Project: Snowblind

Written by Troy Matsumiya  on November 04, 2004

First Impressions: Should Master Chief watch his back?

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Lost in the hype surrounding Doom 3, Halo 2 and Half-Life 2 is Project: Snowblind, a new FPS action title being developed by Crystal Dynamics, the same people behind the acclaimed Legacy of Kain series. So while the Space Marine, Master Chief and Gordon Freeman have been hogging the spotlight, Snowblind has been quietly developing into what could be the surprise sleeper hit in the crowded FPS genre.

While there have been many overly optimistic stories about upcoming УHalo-killersФ, Snowblind seems to truly have the potential to give ol' MC a run for his money based on what we've seen so far. And what we've seen is good. Very good.

Originally intended to be another sequel in the famed Deus Ex franchise (Ion Storm and Warren Spector were consulted very early in development), it quickly became apparent that splitting it off as an original stand-alone title would provide the most creative freedom for the developers. While Snowblind retains some of its Deus Ex heritage like bio-enhancements and the near-future setting, the gameplay is much more action oriented with many original and unique elements that make it stand out from the FPS crowd.

The story takes place in the year 2065, where you will play as Lt. Nathan Frost, a foot soldier in an international peacekeeping force called the Liberty Coalition. Right off the bat, you are dropped into Hong Kong to help suppress an evil regime. Unfortunately, the enemy overwhelms your squad and you are critically wounded; of course, the game would be pretty short if you died right away, so you are whisked off to a hospital where special bio-enhancements are surgically implanted into your body, saving your life and turning you into butt-kicking super soldier.

Although you didn't ask for these implants, you will come to rely on them to survive; in fact, many levels are being designed around the use of specific bio-enhancements, weapons and special gadgets (more on these in a moment). The maps will be more linear than the wide open, free roaming environments of Deus Ex Ц after all, the emphasis is on action, not exploration Ц but won't be as restrictively narrow as your typical Tom Clancy shooter. The developers want to give you the flexibility to try various tactics and strategies, so there will be multiple paths in every map Ц and you may even be able to open your own path using a certain bio-mod or gadget.

The maps and the game as a whole looks reminiscent of Bladerunner, with dark alleys and streets lit with gaudily bright neon signs. Snowblind is built almost entirely with proprietary technology, including the game engine, physics engine and AI, which not only provides the game with a unique look, but a unique feel as well.

The action is promising to be very intense, so much so that going at it alone on many missions will be a recipe for suicide. But don't worry; you will have a full squad of AI teammates at your side to lend a helping hand. Unlike the throwaway teammates in Halo or Star Wars Battlefront Ц which we all pretty much used as cannon fodder while we went about our own thing Ц you will want to stay with and protect your buddies as much as possible. The survivors will carry over into each successive mission, and as you progress through the game, you will need their help as you battle increasingly larger numbers of stronger enemies coming at you from different directions simultaneously. Fortunately, the AI is promising to be smart enough to know when to seek cover and when to attack, so they will be much more useful than human shields (unlike the incredibly stupid bots in Battlefront).

The missions are broken down into three different types: Total War will be the all-out frenzied shooter action Snowblind should become known for, with up to two dozen teammates and enemies fighting it out on the screen at the same time. Solo Battle is the same as Total War, but you are separated from your teammates and have to go at it alone. You will also be alone in Infiltration, but need to be stealthy as you sneak past or hack into computers, security cameras, automated gun turrets, and so on.

Weapons Сn' Mods Сn' Stuff

What really makes Snowblind unique is the wide variety of creative weapons, gadgets and bio-mods at your disposal Ц and with about two dozen to choose from, it is a veritable gadget geek's dream come true.

While Crystal Dynamics has been tight-lipped about many of the things we can use, they have thrown us a few tidbits to whet our appetite. Bio-mods include a special vision mode that turns everyone a bright yellow that can be seen in the dark or even through walls, allowing you to spot and kill enemies before they even know you're there. Be careful though, because even if you see someone through a wall, they may not necessarily be a bad guy hungry for your bullets.

Another bio-mod turns you invisible so you can sneak past enemies, but don't expect to go on a Predator-like killing spree because the instant you attack, your invisibility shuts off. The coolest bio-mod so far is Reflex, Snowblind's version of bullet-time which not only allows you to slow down time to dodge shots and vehicles, but also allows you to snatch a grenade in mid-flight and then throw it back at the enemy. Nice!

Other bio-mods include the Icepick, which will let you hack into computers, electrical systems, security devices, and so on. The Electrical Storm lets you release a huge energy flurry for attacking multiple enemies at once (Emperor Palpatine would like this one). Just make sure to plan your bio-mod usage strategically, though, because you draw upon a limited power supply of bioenergy each time you use one.

Your weapons have also undergone special modifications to complement your bio-mods. Each УsmartФ weapon will have a primary and secondary fire, with the primary as the УnormalФ mode (like bullets for your assault rifle, shells for your shotgun, and so on). Sounds like many other FPS games out there, right? What will set Snowblind apart are the creative and way cool secondary fire modes. For example, the shotgun's secondary is a sticky bomb that sticks to anything Ц including enemies, who will run around in a panic desperately trying to get it off. If you're lucky, they'll run back towards their own teammates, but they will sometimes run towards you, which will naturally lead to rather unpleasant results.

Perhaps the coolest example of a smart weapon is the Flechette gun. The primary fires projectiles that you can bounce off walls or ceilings, letting you safely shoot around corners or kill someone hiding behind an obstacle. The secondary fires a swarm of tiny intelligent drones that seek out and attack enemies. The drones have their own AI, so when they kill one enemy, they will automatically attack the next closest bad guy. As an added bonus, the enemy AI will react to the drones in a panic and will frantically shoot at them, which often causes the enemy to shoot each other in a deadly crossfire.

Other weapons include the H.E.R.F. gun, an energy weapon similar to a flamethrower, with a secondary fire that lays proximity energy mines. The kicker gun fires a magnetic pulse that lets you repel or attract any nearby metal objects, including guns right out of the enemy's hands. You will also have several hand grenades to choose from, including the standard frag, flashbang and several others. The best part is how you throw your grenades; pull the left trigger to throw it, and then pull it again to detonate the grenade whenever you want Ц in the air, on the ground, after the first bounce, or maybe wait a few seconds for someone to get into just the right position. Sweet!

Yet another cool thing about Snowblind is the ability to combine your various weapons and gadgets together to make your own deadly creations. For example, you will be able to deploy small spiderbots that will seek out and attack bad guys with stun rays. But since that sounds boring, why not attach a H.E.R.F. mine or sticky bomb on its back and use the kicker to push it into a crowd of enemies? Use your Riot Wall, a portable energy shield that can be used as cover or to block off enemy passageways, to herd enemies into an ambush or a juicy pile of mines. The developers have tried to make the weapons and gadgets as flexible as possible, which will no doubt satisfy gamers who have often asked themselves, УHey, why can't I do this?Ф

And if you get tired of shooting and blowing people up, you can always get up close and personal and crack people over the head with your melee attacks.

Snowblind will also feature stationary gun turrets you can hop into, and several drivable vehicles including cars, tanks, armored jeeps with mounted gun turrets, and even mech-like walkers. Be careful not to leave vehicles or gun turrets unoccupied for too long though; the enemy AI is smart enough to know that a vehicle is available, and will jump into one if given the chance. So that wimpy guy with the pistol could suddenly become a very nasty threat if you let him climb into that mech.

Multiplayer

Like most FPS games, the real fun will be in multiplayer. Supporting up to 16 players on Xbox Live, Snowblind will feature deathmatch, team deathmatch, capture the flag, Assault (an objective-based gametype where you have to destroy the opposing team's generators), Hunter (a king-of-the-hill game where one person Ц the Hunter Ц is equipped with all weapons and bio-mods, and the others have to kill him. The person who kills him then becomes the Hunter), and a few other gametypes that are still under wraps.

Similar to Return to Castle Wolfenstein, you will choose from a pool of special character classes, each with its own special weapons load-out like sniper, heavy weapons, and so on. Like Halo, you will be able to modify every gametype, so you can play melee only with no weapons if you want. Set it to Arms Race and you will be able to pick up and add the load-out of fallen enemies to your personal arsenal, giving you a huge advantage over other less well-equipped players.

You will also be able to use your bio-mods and special gadgets. For example, you can protect your flag by surrounding it with proximity mines and Riot Walls; heck, you can even plant a sticky bomb on the flag itself as a nice little surprise for the other team. The creativity and flexibility you have in single player will only be amplified when working together as a team in multiplayer.