Without giving too much away, XIII is a game where much is hidden from the gamer. Up until the end you really won’t know what’s going on or what the “conspiracy” actually is. What you do know is that you’ve washed up on shore with a heavy case of amnesia. Being blamed for the recent assignation of the president you begin a search for clues about your past and who is trying to hunt down. A story of survival, stealth, and exposure for the truth unfolds in this action/conspiracy thriller.

While XIII seems like your basic FPS it also adds in a little stealth for good measure. As you move from level to level uncovering your past and figuring out who is behind the assignation, you will use stealth as well as a good arsenal of weapons. Sure you’ll be doing the same sort of things as other games in the genre: Shoot, kill, grab keys, unlock doors, sneak around a base, etc… But what makes XIII different than other FPS, and ultimately more enjoyable, is the approach used in its creation. It’s something I’ve never really witnessed before and will probably become more noticeable as other companies attempt to copy off of Ubisoft’s success.

Mixing a conspiracy layered story with a pop-up window appearance makes XIII so much more fun to play. Not knowing what’s around every corner, a little box might pop giving you a glimpse of what’s nearby, or watching the tap, tap, tap, of an enemy soldier’s footsteps might give away his location. Little things like crouching down in a vent waiting for a guard to turn around only to throw a shard of glass into his neck leaves a deadly satisfaction fresh in your head. XIII blends a perfect mix of gun firing action with secret agent entertainment. Firing off a few rounds and watching someone fall from a cliff in such a way that only XIII could do really makes this game a winner.

Now I don’t want to come off as if this game is perfect because it does have some minor flaws. Unfortunately there are some spots that could have had some work on them to make XIII even more of a cut above the rest. For instance, the types of weapons used are what we’ve all seen; shotgun, assault, machine gun, 9mm etc… It wasn’t that these weapons didn’t quench my blood thirst, but rather they just seemed a little too bland. Besides the knives and crossbow (both stealth weapons) I wasn’t really blown back by anything. Firing off an assault rifle, machine gun, or mini gun had too much recoil to make it have any real precise accuracy. It would have also been nice to allow some sort of semi-zoom in aiming function. Trying to keep positive, you’re never really put in a situation where precise aiming is a factor. You’ll also have the opportunity to use a lock pick from time to time. Though no skill is required and unlocking doors is done simply through the push of a button and waiting 3-4 seconds, having something like in Splinter Cell would have been more satisfying. Again, this isn’t a real heartache of a problem, but something to hope for the sequel. Regardless of those few niches, XIII is a FPS that will give you exactly what you ask for. Plenty of game time, action, sneaking around, and even a story, though a bit confusing…then again what conspiracy theory is ever easy to figure out.

As an added bonus you’ll be treated to some Xbox Live features such as death match, CTF, and an Xbox exclusive, Sabotage. The online play is fun but isn’t aimed towards you Quake freaks. The maps aren’t big and the death matches are more like a catch and mouse game. You won’t have 8-8 games like Counter-Strike and from what I’ve seen you can only have up to 7 players which really doesn’t allow for a lot of action. That being said, it’s a change of pace from the single player if you ever get stuck. Make no mistake; the single player is why you’re buying this puppy. It’s what’ll take up most of your time.

Even someone with a glass eye could appreciate XIII’s look and atmosphere. Though some people might not really get it and expect something more glitzy and glamour-like with special effects and intense bump mapping ala Splinter Cell, XIII offers something completely different but just as eye-catching.

First are the characters and how they are created to have a Cell Shading/Anime feel to them. Second is the overall production of how the story flows along. The comic-book look, almost reminiscent of the Grabbed by the Ghoulies title, XIII might not be what people expect, as I didn’t when I first started playing. In the end however, everything just seems to flow perfectly. Little touches like snow hitting your screen and melting away or sniping someone and getting a three frame picture of it is what XIII is all about.

What people might not like about XIII is that it’s not the most detailed game out there, and even though it’s not created to be that way I feel as if I should defend it. Sure Ubisoft probably could have created a game that had the look and feel of a Splinter Cell or Max Payne but where’s the fun and innovation in that? Instead we get to experience something totally new. A new world, new effects, and a new style to play with; what more could you ask for? Make no doubt about it XIII’s graphics should be appreciated as well as respected.

The sound, music, and even some of the voice-overs are a hit in XIII but what boggles my mind is the lack of dialog for our hero David Duchovny who plays the lead character. As we all know Mr. Duchovny for his acting in the X-Files you’d figure a game about conspiracy would be right up his alley. Unfortunately we never get to find out as Dave really doesn’t have a lot to say for someone who’s just came out of a coma. Even when he does talk it’s only a few phrases or at most a sentence so the dialog never flows. Fortunately, the rest of the cast picks up the slack and there is even some good dialog between the enemy soldiers that’s worth listening to.

As mentioned before the sound and music are on key and are done in great form. Bottles breaking, chairs smashing, bullets ricocheting off metal, explosions and even ambient sounds like crickets in the woods or hearing a ship sound off its horn in a ship yard are all extremely crisp, clear, and convincing. Music has a blend of 70’s action with some of those private eye films; almost leaving a bit of Film Noir impression.

Overall XIII gives gamers a great ear full and hopefully come sequel time; they’ll work on giving Mr. Duchovny some better lines when his amnesia wears off.

Everything you’ll need to enjoy XIII is here. HDTV support, in-game Dolby Sound, and for Xbox Live, you’ll get all the works as usual.

The rest of XIII is common (ammo, health, armor etc…) but what might make gamers a little cautious are the pop-up windows and visual words. These windows and words are part of the heart of XIII’s look and feel. The windows will pop up from time to time giving away the location of a door opening, an enemy being shot, or someone walking around the corner. As if you’re reading a comic book, you’ll see CRASH, BOOM, and BANG, during each explosion, death, or tap of a person’s walk. While it might take some time getting used to all of the commotion going on the screen, you’ll learn to love it.

Besides the multiplayer being a bit dull, the rest of the game plays very well. I can’t think of any time where I was bored or extremely frustrated. XIII keeps the pace going as well as the action/stealth motif throughout the entire game. Offering a good challenge and plenty of game time, FPS lovers will get a good fix out of this one. XIII really gives you a good reason to go out and spend some money, or if you’re lucky, Santa will bring you one this X-Mas.