Reviewed: April 18, 2001
Reviewed by: Mark Smith
Publisher
Hasbro Interactive
Developer
Microprose
Released: April 17, 2001
Genre: Action
Players: 16
ESRB: Teen
6
8
6
7
5.7
System Requirements
Recommended System
The X-COM license has been around for many years now bringing us several great titles, and while we are still waiting (and waiting and waiting) for X-COM Alliance to release someday, along comes Microprose with an action shooter that combines the X-COM universe and the Unreal Tournament engine to give us a fast-paced alien "bug hunt". After playing this title I can only wish Microprose had devoted their time and resources that went into Enforcer toward getting Alliance out that much quicker.
X-COM: Enforcer isn't a bad game, but merely average, and in a world where a new 3D shooter hits the shelves just about every week the consumer is getting more selective about what they play. Enforcer doesn't bring anything new to the table, and despite its UT-engine roots fails on several levels as an enjoyable game.
Unlike its strategy-based predecessors, X-COM Enforcer plays like a pure arcade game; perhaps even a coin-op arcade game. The action is intense and furious and your mech-warrior/alien killer is presented from a 3rd-person perspective much like Shogo or Slave Zero. Several arcade staples are present in Enforcer like spawning enemies and random power-ups that materialize at various locations around the level. There are even letters you collect to spell out words to get additional bonus items giving the game a pinball-like feel. The game even keeps score much like the recently released Serious Sam.
Gameplay is shallow with little to no puzzles present. Your only requirement is to kill seemingly endless hordes of aliens and make it to the next level. Much like last years KISS: Psycho Circus enemies spawn from randomly placed generators (or teleporters to follow the story). Focusing on these spawn points can greatly reduce the number of aliens you have to fight but in turn will reduce your earned upgrade points.
As you kill monsters and destroy items you will be awarded "data points" which you can spend between each mission to upgrade your mech and your weapons. Collecting these items becomes second nature, much like a Mario game. The various upgrades offer a minor strategic challenge because you get to pick which items to upgrade or unlock before proceeding into the next mission.
Levels are rather short but nicely designed using excellent textures and lighting effects you've come to expect from the Unreal Tournament Engine. You cannot save your game during the missions which may turn off some players, but most levels are only 10-15 minutes in length, and your game is auto-saved at the end of each mission before you spend your data points. This is convenient if you found you spent your points on the wrong item or upgrade, you can simply restore and go shopping all over again.
While there are over 40 levels, most are all very short and linear with little to no possibility for exploration. The story takes you by the hand and leads you to each obvious objective then when that is completed you repeat and repeat again.
Enemy AI is not that impressive, even on the harder skill levels. Most aliens are easy to dodge and strafing works best for taking down most group encounters. Your viewing angle seems to be severely limited in Enforcer. Your mouse moves the targeting crosshair but only slightly changes your view making it hard if not impossible to see above and below you. Fortunately the levels are designed rather 2-dimensionally so this is seldom a problem.
Movement is rather strange. While your mech looks like he weighs a ton he never seems to thump around like in other mech games. Perhaps it's the constant thrust from his jetpack that keeps him inches above the ground. He just seems to glide around even when jumping.
The Unreal Tournament Engine has never looked better. The levels are cleverly designed and make use of excellent texture and lighting maps. Whether you are killing aliens in your neighborhood supermarket or down the street and the trailer park, there is nice use of colors and environmental detail to make for some realistic locations.
Characters look really good. Your Enforcer is especially detailed with all sorts of metal armor and a soft blue glow coming from his jetpack pilot light that turns to raging orange when activated. There are several types of aliens and they are all cleverly designed and animated, although in a game where you are shooting everything that moves you seldom have time to enjoy the creativity put into these creatures.
Power-ups look cool and feature transparencies and vibrant colors as they spin around waiting for you to pick them up. Special effects such as weapons fire, force fields, and explosions are rich in color and can almost put you into visual overload later in the game when you start getting the advanced hardware.
The HUD borders the entire game screen and is filled with all sorts of informational displays. While a HUD is acceptable in a FPS game it just doesn't seem to fit in a 3rd-person shooter and can be distracting at times. You eventually get used to it, but it would have been nice for options to configure or even disable the HUD.
I must lead off this section by mentioning the super-annoying scientist with the even more annoying lisp. I don't know if Microprose was trying to make a statement that all 21st Century Scientists are gay, or if they thought his speech impediment was amusing on some other level. I thought I would be spared once I left his lab, but he continues to haunt me throughout the mission by yelling out encouragements and other mid-level advice. I could find no way to silence this nuisance through the options menu, so you are forced to listen to his annoying comments if you want to hear the other sound effects. To make matters worse they have his voice amplified so it can be heard over the other sound effects making it distorted and full of static.
The music ranges from mildly annoying to "where is the freaking mute button". Most of the music is thumping techno tracks designed to get your adrenaline levels spiked. The only thing thumping was the vein in my temple after listen to about three levels of this horrible electronic "noise". No music is the only option necessary if you want to maintain your sanity throughout the game's 40+ levels.
Weapon sound effects are quite nice and convincing. Granted, most of the weapons are fictitious, so who is to say what some sound like. The flamethrower and laser cannon were mighty convincing though.
X-COM: Enforcer features over 40 levels and while most will only take you 10-15 minutes to complete there are several hidden items and bonus objectives including a few secret levels you can unlock. The game also keeps score so you can always replay and try to get a better score much like any other arcade game.
When you have finished ridding Earth of the alien hordes in your own home, take your quest for carnage online. X-COM: Enforcer features support for up to 16 players. Using the in-game interface and/or GameSpy makes it easy to host or join other Enforcer games on the Internet. There are even some custom Deathmatch levels you can download from the X-COM: Enforcer Website.
Since this game is based on the multiplayer-friendly UT engine you can expect similar results and requirements for successful online play. Since the game was released the same day as I write this review there were few people online to play with. I did have good results in a few three and 4-player games, but the one 8-player game I attempted suffered from some severe lag and was virtually unplayable despite being hosted on a server with cable modem connection.
X-COM Enforcer is simply average. Microprose has combined a familiar franchise name with a powerful 3D engine and the results are just not that impressive. This game is more suited toward a console or arcade box than the PC.
Enforcer is being offered at a $29 retail price which slightly offsets the shallow gameplay, but if you are looking for a mindless shooter then Serious Sam is a better game and half the price. Enforcer is great if you are looking for a game you can pop in and lose yourself for 20-30 minutes with some mindless action, but with no driving storyline, puzzles, or innovative gameplay, there is simply nothing here that hasn't been done before and done better.