The Conduit: Special Edition Review
Is this a FPS Wii owners want or is it all hype?
Style: First person shooter (Up to 12 player multiplayer)
System: Nintendo Wii
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: High Voltage Software
Release Date: June 23, 2009
Story- You play as Michael Ford, an agent for a secret government called The Trust who must save mankind from aliens known as the Drudge who invaded our nation’s capital. The story feels like Cloverfield.
Differences from the Special Edition and the Original Version of the Conduit: For those who pre-ordered The Conduit they got the Special Edition version with extras such as a better cover design, codes for alternative ASE(All Seeing Eye) colors, codes for a secret agent multi-player skin, and a Limited Edition concept art book. For those with the original version who can enter the codes in the promotional code section. Then, look under cheats and activate Promo ASE and Promo Model. The were both at the same price of $50. A smart idea from High Voltage Software. Better then certain pre-orders that jack up the price $10-$40 for very little extras.
Presentation
Graphics- The Conduit was hyped to have great graphics for the Wii and the final product’s graphics are fantastic. The lighting, particle, water effects, bump mapping, and depth of field work really well. My favorite parts is the use of depth of field, bump mapping and the particle effects. Depth of Field is executed when your reloading your gun, zoom in on an enemy or zoom in on objects. The bump mapping is great to make the enemies have solid detail. The particle effects shine when an enemy is destroyed. The Promo ASE colors are awesome. Overall, the graphics are some of the best graphics to hit the Wii. I’m glad because I hate how third party developers under rate the system’s potential. The problem with the graphics are that some of the environments you are in simplistic and the frame rate drop.
Sound- The opening menu screen had great catchy music, but some of the music in the game is in small tracks that aren't very memorable. However, the voice acting and the sound effects for the guns are great to hear. The voice cast include: Mark Sheppard, Willian Morgan Sheppard, and Kevin Sorbo.
Gameplay
Single-Player Campaign: The gameplay for The Conduit is your standard First Person Shooter affair with going in a linear path from Point A-Point B taking out enemies along the way. What makes The Conduit different than any other shooter on any console? The answer is customization. The Conduit has the best controls for a Wii FPS in the default setting alone. It’s even better when the player has the right to customize the controls in their own liking. Nearly everything is customizable including: turning speed, horizontal, vertical looking speed, player running speed, camera styles, and the Wiimote Dead Zone. There are a good variety of guns to chose from and the accuracy is great because of the aiming reticle. Even though you don’t use the iron sights of some guns the accuracy makes up for that. The weapons are divided into three types Humans weapons, Trust weapons, and Drudge weapons. The game is easy at some points and hard at some points, but it’s not frustrating. This provides the game with good challenge and strategy. This would have been an average shooter if not for the ASE. The All Seeing Eye is used for puzzles that reveal hidden weapons(some of those weapons are enhanced versions of Deatomizer MK4 and the Strike Rifle), open looked doors, destroy mines, revealing invisible enemies, path finding for your next objective, finding hidden messages, and hacking computers. Like I said in the story section the story feels like Cloverfield. So I search for hidden messages and listen to radios to find out what is going on. This helps me make better sense of the story.
MultiPlayer: The multiplayer has 7 maps and up to 12 players per match. The matchmaking divided into three sections Friends, Regional, Worldwide. Finding friends with friend codes is simple type in that persons friend code. Those friends will be added and after using it once who don’t use it again. Regional and Worldwide who can jump into a game with out friend codes. The online has three rule sets: Free-For-All, Team Reaper, and Team Objective.
II.) Free-For-All match types are:
Quick Match- Deathmatch with the player who has the most kills wins.
Marathon- Deathmatch with a time limit and the person who has the most kills before times up wins.
Three Strikes- Players have only three lives
Last Man Standing- Players have only ten lives.
ASE Football- The person who holds the ASE the longest wins.
Bounty Hunter- Players must kill their assigned targets for points. Players will lose points if they kill non targets.
III.) Team Reaper match types are:
Quick Match- Team Deathmatch with the team who has the most kills wins.
Marathon- Team Deathmatch with the team who has the most kills before times up wins.
Shared Stock- Team Survival with teams sharing a pool of lives. The first team that depletes the others teams lives wins.
IV.) Team Objective match types are:
Quick Match- Capture the Flag with teams capturing the ASE from other teams and bringing back to their base for points.
Marathon- Capture the Flag with teams capturing the ASE from other teams and bringing back to their base for points before times up.
Killing Overdrive- Team Reaper but with ASE. The first team to either kill or capture limit wins.
Single ASE- Capture the Flag but with one ASE.
V.) Matchmaking
Before a match starts players vote on the rules of the match, the weapon set and the maps. Voice chat for Wii Speak work well. The connection for matches is a mixed bag. The match would play great with out any lag. When there is lag players can teleport around the map. Sometimes you can have a glitch before a match and spawn you outside of the map. These are minor flaws for the online. Overall, the multi-player is great and will keep you coming back for more.
VI.) Entertainment- I enjoyed The Conduit online and off. This game has achievements like a game on the Xbox 360 or Trophies on the PS3. Customization is great. Controls are solid. This is a good Halo clone and is the best Wii multi-player First Person shooter to date.
Overview
+ Great Presentation
+ Cool weaponry
+ Solid Controls
+ Customization
+ Code works with the original version as well
+ ASE
+ Wii game with achievements
+ Challenge
+ Strong competitive multiplayer
- Story may not appeal to some people
- Music feels just there
- Linear standard shooter
- Lack of destructible environments
- Cliche
- Short
- Sometimes you can have a glitch before a match and spawn you outside of the map.
