Singularity is a
first-person shooter that controls very similar to what you’re probably used
to, but there are some twists. Along the
lines of Bioshock, Singularity introduces a device on the protagonist’s left
arm. The “TMD” as it’s called, has the
ability to age or revert items/enemies, lift objects with anti-gravity, fire an
impulse of energy, and other interesting options. It’s not as extensive as plasmids, but is a
nice addition. The guns are pretty much
the standard set, but also have some tweaks.
One allows you to control the path of the bullet and another slows
enemies in your sights. They are unique,
but some of them don’t affect your enemies the way you think they should. The long range snipers certainly do, but other
weapons feel a bit hollow. Also, the
enemy AI is pretty terrible. On hard
they provide some challenge, but sit behind barriers and not react when you run
right up to them. Overall though, the
gameplay is fluid, quick and there aren’t any game breaking issues.
Graphics
Singularity runs
on the Unreal engine, similar to that of Bioshock. Personally I think the game looks good... it’s
not amazing, and there are issues like clipping in spots, but some of effects
are pretty nice. Singularity jumps between
modern day and 1955. The difference
between the two time periods is immediately noticeable, and I was kind of
excited to see the environmental changes whenever I encountered a warp. The enemies could use more detail, especially
the generic alien-like inhabitants of the island. The graphics do a really good job creating an
atmosphere to complement the story, but could use more polish.
The sound of
Singularity is a mixed bag. There is a
lot of voice acting, but thankfully it’s well done. There are some odd choices of dialogue here
and there, but nothing too cringe-worthy.
The alien enemies don’t make a ton of noise, and their reactions when
being hit aren’t quite up to par. One
glaring omission is the ability to turn on subtitles. For many people this might not matter, but
since the recordings are somewhat soft, and include the Russian accents, it
would’ve been nice to have them.
Needless to say, anyone with a hearing disability will miss out on a
great story without the subs. Music is
well done in parts, but generic in others.
Surround sound implementation is great though and really does immerse
you in the experience.
Campaign
Definitely the
best part of Singularity, the single player campaign provides a unique and intriguing
story that will hold your attention for the game’s duration. You are a US soldier, sent to investigate an
island off the coast of Russia. Known as
Katorga-12, the island was home to Russian experiments surrounding a newly
discovered element called E-99 in 1955.
The history of the island is fleshed out, deep, and intriguing. You’ll soon learn about the TMD (Time
Manipulation Device), and the powers that reside in the device. After you arrive on the island, strange
things begin to happen, and before you know it, you travel back in time and when
you return everything has changed. Your
new mission is to travel through time to set things right. Clocking in around 10 hours, the duration of
the campaign was perfect for me. You
gain new abilities, weapons, and perks along the way, adding an RPG-aspect to
the game. I thought the campaign was a
lot of fun, and the story was well thought out.
That’s not to say there weren’t a few missteps. First off, the progression of the game is
very linear. A little exploration is
encouraged, but many times a door will close behind you and you can’t go back. This can be frustrating when you see objects
through a window but find the door back to get them has closed. The save system is wonky, as you can’t save
when you want, and there aren’t even set markers or rooms where the game
saves. The weapons upgrade and equipment
stations work well enough, but the ability to only equip one perk for 90% of
the game takes away some of your customization options. Unfortunately when you upgrade weapons, there
are no visual modifications showcasing the improvements. As you can tell, many of the missteps can be
considered minor annoyances. They don’t
take away from the fun of the game, and the story makes the campaign worth
it. The ending is worth the trip and you
won’t be disappointed in the conclusion (whichever of the three you may end
with). Issues aside, one of the better
single-player FPS campaigns this generation.
I didn’t expect
much out of the multiplayer, but I was pleasantly surprised. There are only two modes, Extermination and
Creatures vs. Humans. Since I wasn’t a
fan of the Left 4 Dead versus multiplayer, I wasn’t planning on liking
this. However, the matches are fun and
fast paced. The humans and creatures
each have multiple class-types, each with different special abilities and
powers. You can switch classes mid match
to keep things interesting and adapt to the opposing teams strategy. You can level up, but I wasn’t sure what
leveling up actually did. The online
isn’t incredibly in-depth, but at least it’s a fun addition that will keep you
occupied a few hours. All of that hinges
on finding players…which is difficult.
Summary
Singularity
didn’t really do big numbers when it was released, but that doesn’t mean it’s
not worth checking out. I managed to get
a new copy of the game for $5 from Best Buy, and at that price, it was
definitely one of the best games I’ve ever played. At $20 or $30, if you enjoy FPS games with
good campaigns (just lacking a level of polish) Singularity is definitely worth
getting. If you only play FPS’s for the
online component, I would avoid this one.
It’s unfortunate Singularity never sold that well, because its gem of a
story should have gotten much more attention.
Rating
|
Description
|
8.5
|
Gameplay
It’s an FPS, but with some unique differences. The gameplay is fluid, smooth, and fun. There are some issues here and there, but nothing too terrible. |
8.0
|
Graphics
It won’t win any awards, but I think many of the environments look great. Enemies could use more detail, but the differences in time periods are really cool. |
7.5
|
Audio
Mixed bag, but mostly well done. Sound effects are good, and the surround sound is immersive. Voice acting is authentic, but no sub-titles? Really? |
9.0
|
Campaign
Very good story is the reason to
check this game out. Katorga-12 is
fleshed out and interesting. Linear
gameplay and strange save system are confusing.
|
7.5
|
Multiplayer
The multiplayer is much better than
I expected. Only two game modes, but
they’re both fun. Unfortunately
finding matches is VERY tough.
|
8.0
|
Overall (Not an average of above scores)
|
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