Breakdown (video game)

Breakdown is released in 2004 and developed by Namco first-person shooter Beat 'em up for the Xbox. The game an innovative approach when it comes to the representation of the Protogonisten in the gaming world. Thus, all actions are shown realistic first-person perspective, including things like somersaults or pick up objects. Breakdown was named by the Mirror's Edge developers as one of their sources of inspiration.

Action

The plot in breakdown is similar to Half Life, shown entirely from the ego perspective, cutscenes with different camera angles do not exist. The game starts with the Derrick Cole, the Protogonist of the game, wakes up in a hospital bed with no memories to have. Shortly after he is attacked by soldiers, but rescued by a woman, Alex Hendrickson. It turns out that he is in a research institution and was given to him T'lan, a serum to give him the superhuman strength. The serum is not completed and has side effects. With Alex together he fights his way through the research institute and finally finds himself in Site Zero, an underground complex that was built by aliens, and is populated by T'lan, which are controlled by Nexus. It turns out that Nexus is planning an invasion of Earth, and a large number of rockets ready for launch. A little later Alex is captured by a T'lan called Solus and the attempt to liberate them and to prevent the launch of the rocket fails.

Derrick is then thrown 15 years into the future, arrived there he finds that the world has been overrun by T'lan. There he meets a native of the future again Alex and a group of scientists explained to him that he will soon be thrown back due to the pendulum effect back into the past. From them he received an infusion of the completed T'langen serum, thus gaining his full powers. Shortly thereafter, he is again thrown back with Alex in the past. But they separate at the time of travel and Alex ends up as bedside Derricks at the beginning of the game. Derricks itself can again make the fight against Solus and defeat both him and Nexus. Side Zero collapses then, while Alex and Derrick escape with a helicopter.

Shortly thereafter sets the pendulum effect at Alex, and she is pulled back to the future, the player remains in the choice to go with them or stay in the present.

Game mechanics

Breakdown looks at first glance like an ordinary first-person shooter, in the more detailed examination, however, fall on some crucial differences. A significant change to another genre - representatives is that in Breakdown of the body of the protagonist is fully involved with, so not only arms and legs are visible, but also interactions with the world find realistic instead. Health is refreshed, for example, beverage cans, but it is not enough simply via the same to run to activate it, but the Protogonist raises selbige with his hand up and then lead them to the mouth. Also arms and ammunition seized by hand and can not be easily collected by Above and - running. When using ladders as well get the hands to use.

Breakdown also includes a first-person shooter unusual jump mechanics, so the protagonist can not only jump, but also to hold on projections and pull himself up, much like in games of the Tomb Raider series. He is also to perform in a position to backflips and somersaults, all of which are shown in the first-person shooter perspective.

Fights, when discharged with the weapon, essentially follow genre conventions, but include fixed to target the additional possibility opponents to automate the goals. In addition to the firearms which players are also a wide variety of melee attacks and evasive maneuvers at your disposal; selbige skills to take over the story and are supplemented by special attacks like a slow motion function.

Reviews

Reviews of Breakdown fell mixed. One of the main criticisms were the rather simple firearms struggles as well as the monotonous graphics and level design, which often consisted of the same old programs. The story and the immersion could inspire on the other side and was referred to by some critics as one of the best in recent years. On Metacritic it is done with a rating average of 71%.

Footnotes

• USK 16
• Computer game 2004
• First person shooter
• Xbox game