Wanted: Weapons of Fate

Much like the movie that its based off of, Wanted: Weapons of Fate can be flash without substance many times.  Though nothing really discernible truly occurs during the events of either, you walk away feeling satisfied simply because your sensory array has been so tickled by the experience.  While it doesn't have the legs to whole-heartedly recommend as a purchase, Wanted: Weapons of Fate offers satisfying shooting with unique mechanics which make it worth at least a playthrough.

The story in Weapons of Fate takes place only a few hours following the events of the film.  Without spoiling too much of the film for anyone, the game has you playing as perpetually obnoxious assassin Wesley Gibson, now hunted by various other branches of The Fraternity.  You'll be striking back at your various nemeses while also uncovering the secrets of your father, Cross, and end a feud he long held with the leader of his Fraternity, the Immortal.  You will also play as Cross himself in flashback sequences that fill in more of the story.  Although important story segments are told through cutscene or FMV, it is somewhat incomprehensible at points and not one of the game's strong points.

Game modes also are somewhat lacking in Wanted as well.  Other than the campaign, there really isn't anything else to do.  You will unlock higher difficulties, new skins, and different conditions in which to play through the game as you playthrough, but as nothing truly changes story-wise and the gameplay is not really made any more interesting, these seem superfluous additions.  Finally, at only about 5 hours in length (possibly shorter or longer depending on your skill and playstyle), you'll be done with Wanted: Weapons of Fate shorterly after you've began.

The saving grace in Wanted is its gameplay.  Although the cover mechanic-style shooting isn't drastically different than recent games, some unique mechanics add a uniquely visceral and exciting boost of action into what is quickly becoming a derivative genre.  Like the movie, curving bullets is prominent in Weapons of Fate and creates a brand new playstyle into the fold.  Along with this, the game places emphasis on chaining cover together to get in position to attack foes, and other assassin abilities include slowing time between cover and causing bullets to collide in mid-air for an explosive surprise.  Although some of these are more useful than others, they're all fun to play around with and mix up the gameplay.  On top of the basic gameplay, there are some flashy on-rails segments to shoot through as well as mounted turret and sniper sections that break up the action.  Though its nice to have a change of pace, these sections aren't particularly fun.  If anything, they just build up your desire to get back into the game.

On the presentation side, Wanted: Weapons of Fate has its ups and downs.  The graphical presentation is pretty enough, though when the player models are asked to interact during cutscenes, they don't really hold up.  There are some pretty cool camera tricks with tracking bullets that add to the excitement of battles, but overall the graphics just do their job and not much else.  On the sound front, the effects certainly sound like they come straight from the movie and are probably the most impressive audio in the game.  The music is somewhat forgettable, though it certainly sets the mood, and the voice-acting, although featuring several stars from the film, is only average.

Wanted: Weapons of Fate is certainly more than the sum of its parts.  Though it only truly excels on the gameplay front, it does well enough to immerse you in its world that the game becomes infinitely more fun and engaging.  Part of what makes it such a joy to play could possibly be its "gone in a flash" campaign, but this only effects the game's recommendation of purchase, not its play-worthiness.  If you're in the mood for a fast paced shooter that can hold your attention over a weekend, Wanted: Weapons of Fate is perhaps the most worthy candidate available.