Shellshock 2: Blood Trails
On Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
Graphics: 5
Sound: 6
Gameplay: 5
Overall: 5.3
The horrors of the Vietnam War are brought to life in Shellshock 2: Blood Trails, the follow-up to the groundbreaking Shellshock Nam '67 which proved popular with PlayStation 2 enthusiasts.
Many relished the chance to be thrown into battle against the cunning Vietcong in what, for the first time, presented the intensity of the jungle war in true graphic detail. Blood Trails takes the franchise in an even edgier direction, giving gamers an even more uncomfortable experience.
Blood Trails is definitely not a title for the fainthearted. Forget tackling it if your intention is to unwind after work. Far from taking the edge off, it teleports you into a grim, dark world where you're never truly settled. In short, the designers have recreated the Nam experience of the average rookie GI.
It's more of a zombie-like horror than a first-person combat title, and those expecting something along the lines of the Call of Duty titles will be surprised.
The plot focuses on the search for a missing special forces operative, who is sent into Cambodia to retrieve a mysterious cargo, known only as White Knight.
In undertaking the mission, the player is thrown into thick and gruesome jungle battles and has to navigate through war-ravaged urban environments filled with mutilated bodies.
Much of the gameplay appeal is driven by an eerie ambience. I was reminded strongly of the latest Resident Evil game, especially through the element of crazed troop hordes.
However, in attempting to create a first-person shooter and a quest-like title, the designers failed to do either genre justice.
Yes, it's dark and full of fear, but there is no true depth in the game's storyline.
From a first-person shooter point of view, don't expect much choice in weaponry: it is, of course, Vietnam.
Your Vietcong adversaries look much too similar to each other and the artificial intelligence of computer enemies seems a little out of sorts - enemies repeat the same behaviour over and over again until you bypass them or put them out of their misery.
The graphics look fine during the night-time missions - shadows and sparse lighting create a deliciously gloomy feel - but during day missions the poor quality of the graphics is revealed.
The sound quality is acceptable, but the gameplay seemed somewhat generic.
The game doesn't live up to its full potential. It is a step in the right direction but is sadly off the mark. -
Graphics 5
Sound 6
Gameplay 5
Overall 5.3