If Microsoft is to ever begin making any genuine headway in the crucial if fickle and elusive Japanese games market, it is not going to be through games like Breakdown. Although among the first Xbox 'exclusives' made by a third-party in Japan, Breakdown single-handedly fails to meet many of the requirements set by this western gamer or indeed the perceived preferences of the Japanese gamer. Blending a decidedly Western first-person perspective, with a token splash of Japanese-style hand-to-hand combat, Breakdown ultimately strikes as a rather strange game, lacking in focus, or indeed inspiration.

Certainly, getting Namco to create an Xbox exclusive first-person shooter probably sounded like a good idea all round on paper, however the fact is that Namco has never crafted a game from this perspective before: and it shows. You could never say Breakdown is a poor game in the manner that so many are, however there is very little it does with any genuine originality, or in fact better than any other half-decent example of the genre.

Let's begin with the plotline. You play the amusingly named Derrick Cole, awaking with amnesia in a (uh-ho!) secret research facility, where it seems you are about to be executed. Luckily for you a rather pretty gal by the name of (I kid you not) Alex Hendrickson steps in to save your bacon, kick-starting a methodical romp through a variety of fairly uninspiring levels as Derrick begins to unravel the mysteries of his recent past.

For much of the game, you'll be using just two armed weapons, a machine gun and a pistol, neither of which are much cop or in fact last long (especially if like me you couldn't be arsed with continual corpse-searching for ammo), which will leave Derrick battling the evil T'Lans with his bare fists for much of the combat - something which (thankfully) Namco have implemented more expertly than most games, but which still could never be regarded as immaculate. You can even block incoming blows, and whilst the enemy AI is usually very predictable, these bouts are often more entertaining than the repetitive and formulaic running-ducking-shooting gun play, perhaps one reason the developer included the fisticuffs in the first place. Certainly, the auto-lock targeting helps when gunning, especially in the later levels where the firepower improves markedly, though you'll still find it all somewhat ineffective from long-range. Up close and personal is the staple combat of Breakdown then (unless it can be avoided altogether with a touch of nifty leg-work), and it's the better for it.

Graphically, the animation is both slick and smooth, and there's even some nice effects, especially during the more noteworthy set-pieces, however I was surprised to discover that Breakdown was designed exclusively for the Xbox given the somewhat lacklustre locales and frequency of dull corridors so often the scourge of the FPS visually. Despite the easily predictable AI, the sheer number of enemies coupled with the lack of fire power and the game's frenetic pace, does mean that you'll find yourself dying fairly often, which isn't too bad as Namco have been liberal with their checkpoint provision, and you'll even re-start sections of the game with full health which is something of a boost. Even so, the gremlins of repetition and eventual aggravation still rear their heads from time to time, as you replay trickier sections seemingly sans fin.

The fact that Namco haven't seen fit to greatly vary the experience throughout with a variety of different characters, locations, weapons and situations is only alleviated by the well-crafted plot to a degree, and whilst this story does help bind your experience together the immersion could hardly be described as seamless and inevitably the story won't provide anything unique in this hackneyed genre.

A disappointing Xbox exclusive then, but a well-made, 'solid' FPS debut for Namco, though not one that will be concerning Valve, id Software or Bungie any time soon. What it attempts to do, it does with proficiency, but there's too much that uninspires and too much that plays to it too safe to recommend Breakdown unreservedly. If you're a fan of the genre, then you'll find plenty to get your teeth into, but after several hours even the most ardent fan will be forced to concede that this is by no means an original, immersive or hugely fun first-person shooter.

Starts well - fades - then crumbles, if you'll pardon the pun.

55%

By Luke Guttridge

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