GamersInfo.net

The storyline is comparable to many FPS games in that it takes place in the future on Earth where the environment and the culture is not the same as today's. The gamer is given many futuristic weapons to choose from, as he continues a journey that has many twist and turns along the way. You are Dr. Jack Nelson, a doctor working on a genetics project, and as you are transferring an important patient, Karina, your transport ship crashes and you are left fighting a group of rogue criminals called Scavengers. These men are well equipped in heavy artillery and, as a doctor, you have to find your way to the many objective goals. Karina has a mind of her own, with her own decisions about what she should do, while the doctor is left chasing her in a drawn-out plot to get everyone to safety.

The duel play is good, and can make your journey through the game into a little bit of a different experience than playing by yourself. It is always fun driving around in a vehicle when your buddy is on the back of it, just firing away like a twelve year old on the fourth of July with an unlimited supply of firecrackers. What takes this game to the next level of replayability is the Xbox Live capabilities. Running around playing against people from all corners of the world is enjoyable, but being able to modify maps gives this game an extra advantage some don’t have. Though I was clumsy in beginning this mode, as a gamer learns the system, they can create enjoyable works in no time.

The gameplay can be challenging to any skill level of player. Why? Because no FPS game ever seems to be created equal. As a gamer, I find this annoying, because it took me forever to get the shooting controls down to where I wouldn’t die while trying to power up my health points or change to a different weapon. It seems to be whatever FPS game a player is christened with, any other game is difficult to master due to the fact that each interface is unique. No game’s default controller settings match up to any other. The gamer basically has the trigger buttons to shoot their weapons (very consistent with every FPS game) but to change weapons you have hit the thumb pad up or down. (Unfortunately, it took me a good six hours to figure I didn’t have to hit the Y button to do this.) There is a jump button, a zoom button and a weapon button. What is unique about this game is that as you voyage through the game you pick up green bonus badges; with these badges you can update your weapons. Which weapons or health factors to do first? That is for you to decide. Looking back at my gametime on Pariah, I did not find the controller settings too difficult to master.

The graphics are good, with a level of detail that the gamer will enjoy. The cut shots were good - a little grainy, but for a video game, appealing to the eye. The terrains were imaginative and all the Scavengers the gamer faces are well detailed. Nothing is going to jump out at you with the art. Same old desolate planet with deserted buildings and junk strewn about in many places. I had trouble understanding the doctor in some cut scenes, but I can understand the man probably hadn’t had much sleep and was pretty stressed out trying to get his subject to safety.

Pariah is a game that any FPS player should try to see if they want it to be a part of their library. If you are really good at FPS games, then a five day rental should get you through the game. If you are just starting out, you will find this storyline good enough to keep you intrigued throughout your playing. The weapons and vehicles are top notch, and I will say, the sniper rifle in this game is the best I’ve ever got to play with. It is fun that the scope is infrared, and picking off the bad guys is like shooting fish in a barrel. I just wish it became available earlier in the game - it would have saved me some time. The extras that this game has can create some interesting gaming with other people. I enjoyed the game and think that any FPS player with an open mind might also.