C.O.R.E. Hands-On

The Nintendo DS may not be the most comfortable platform to play a first-person shooter on, but that doesn't stop developer NoWay from taking a shot. C.O.R.E. takes place beneath the surface of the earth in the Mojave Desert, where an underground research facility has been built. C.O.R.E. plays very much like other FPS games on the DS, and while you may find many similarities when comparing it to games like Moon, the fact that you can play C.O.R.E. with up to three players locally gives it a distinct advantage.

As Jason Crane, you must explore this top-secret facility built where a fiery meteor crash-landed 20 years ago. It's now 2050, and while scientists have been conducting experiments at the crash site for years, communications with the underground lab have mysteriously stopped. It's up to you and your military buddies to find out what's going on down there as you learn more about your surroundings through messages that have been left behind. You are given instructions as you progress through the levels, and even without a map, it's fairly simple to decide where you need to go next. The game does a good job of at least locking doors that lead to nowhere so that even though it may seem linear, it doesn't always feel like it. The story is told through snippets of text when you come to a checkpoint, but the juicy details are at computer stations or in randomly strewn-about electronic diary entries. You have to go out of your way to get the most out of the story--as well as find access codes--but blazing through the corridors with reckless abandon is fun too.

The controls work extremely well on the DS, because the stylus works as well as a mouse, if not better. You use the D pad to move, the stylus to aim, and the L button to fire--which can also be reversed for lefties. The game also comes with options to adjust your sensitivity as well as your crosshairs so you can fire with the utmost precision. Movement is smooth, and from what we've played, enemies won't be jumping at you from all directions, so you can take it slow by running back into the last sliding door and they won't come after you. Jumping around is tricky, because you do it by either tapping the stylus or using a free finger to tap the A or B buttons. While you don't need to execute any fancy maneuvers in the single-player mode, when you play in a multiplayer map against real-life opponents, your agility makes a huge difference.

The best part of C.O.R.E. is that you can play Free for All, Capture the Flag, and Team Arena with three of your friends locally on only one cartridge. You have 10 maps to choose from, with the last two dedicated for Capture the Flag. Your friends won't be able to adjust any of their settings, but having a fragfest on the DS without everyone having to buy the game is not something you can do very often. Unfortunately, there is no online play, so you'll have to make new friends if you want to change things up. There are eight types of weapons, which may not seem like a lot, but the shotgun and blazegun will do wonders in any kind of dire situation. Think of it as a stripped-down version of Unreal Tournament.

The environments are incredibly varied for an underground research facility. There isn't a lot of interaction with your surroundings other than picking up ammo, card keys, and health packs and reading anything with a glowing blue screen. But it always feels like you're moving to a new area--whether it be a hospital ward or a large warehouse facility--as you progress further in the game's 15 levels. The character models are a bit awkward looking, especially up close, but there are 20 enemy classes to provide some diversity in terms of what you're gunning down. The rock music keeps the game's atmosphere intense with the energetic vibe of the guitar riffs. You'll notice subtle changes in the music in certain areas to accentuate the ever-increasing mystery.

C.O.R.E. looks to be another solid entry into the realm of first-person shooters that are specifically for the DS. Even though you can't save at any point, there is an autosave feature that won't bump you back very far in case you need to put the game down. There are three difficulty settings for those who want a challenge, and overall the game is fun and definitely a blast to play with friends. Learn more about the secrets of C.O.R.E. when it's released on April 14.

[Update: Release date has been changed to April 14, 2009.]