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Having been in delay-hell for what seems to be, well, forever,
StarCraft: Ghost now appears to be reaching completion. Each
build Blizzard have decided to show us has appeared as an
increasingly solid title, and the preview build at this years
Electronic Entertainment Expo
(E3) certainly appears to be very promising title.
For those that haven’t followed the title over the last
four years since its original unveiling, StarCraft: Ghost now
plays as a third-person adventure/shooting title. When targeting,
the game enters an over-the-shoulder view akin to Resident Evil 4.
Many common first-person techniques then come into play, such as
red-corners to denote where the incoming fire is coming from and a
targeting reticule. Changing between views is a simple process,
pressing the B button will either holster or grab your weapon while
the R Trigger is used for firing – which often has a pleasing
“clunk” to it, although a few of the larger enemies won’t
actually denote impact until they’re put out of action. Of the few
weapons shown, none was more inviting than the Flamethrower.
Three levels were playable in the E3 Demo which demonstrated
the titles heavy cross between straight-forward out-n’-out
blasting and stealth influences. Pressing Left on the D-pad accesses
a Cloaking Mode, which allowed you to sneak by enemies undetected
for a short period – denoted by a small meter below you health –
while pressing Z commands your character to crouch.
With the title obviously taking influences from Halo:
Combat Evolved, Perfect Dark and Metroid Prime,
limitations to your arsenal, expansive arenas and alternative views
are all part-and-parcel of the title. You also have the ability to
ride vehicles, easily dismounting enemies with a press of the Y
button when in range.
With large expansive environments and pretty tasty graphics
– although never spectacular – StarCraft: Ghost handles
at a very nice pace. Large variation in the mission objectives and a
creative take crossing genres, Blizzard has done right by
with-holding the title till now. With another six months till the
titles current suggested European launch date, it’s hard to
see StarCraft: Ghost becoming anything less than enjoyable.
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