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Terminator 3: The Redemption Preview

We get hands-on with the latest PS2 and Xbox builds of this movie-inspired third-person action game.

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Terminator 3: The Redemption is Atari's second attempt at creating an action title inspired by the Terminator 3 movie. Having recently spent some quality time with the latest PlayStation 2 and Xbox builds of the game, we're pleased to report that it has very little in common with last year's disappointing first-person shooter, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. The Redemption features a combination of levels, including third-person, on-foot, driving, and rail shooter levels and, for the most part, the game doesn't stray too far from the plot of the movie. The three different gameplay types are present in more or less equal measures and, as you progress through the game's 14 levels, you'll find that you rarely play any one of them for more than five minutes or so before a brief in-game cutscene transitions you seamlessly to another style of play--barely giving you time to catch your breath.

Atari takes another stab at the Terminator 3 license with T3: The Redemption. Click "stream" for a larger view.

Although the three gameplay types present in Terminator 3: The Redemption are quite different, there are a number of things that they all have in common. Your scan vision mode, for example, will be available at all times, and it lets you increase the amount of damage that you do for a few seconds whenever it's activated. Although the game is always played from a third-person perspective, activating the scan mode is akin to looking through the eyes of the reprogrammed terminator you play as in the game--the screen turns red, enemies and weapons are highlighted, and targets are semiautomatically acquired--the effect is basically identical to that seen in the Terminator movies, and you'll be using that mode a lot. The control system is also a constant, and while pushing the left analog stick up to accelerate in a vehicle isn't as intuitive as using the same system to move forward on foot, it's certainly preferable to having three completely different sets of controls to master.

The other ever-present feature in the game that springs to mind, though for an entirely different reason, is the voice of Arnold Schwarzenegger, or more specifically the one-liners that you associate with just about every movie he's ever made. The monotone "terminated," "this is where you get off," "don't lose your head," and "that's what I'm talking about" quotes aren't necessarily a bad thing (there are some more that are even less memorable); what's unfortunate though, is that, at least in the builds of the game at our disposal, all of the other sounds are temporarily muted so that Arnie's words of wisdom can be delivered. The effect of this right in the middle of a large battle is a bit awkward; perhaps this behavior will be revised before release.

Surprisingly, of the three gameplay types on offer in Terminator 3: The Redemption, it's the vehicle-based levels that really stand out, both in terms of variety and originality. Most of the levels in the game take place in postapocalyptic cities where the battle between humankind and Skynet is still ongoing, and for the driving portions of these levels you'll invariably be at the controls of either an armored pickup truck or a Skynet tank that you've managed to hijack, Grand Theft Auto-style.

The second of the four chapters in the game, however, is set exclusively in the year 2003 and comprises a total of five very different vehicle-based missions--one of which is essentially a rail shooter that lets you switch lanes on the highway as you shoot out of the back of your vehicle. As you progress through the second chapter, you'll find yourself at the controls of a pickup truck, a motorcycle, a police car, and even a hearse--each with very similar handling characteristics, admittedly, but each is used to carry out very different mission objectives.

Schwarzenegger is instantly recognizable, even before he starts spouting trademark catchphrases.
Schwarzenegger is instantly recognizable, even before he starts spouting trademark catchphrases.

Recurring themes in many of the vehicle-based missions include chasing or fleeing from an enemy and using alternate routes and shortcuts to gain an advantage over them. The driving levels are surprisingly varied, though, and by the time you reach the end of the enjoyable second chapter you'll have pursued the T-X assassin terminator through a desert at night, raced through the sun-bleached streets of Los Angeles attempting to shoot out tires on a crane, caused SWAT team members to fall out of their van by ramming it with your hearse, and driven through oncoming traffic while powersliding excessively to literally shake off the T-X that's trying to kill your passengers. The handling of the vehicles in the game is undemanding and, although there are plenty of hazards that need to be avoided as you progress through the levels, you'll find that most of the smaller obstacles--including streetlights, wrecked cars, and so on--either smash to pieces or bounce out of the way when you collide with them.

Judgment Day is Inevitable

At the end of each level you'll be awarded "terabytes" based on your performance, and these can subsequently be spent on upgrading your terminator's attributes. The number of terabytes you're awarded is determined by how quickly you completed the level, how many secrets you uncovered, how many enemies you killed, and how much energy you had left at the end. Since the benefits of upgrading your terminator are quite significant, it's actually not a bad idea to revisit previous levels and attempt to improve your score--which won't be that difficult if you've already invested in an upgrade or two.

Vehicles are featured in most of the game's 14 levels, and they come in many different shapes and sizes.
Vehicles are featured in most of the game's 14 levels, and they come in many different shapes and sizes.

In addition to the single-player game, Terminator 3: The Redemption features a two-player cooperative mode. The two-player content is very limited, though, and basically comprises little more than a handful of rail shooter levels in which you and a friend take up positions on the left and right of the screen. One of the levels, for example, places you in a helicopter flying above a postapocalyptic landscape--you basically keep circling the area until all of the Skynet forces below have been killed, and then you move on to the next area and repeat the process. Although it's described as cooperative, the two-player mode will invariably end up being played competitively--you'll both be shooting at the same enemies, but the only real motivation you have is to accumulate more kills than your friend.

The visuals in Terminator 3: The Redemption are a little mixed, but seem to be shaping up fairly well. The in-game graphics on both the PS2 and the Xbox are about average for their respective systems, but the transitions between in-game action, prerendered cutscenes, and footage from the Terminator 3 movie are quite impressive. The terminator's scan vision might take you a little while to get used to, particularly if you haven't seen the movies; but it's not ugly by any means, and it serves as a constant reminder that you're a machine, as it allows you to target enemies more easily and do extra damage. As you might expect, the PS2 version is, unsurprisingly, less impressive to look at than its Xbox counterpart, which should come as no great surprise.

The levels set in Los Angeles 2003 are a welcome change from Skynet's postapocalyptic future.
The levels set in Los Angeles 2003 are a welcome change from Skynet's postapocalyptic future.

On the whole, Terminator 3: The Redemption looks to be coming along well, and it should repair some of the mental anguish that Schwarzenegger fans suffered at the hands of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. We'll reserve our final verdicts on the game for the finished version, though, which we hope to get our hands on soon. Judgment day is imminent. The release date has been set for August 24.

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