Not Your Garden Variety Shooter
When I first played this game, the cover concept from Gears of War was plentiful. On the surface, the game is little more than a cover shooter, but that assumption was too early made. The story is actually quite complex and choices that may have seemed trivial at the time come back as a reminder of all your prior decisions, for good or ill. Without giving away any spoilers, the story is a mix of Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad, and turned into Apocalypse Now. The ideas didn't seem new until the ending revealed itself in all its glory. I was truly surprised and flummoxed as to what choice to make.
The game play itself was glitch-less, from what I can recall. There were sections of the game that it almost seemed like there would never be a way around, but slow methodical movement and accuracy in shots made all the difference. The environments were quite detailed, though I myself have never been to Dubai, so I don't know how accurate it is. There were a few slight side activities to do, but for the most part, it was a linear story and nothing else. The sound and graphics were all quite well done. The only detraction I can give is the story was too short, but at the same time, once you get to the end, you will understand why. In many ways, it reminded me of Heavy Rain in the choices and the effect those choices make.
This was a surprisingly good game. I didn't think much of it when I started playing, but now wish I'd paid more attention and enjoyed it for its originality instead of comparing it to every other game I've played. A good game, may not be worth the full $60, but I won't lament it. Money well spent.