to destroy the gigantic tower and stop the diablosis, a dark substance that turns anyone it touches into brutal mutants. Balancing out Syd's overbearing machismo is Filena, a mysterious female companion who also wants to stop the diablosis. Both Syd and Filena have their own reasons for storming the tower, but the game's incomprehensible cutscenes and clunky dialogue (an example from Sid: "Breaking things always works.") make those reasons unfathomable even by the end of the game. Syd and Filena's relationship is supposed to be the emotional heart of Quantum Theory, but the game's poor storytelling makes it tough to care about either of them.

Not only does the narrative make it tough to get enthusiastic about Quantum Theory, but the gameplay also fails to generate much excitement. To its credit, the game gets the basics of its cover-based stop-and-pop shooting down pat, with Syd moving from cover to cover smoothly. Shooting is also solid, and Syd has a good variety of weapons to choose from, although most of them are clones of basic shooter archetypes (shotguns, grenade launchers, rifles, and more). But things start to go south as soon as you have to actually start shooting at enemies. The foes in Quantum Theory rarely use the vast amounts of cover available in most areas, exhibit little strategic thought (such as flanking or trying to flush you out), and seem content to let you take potshots at their heads without taking any evasive action. They even end up harming themselves on occasion--grenade-launcher-wielding enemies, for example, will mindlessly fire even when they're well within the blast radius of their own weapons. Quantum Theory's baddies are just plain dumb, and there's little fun to be had in picking off these simpletons.

The game's levels exhibit just as little complexity as the creatures that inhabit them. Far too much of the game involves entering a room with plenty of cover, clearing out the enemies within to unlock the next door, and moving into another room to repeat the process. There are a few instances of respite from this--on-rails sequences where you're on the back of a gigantic flying slug, for example, or when you're precariously navigating the outside of the tower--but these sections are never that much fun. For the most part, the feeling that you're doing the same thing over again is hard to shake. Quantum Theory does try to add variety in other ways. There's some light platforming elements to be found where Syd has to jump from place to place. The penalty for missing a jump is usually instant death, and it feels particularly cheap here because the controls are such that you never feel like you've got a good grasp of the normally lumbering Syd when it's time to get acrobatic. Filena also becomes a weapon for you to use. As well as being an able AI companion, Syd can pick up and throw Filena directly at enemies to cause instant kills with standard foes or weaken large bosses. It's an interesting addition because throwing Filena can also be a good way to distract enemies, but with the girl missing from your side for about half of the game, it's an addition that never feels fully utilized.

The only time Quantum Theory elicits genuine thrills is in sequences where the tower--which itself is infected by the diablosis--changes its own shape. Floors and structures you can take cover behind lower, rise, or disappear completely, forcing you to think and act quickly to find new defensible positions. Unfortunately, these sequences don't occur until late in the game, nor do they happen often enough to lift the miasma of sameness that permeates the rest of Quantum Theory.

Filena's a good companion, and you can even use her as a weapon.

Once you plow through the eight hours or so that it'll take to complete the game's single-player campaign, Quantum Theory features online multiplayer, although what's on offer is fairly basic. These matches are generally fun, given that the human opponents you're facing are miles more challenging and interesting than the AI foes you find in single-player. But with only a bare-bones feature list--there are only three game modes (Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and a Protect-the-VIP variant) for up to eight players, and there are only five maps from which to choose--multiplayer won't hold your interest for long. Games during testing ran smoothly, although finding enough people to start matches was tough.

Compounding Quantum Theory's sense of repetitiveness is the game's looks. The textures here are ill defined and bland, making a lot of the game's environments look like they're covered in various shades of dried, dark mud. This makes everything look the same and makes it hard to identify any standout features from one area to the next. Enemy models are similarly indistinct, and even the central character of Syd suffers because no matter what angle you view him from, it's hard to make out any detail in his armor. Audio fares a little better--Syd's weapons all sound like they're serious death dealers, and the game's orchestral soundtrack adds appropriate gravitas to key moments (without being particularly memorable).

Quantum Theory may evoke the look and style of the Gears series, but that in itself isn't a negative as originality really isn't a requirement for most games. What is required is fun, and with dumb AI, extremely repetitive levels, and cheap deaths, Quantum Theory falls far short of the minimum

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THE NEW XBOX 360

With a sleek, new design, a 250 GB hard drive and built-in Wi-Fi, the new Xbox 360 gives you the ultimate gaming and entertainment experience. Oh, and let’s not forget that it comes ready for Kinect right out of the box.¹

A bold design and the glossy, black finish mean that the new Xbox 360 looks every bit as good as it performs.

The massive hard drive is perfect for downloading and storing HD films, games, game add-ons, music and more.²

Simply connect to Xbox LIVE, play with friends all over the world and experience a world of entertainment.³

The new Xbox 360 runs whisper quiet, allowing you to play games and watch films without interference.

Total entertainment has never looked so good. Xbox 360 offers the largest library of games for every skill and style, plus HD films and TV.

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