Black Web site gets the green light

When Criterion unveiled the first-person shooter Black, it was adamant that shooting things in the game would be an intensely satisfying experience in and of itself. That design philosophy has been replicated on the game's official Web site, now online courtesy of publisher Electronic Arts.

While it contains the expected news, screenshots, and film clips from the upcoming game, the Black site is also a bit more interactive than most. Depending on the page they're viewing, visitors can shoot up the landscape with a variety of the game's weapons, from the combat shotgun to the grenade launcher. There's even a virtual firing range where Web surfers can select a gun and take a look at what kind of damage it does on a distant target. The site also contains a forum link, but at the moment it forwards users to a general EA message board with forums dedicated to many of their games, but not one for Black.

Gamers who preorder Black from the EA online store will get a special code that unlocks the BFG weapon in the game, as well as access to exclusive wallpapers and screensavers for their PCs. Black is rated M for Mature and will retail for $39.95. For more on the game, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.