XIII

Based on the Belgian graphic novel series from the 1980s and 1990s of the same name about an amnesiac who seeks to discover his past, XIII is a sure sight not to be missed. Additionally, this game gives you emphasis that this is a comic book (and not much of a cartoon) with the cutscenes being presented in panels, onomatopoeias pop up when things like explosions happen, and small panels show up to zoom in on headshots. Much like The Wind Waker, XIII was (and still is) one of the first games to implement cell-shaded graphics (along with Jet Set Radio) and it still looks great today. In fact it almost looks like a Cartoon Network/Adult Swim TV show in its representation with all those top-notch quality graphics and designs, reminiscent of a Dark Horse/Image comics publication. You gotta love the soundtrack. It was composed by several artists from the San Francisco-based music label Future Primitive Sound. It incorporates elements of late 60s-70s-era music such as soul, funk, jazz, but also hip hop and rap. In addition to this there's good voice acting especially from Adam West (still a legend today; and also, thank god neither Rob Paulsen nor Billy West are in this because I don't think they should be in any interactive media ever so no need to panic). However, Number XIII's voice acting isn't that good compared to the rest as David Duchovny gives a performance that makes him sound bored at times. There are 16 weapons, from a knife to a bazooka, an Uzi to an M60 (my favorite weapon of all time!). The shotguns, however, are incredibly underpowered and require you to be at a specific distance to one-shoot kill an enemy, regardless if you get a headshot or not. You can also pick up objects off the ground such as bottles, chairs, or brooms which can also be used as weapons. The multiplayer is pretty fun and it has a great Mode called The Hunt, where you and the other players/bots try to hunt a miniature version of Death. The game allows you to be able to stealthily take out enemies if you choose to, something the Wolfenstein series would later incorporate. It's hard to be stealthy as enemies can hear you when you approach them even when you're crouched. The only way to be stealthy at that point is to use the crossbow or wait for enemies to approach and knock them out with an object. The story is interesting: it's about a gentleman with amnesia trying to recall his memory while trying to solve a grand conspiracy involving a secret society called the Clan of 20. As you progress and meet specific requirements after completing a mission, you unlock skills like being able to Dual-Wield pistols, stun enemies from behind, lockpick faster, and more! The game isn't that challenging, though, despite barely having checkpoints and not having regenerative health. The boss battles are decent...except for the Mongoose's boss fight, which is really difficult, mainly because he's programmed to only aim for your head, which takes large chunks of your health. You can beat The Mongoose easily if you hide behind the ladder used to enter the room as this will obscure, but you can still just BARELY graze him allowing you to chip away at his health as he just stands there without firing a shot. The plot twist at the end is amazing: the final level is set aboard newly elected President Walter Sheridan's yacht where he's celebrating his election victory. When Number XIII goes to find the President he overhears the President talking about how XIII was meant to die before discovering a call from the Mongoose factually calling Sheridan: Number I while the Mongoose is still alive with XIII being held at gunpoint. However, because the game didn't sell well, a sequel was never made, and that annoys me. Instead, a garbage remake was what we got years later, but this original game will be far superior. Despite their flaws, Ubisoft has made some awesome games, and this is absolutely, positively, 100% one of them and an example of how to handle a franchise with proper care and one of their best adaptations yet. You will love all of this. Forget frickin' Stupid Invaders, go play XIII. Right. NOW!!!!!!