XIII Preview
We get an exclusive look at Ubisoft's upcoming first-person shooter.
XIII is the upcoming multiplatform first-person shooter from Ubisoft. The game offers quite a departure from the genres for which the French publisher and developer is well known. Developed by Ubisoft's Paris studio, XIII is based on the phenomenally popular French-language comic series created by Belgian-born Jean Van Hamme. (The comic was first published in 1984 and continues to this day.) When Ubisoft announced the development of its latest version of XIII last year, its early claim to fame became its use of stylish, cel-shaded graphics. However, as Ubisoft has shown more of the game, it's become apparent that XIII offers substantial playability as well. We got an exclusive look at the game so we could see how it's shaping up across the various platforms, and, so far, we are pleased by what we've seen.
If you're not familiar with the XIII phenomenon, you're probably not alone. The acclaimed series has actually never made it to the States with any kind of consistency. While some early entries were translated and brought to the States, the bulk of the series has never seen the light of the day in the US. XIII's story is pretty forward-thinking for a comic. The conspiracy and paranoia, rampant in XIII, predated the same trend in mainstream US comics. As a result of Van Hamme's forward-thinking plot, the nearly two-decade-old franchise feels surprisingly current.
The game's complex story focuses on the adventures of a mysterious amnesiac--who's clearly led an eventful life judging by the vast number of people trying to kill him. Shortly after he wakes up on a beach, it becomes clear that something is amiss, as all manner of killers start to come out of the woodwork, eager to plug our mysterious amnesiac full of holes. The quest to discover who he is and why so many people want to kill him is at the core of XIII's story. The story is lent an off-kilter charm by the interesting backstory of the world it's set in--an alternate timeline where the world has unfolded in a very different way following the assassination of the US president. The aforementioned paranoia and conspiracy-laden tale features a dizzying collection of twists and turns, involving everything from government cover-ups to shadowy military organizations. There are even some murders thrown in for good measure.
XIII features two main modes of play: single-player and multiplayer. The single-player game puts you in control of the aforementioned amnesiac as he is sent on a danger-filled quest of self-discovery that is broken up into 13 chapters, each set in a different world location. Each chapter also features a unique set of objectives that must be accomplished. These objectives include such time-honored classics as assassination, infiltration, and theft. In addition, you'll be able to discover items that will improve your abilities by restoring your memory. For example, reading a dossier on yourself will awaken skills you forgot you possessed. The multiplayer mode will offer a variety of game types. At present, the plan is to give each platform its own set of unique multiplayer games, in addition to a common offering of deathmatch, team deathmatch, and capture-the-flag modes.
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