Shooters Preview 2005 (part one)

Sam looks at all things action-packed this year

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Republic Commando (also on Xbox + Live)

Taking the idea of squad-based tactical shooters, sticking it in a huge cannon and shooting it so far into space that it goes back in time and winds up in a galaxy well past the route of the number 19, is Star Wars: Republic Commando. Set in the time between Episodes II and III this new title from LucasArts will drop players into the role of the squad leader of a bunch of clone troopers charged with keeping the Republic alive and free from the threats of the Separatists. This allows the developers to fill in some of the events that happen in the gap between the two films while giving players the opportunity to take part in some of the battles seen on the silver screen. For example, one of the campaigns sees the player fighting the flying insects of Geonosis. But don't expect to be fighting alongside the doomed Jedis in the arena, rather your squad will be entrusted with infiltrating the depths of the Geonosian base. The commandos differ from the normal clone troopers, being altogether more capable and specialised, not to mention less prone to dying en masse in a spectacular CGI explosion.

Playing through the three campaigns gamers will be treated to the most militaristic Star Wars game to date. More than a simple shooter with mates, Republic Commando takes the kind of gameplay familiar to Rainbow Six fans and adds a little simplification to the mix before lacing it into a Star Wars costume. A context sensitive interface will help gamers keep their sanity during intense situations as the squad does their best to carry out their duties with the minimum of direction from their commander. So expect to see the troopers provide and take cover, assist in door breaching and generally behaving as if they had at least gone through basic training like any proper soldier. Tasks in the game will range from demolitions to assassinations, sabotage, infiltration and hostage rescue.

Nicking an idea straight from Metroid Prime the insides of the trooper's helmet will be displayed on screen which will simultaneously increase the sense of immersion while reducing the field of view. The team have added their own touches to the Unreal engine that drives the game, so little details like a skeletal hit location system should be the norm. While there will be 12 new and authentic weapons to play with there are no plans for any vehicles and there will certainly be no Jedis to tangle with. Multiplayer is planned to support up to sixteen players, although this may be increased for the PC version. Republic Commando looks and sounds the part and should be a refreshing change in location for fans of the genre sick of firing off MP5s at terrorists of indeterminate origin. Plus you can be sure the soundtrack will kick ass.

Bet on Soldier

Along with all the big name sequels, hype-magnets and serial IP abuse there are a few lesser known shooters coming out in 2005 which deserve a look in. The first of these we'll be looking at is Bet on Soldier, a fairly standard FPS with a notable twist. Rather than attempt to justify all the killing by conjuring up some semblance of a plot, Bet on Soldier makes the killing the story. To clarify, gamers will assume the role of Mr Tough As Nails (or something similar, who cares), an aggrieved man out for revenge in a cruel and desolate world. Rather than run around killing everything that moves, you select the name of the champion that you want to take on. There will be 40 of these chaps, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. You then bet some of your cash pot on the likely outcome and then enter the level, where you proceed to kill everything in sight until the champ appears. Hopefully you will be the last man standing. If so you get to collect your winnings to spend on upgraded armour and weapons.

Multiplayer sounds intriguing too. By taking deathmatch and CTF and then rubbing in the gambling idea, Bet on Soldier's multiplayer will require players to capture Ticket Terminals. These can then be used to set up duelling matches with members of the opposing team, with team points being awarded for the victor. Details are still sketchy, but it will support up to 32 players across eight different classes. I had a brief play of this down at Gamestars last year, and the graphics and physics were quite good and it was fun to play, with some unusual gameplay aspects, such as armour which must be shot away to reach the fleshy bits inside. Bet on Soldier is unlikely to go down in gaming history as a messiah, but it's worth looking forward to if you have a taste for some fresher ingredients in your FPSs.

Come back for the second part of our 2005 FPS preview to read the skinny on games such as F.E.A.R., Pariah and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

By Sam Gibson