ic-games Review - X-Files: Resist or Serve - Reviews, Previews and Interviews for PC, Xbox 360, PS2, PS3 and Wii

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X-Files: Resist or Serve

Information
Reviewer: James Collins
Developer: Black Ops
Publisher: Vivendi Universal
Reviewed: Playstation 2
Genre: Survival Horror
UK Release: 21st May 2004
Article Date: 05th Jun 2004
Difficulty: Medium
Retail Price:
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Score Breakdown

Experience:
Game Play:
Graphics:
Sound:
Overall Score: 75%

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Pros

great for the fans

Cons

flawed for the rest of us

Screenshots

5 of 31

When I heard the other day that David Duchovny had signed on to do another X-Files movie I confess my initial reaction was ‘yes, and?’ Whilst it was much talked about at the time watching the repeats are just not such a mainstream draw anymore. Buffy, Angel, Roswell High, Alias – whilst not being devoted to the same subject matter have at least competed for the same audience, and ultimately the search for the unexplained and paranormal was cancelled by the network. The decision to develop a second film, and the game now under review, can only be down to the ‘Star Trek: Next Gen’ factor – a hugely devoted fan base who have yet to see anything better their favourite and will continue to seek what’s out there.

The PS2 game, developed by Sierra, caters overwhelmingly for that hard core element. Billed as a missing chapter of the long running series the action is presented as if it were a series of programmes. Agents Mulder and Scully, voiced by the actors themselves, are called on to investigate some mysterious deaths in a suitably eeyrie upstate town which in turn are connected to two missing sisters/alleged witches, which no doubt (somehow, someway) links back to the opening screen shots you saw of the Tunguska incident back in Siberia 1908 and an abandoned baby being enveloped by liquid. These sort of connections are where the t.v series lost me as a viewer – people with odd abilities I can handle, huge conspiracy theories across time and space….er, no I’m tired of the whole ‘grassy knoll’ re-hash. However, personal thoughts aside it is at least faithful to the drama, and should be congratulated for interweaving console game with past events, far too many franchises now just rush out a cheap looking, stand alone spin-off affair aiming to make a quick buck out of us gamers. ‘Renascence, Resonance and Reckoning’ are classic sounding titles from the files and over the course of the next X hours of play you will encounter well known X characters from the show, whom for obvious plot spoil reasons I won’t name, but suffice to say trust no-one.

You have the choice of selecting either agent to play, and the game will unfold slightly differently in consequence. Naturally, this reflects Spooky Mulder’s more ‘in your face’ action style, and wise-cracking, ‘get with the programme’ attitude in contrast to Scully’s more scientific, ‘I believe in facts’ approach. Tasks are divided and you’ll work different parts of the plot, with the game tidying up the continuity nicely with appropriate fill in clips, relayed conversations and occasions where you regroup with the other PS controlled character. Basically, it’s a puzzle adventure, and it being the X files there are clues to find, items to retrieve and pieces to put together. That’s why I found the action just a little over the top. I know they got into some scrapes in the series but usually it was a climatic face-off with a single individual/beast/entity, I hadn’t expected being pitched into Zombie flesheaters after 30 seconds. There are bosses to overcome at suitable points in the mission, but the repetitive blasting, kicking and thumping of the living dead doesn’t add to the suspense – they should have been more circumspect with the amount of fighting you need to do, and the ‘hurl molotov cocktail’ button just smacks of trying to fulfil every supposed rule of videogames. (We can at least be thankful that our intrepid duo haven’t been turned into Heckler and Koch wielding SWAT teams, although an AK47 does make an appearance!) I would have much preferred more interesting solutions, and a greater employment of brains rather than brawn - the majority of the answers are of the ‘pick this up’ or ‘examine here’ variety, especially as a glowing X on screen marks the point of activity.

That said the graphics are good and it’s got such a tremendous licence behind it that you can really get into the feel of things. As soon as you hear the music you know it’s the real deal and of course those voices, and some accurate representations help (although I can’t help picturing Mr Burns every time because of that classic Simpsons episode.) Locations are suitably apt and lit, but it’s quite disappointing that beyond fixed points and items they’re not more interactive. For example, a locked door is an unbreachable room – no matter that you have a loaded gun and there’s a very thin pane of glass for a window. Similarly the vast number of items strewn about the place can’t simpy be utilised as weapon - I guess the FBI are not allowed to subscribe to the ‘improvise and overcome’ principle. The character movement is a little forced and at times they do look distant cousins of the boys from Thunderbird 1. It’s not poor motion by any means but we aren’t talking Splinter Cell fluidity either. However, once again in a current game I have a major gripe with the camera angles. Trying to be just a little too cinematic the player view changes according to screen position, taking in the full editing suite of wide angle, zoom and shoot from below, all the while your only control is over the sweep of your torch. It is hugely frustrating in a situation where locating doors, objects and people is vital to success. Not only can you be edging towards enlightenment only to be scuppered by camera 2 taking over, but it leaves you open to being blindsided by opponents and floundering into three point turns to exit buildings. Combine this with the multiple loading points and you have a recipe for frustration. Sort it out developers, we don’t give gold stars to games that annoy.

At least the inventory and controls provide some relief. There is a very useful map facility (once you’ve found it), and the standard move, action, fire buttons are all as they should be. There’s a very good section that makes notes on the case as you piece together events, so saving the game at one of the appropriate markers doesn’t require you to indulge in memory training. You are able to carry a huge selection of objects which can be combined for maximum effect, but that’s something you’ll have to discover – aside from the illuminated X’s for activity you can’t claim to be spoon-fed. Health is of the slowly ebb away variety, to be topped up with found items, but again why have the characters completely ignore the vast quantities of soda machines, bar snacks and foodstuffs lying around in the first act alone? An opportunity lost with that environment I feel, Columbo would have stuffed a sandwich in his pocket just in case he felt a bit weak later.

For the purists though there are a wealth of in-jokes, subtle references and allusions. I confess they needed to be pointed out to me most of the time, but then that’s the whole summary of this gaming experience. For the X-ophile it’s a superbly rendered, all knowing, authentic piece of the jigsaw, for the rest of us a slightly flat third person effort revolving around a very 90’s license. If they want to appeal to the mass market again they need to produce a less flawed game than this, but I’d like to thank the for the effort – at least it’s not another FPS. I guess the concept of the show was always about the well informed minority, nodding and winking to each other, aware that only they know the true story – well enjoy your game it’s spot on for you, I’m quite happy in my ignorance.

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