Thursday, 17 February 2011

This Phobia of Hydros made me wet

Hydrophobia, an xbox live arcade game currently priced at 400 Points in a sale (normally 800 Points), is a third person action game. It is planned to be a trilogy, though nothing on the second one has been mentioned. It just recently recieved a major overhaul (The hydopohbia pure update) majorly improving the games looks and reducing the games price from 1200 points to 800. But this water based game anything to get wet about, or should you stay high and dry?

You play as Kate, a engineer of the  Huge vessel The Queen of The Earth. In the future, global populizations has caused humanity to find places to live, and so the ship was born. Then Terrorists attack, and Kate's in the middle of it. Unfortunately she has a bit of the hydrophobia, swimming underwater for too long brings dulls the sound and you being ot hear voices of Kate's past (I remember hearing that the screen goes dim iswell, but I think it was removed in the update). As you continue, water bursts into the ship, and its clear this game is clearly focused on the water. And the water pyshics are brilliant. Water swoops in on waves, bursting through and sweeping characters off your feet. Water splashes on the screen, drips from every source, and provides some interesting puzzles. It can also be used as timed weapons in many ways.  Its the best water physics ive seen in a game.

The game plays from a 3rd person perspective, similar to uncharted, in terms of climbing and gameplay (though not as effective). The swimmings plays pretty good iswell. The cover system is a bit choopy, however. The combat is quite unique. Although it takes a while to reach it, Kate is equipped with a security gun, in which has different ammo types. The first one you recieve gives the ability to shock and stun enemies, eventually killing them with enough shocks. But this also brings back to the water, stunned enemies will eventually drowned, so in certain situations using the environment is essenstial. Others including  gel bombs, and of course, standard ammo. There are also a number of other environmental dangers to take note when combating the terrorists. Electirc wires halter the players progress, or can be used to your environmental advantage. Another includes exploding barrels, but what game doesent have them. Then again, they are more effective due to the lack of lethal weaponry.

After youve Done the story mode (which unfortunately is only a few hours) the challenge mode becomes avalible. Here, Kate gets the power to contorl water to knock her enemies over in a survival style mode. Its a real shame the waer controlling ability isnt in the main game. If your someone who has a soft spot for hi scorees and leaderboards, then this will keep you for a while.

One thing that I didnt like about the game is the lack of smoothness in the controls. Although its not devastatingly terrible, sometimes a matter of life and death. Adding the length of the game (though you cant ocmplain at the price) the worst part of the game, past the few bugs and glitches still in the game (I got stuck in the floor in the swimming animation, was quite annoying) is the ending. Why? cause there isnt one. I know this game was supposed to be a triology, but it jsut ends halfway through a cut scene. Which left me completely unsatisfied, especially since I finished the game in a single sitting.

Overall, hydrophobia is a fairly enjoyable game. The water and combat mechaniques are unique and brilliantly shown off, but it falls short at the basics. Still, its not enough to put anyone off, but expect a generic 3rd person game after the wow of the water gets past you. Also, beware, one thing about planned 'episodic games' they might nt make the next one, leaving us with that half a cutscene to end the story

What I liked

Great water physics
Tactical shooting style
Envionmentals
Water controlling challenge mode

What annoyed me

Stiff controls
Few bugs and glitches
Shortness of game
Lack of ending (especially wiht no sign of episode 2 yet)

Rating 7/10
Reccomend to: Uncharted fans who are sat ina  room going insane waiting for the third one.

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