Originally intended for PC, The Big M has done another Halo and swooped in to ensure GlyphX's debut game will arrive first for Xbox. Either Microsoft is desperate (unlikely), or it has a simmering suspicion that Advent Rising could be one of those next big things we hear so much about.
Having seen the game in action we can see why Microsoft has been keen to secure the game for Xbox: as in Halo sci-fi action is the order of the day, an alien menace again intent on wiping out humankind. You get to shoot guns and you can pilot all manner of vehicles, from Warthog-style Hummers to speeder bikes and dropships.
Combat Evolves
What will ensure Advent rises above cries of it being some wannabe Halo clone are the varied and spectacular range of combat styles on offer. Not only is there a full complement of weapons and drivable vehicles, but as Gideon learns his destiny his Force-like powers begin to manifest themselves in ever more powerful ways.
By the end you can slow down time, pick up and hurl house-sized vehicles and even possess the bodies of your enemies. Halo 2 remains the highlight on the Xbox radar, but this is a blip worth keeping an eye on.