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RATING: (weak) 1 2 3 4 5 (awesome)
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IN BRIEF
Pros: Elevates the typical first person shooter experience: faster action, challenging puzzles, and plenty of violence. Cons: Infrequent opportunities to save your progress means you'll have to replay long sections to return to the scene where you bit the dust. In a nutshell: The next, best substitute to real life commando training -- all fun and no sweat. Multiplayer: Up to 4 players *ESRB rating: T (Teen) |
FACTS
Game Title: Winback: Covert Operations Platform: PSX2 Developer: Koei Publisher: Koei Accessories supported: Vibration, Multitap Release Date: April 5, 2001 Price: $49.99 |
THE REVIEW by David Daniels for Gamers Today
The problem with most first person shooter games is that they rarely contribute to the formula -- crowding the shelves with the same old, same old. But at last, drum roll please, there is reason to give one first shooter game elbow space.
The territory in WinBack is familiar. What gamer hasn't at one point or another been a member of an elite strike force team whose mission is to reclaim a secret government weapons center taken over by terrorists. But as soon as you start exploring the terrain you'll see what sets WinBack from the pack. The screen drools with intricate details, including gameplay.
Rather than just running around killing everything in your path, WinBack makes you use your head as well as your hands. Sure there's a lot of mowing down the enemy (I especially liked the 50mm gun you can use once you've killed the gunner manning it), but there are also times when you'll need the hands of a surgeon to negotiate deadly traps.
Before you get past the outer perimeter, you'll need to master the controls. Moving, aiming, shooting, reloading, changing weapons (yes, there are pistols, shotguns, machine guns rocket launchers, explosives and more) take some getting used to, but become second nature once learned. Also, deciding when to use what weapon can really make or break a commando, so choose carefully.
Although you may tire of the same suspense building music, hold off until you hear the varying sounds of pain. You'll appreciate the difference between the wounded "ugh" and the agonizing moan of a kill shot. Also, learn the sounds of various weapons. Nothing can smear you faster than turning a corner, thinking you'll face a pistol, only to get cut down by a machine gun. And, although not intentional, some of the dialogue plays like it was lifted from a Kung-Fu action movie (always a good laugh).
If years of training and risking life and limb don't exactly fit into your schedule or lifestyle, WinBack is the next-best substitute. As any armchair commando will tell you, your mission isn't over until a terrorist boss lies dead at your feet. Armchair commandos, you have your mission.
*For a complete explanation of ESRB ratings, check out the official ESRB Web site.
