Titanfall

BluePoint's XBOX 360 port of Respawn Entertainment's debut game for the XBOX ONE is a very good one. I've played both console versions and aside from the visuals, they are both identical in terms of content and performance. The good thing about the 360 version is that it loads matches much faster than its bigger brother. "Titanfall" can be described as "Call of Duty" with mechs, but that isn't entirely accurate. It's more like an evolution of the FPS genre due to the ability to double jump and wall run in an extremely fast pace. When your "pilot" is on foot, you'll be able to scale buildings in mere seconds. But when your "pilot" enters a "Titan", the pace slows down so you can dominate the maps with serious firepower. The game's claim-to-fame is that it perfectly melds these two styles of play into one cohesive combat package.

But while "Titanfall" is a shot-to-the-arm to the twitch-based shooter genre, it's also composed of familiar tropes. So you'll be unlocking numerous weapons, attachments and perks as you progress by completing dozens of in-game challenges. There's also the inclusion of "Burn Cards" which are earned and can be equipped to gain abilities like increased speed and weapon damage. The game supports 6 Vs 6 online matches with numerous bots scattered throughout each map. Unfortunately, there is nothing innovative about any of the five modes included on the disc. They are "Attrition" (Team Deathmatch), "Pilot Hunter" (Only Pilot Kills Count), "Last Titan Standing" (No Pilots, only Titans), "Hardpoint Domination" and "Capture the Flag".

The two “story” campaigns are just multiplayer matches with an opening narration detailing an objective before the start of a match. As for the story itself, it’s a thin one not made very clear thanks to the lack of a proper narrative. It's basically about a civil war between a rich corporation (The IMC) and a militia in the far reaches of space. Overall, the corporation and militia are fighting over valuable resources such as oil. "Titanfall" could've easily benefited from a true campaign to establish its universe with fleshed out characters and story. But I guess they needed something major for the sequel. This first installment is just about online competitive modes and while it's not the greatest shooter ever made, it certainly is a good effort.

One of the joys of "Titanfall" is discovering all the abilities besides the basic ones. You can hack gun turrets, re-program enemy sentries, "rodeo" enemy titans and ride on the shoulders of a friendly titan. The quick pace of the match is a welcome addition to the increasingly stale formula of the FPS. And if you're a fan of the genre, then you'll appreciate the change of pace. "Titanfall" may not be up there with "Halo", "Gears of War" or "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" when it comes to genre standards, but it's fun and a little different that from what's come before. So if you own an XBOX 360 and are not ready to make the jump to XONE, then you need not worry. This port is well worth owning. I only wish it was sold at a budget price of $40 due to the lack of content.