27-Dec-2003 When humanity is on the brink of destruction, who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters? No. Superman? No. What you need is the best of the best, the ultimate crusaders. That's right - robotic saints. And we're not talking Roger Moore cyborgs.
Apocalyptica's gameplay is a battle between mechanised warrior saints and demons - and, all things considered, the idea is a novel one. After all, it's not every day you get to play as a robot nun with a rocket launcher.
Don't get too excited, though. Despite boasting a wholesome choice of 16 lead characters as well as spells, melee weapons and guns, in reality the combat element of the game is weak. Swordplay is sluggish and limited by too few moves, and ranged warfare frustrates with a showing of fairly ordinary pistols.
However, where Apocalyptica does impress is with its thoughtful single-player missions that manage to incorporate bots as team-mates. For instance, one level sees your team searching for a cog from a piece of machinery to take to another piece of machinery to complete the mission. Nothing unusual there, but while you're doing your thing, evil bots are doing theirs - and that means taking the same cog to another machine, which happens to flood the sewers and drown you. CTF? Indeed.
What's more, there are Jailbreak-style missions to contend with too. Such variety almost leads you to forgive the aforementioned lack of combat grit - and that may well have happened if it wasn't for the bots' insane behaviour.
These 'super' saints have their own agenda, which plainly has nothing to do with tactics or strategy. You have absolutely no control over them as they crash headlong into enemy lines and hack away viciously until their inevitable death. Failing that, they attempt to launch themselves from the nearest balcony or cliff. And if that doesn't satisfy their lust for lunacy, they stand in a corner somewhere twitching with directional angst. But it's not just your saintly troops who are preoccupied. Satan's sinister subjects appear equally mystified by the whole thing.
Seen It Before? Graphically, Apocalyptica does nothing groundbreaking and the textures throughout lack detail or depth. You never get the feeling you're in a world that existed before you came along. In fact, the level design feels like more of an afterthought. Add to that the animation, which is no better, and the fact that every character model (allied or otherwise) lacks fluidity or realism and overall, it's indicative of the average nature of the game. Online play with similarly skilled competitors raises the enjoyment levels slightly, but when it comes down to it, Apocalyptica is half saint, half sinner.
PC Zone Staff
// Overview
Verdict
Good and bad in fairly equal doses
Uppers
Loads of characters to choose from Plenty of mission types
Downers
Poor animation Chaotic level design Abysmal bot AI
Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, UK BA1 2BW England and Wales company registration number 2008885
Loads of characters to choose from
