It's been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but how do you think Coke feels about Pepsi? by Cole Smith

August 3, 2006 - When it comes to video games, there is no question that developers steal ideas from other popular games, although they would like to refer to it as "inspired by" instead of "stealing." Taking the best parts of others' offerings and adding a new twist to it is a form of evolution, but that doesn't mean that every "borrowed" idea actually evolves into something good. Sometimes it mutates or stagnates. Warpath is a game that is heavily "inspired" by games such as Halo and Unreal Championship, but fails to take the gameplay somewhere new. It's a decent first-person shooter but it's far from innovative.

There are some questionable aspects to the production values and gameplay that reinforce Warpath's budget priced status. For one thing, there are no cutscenes or in-game dialog. The story is told in the manual. Hey, we are gamers - since when did when know how to read? (I will assume that someone is reading this review aloud to you). Even the graphics aren't much to look at. Although the scenery and terrain does change, there is not a lot of detail to the environments and what you do see of it is pretty bland, low-res graphics with decidedly blurry textures. The controls are simplistic, which is good for beginners, but they don't offer much in the way of precision. The aiming is sloppy and imprecise, and when driving the vehicles it's very easy to get stuck between obstacles because it's difficult to maneuver smoothly.

Another concern is the AI. In the single-player mode you can battle it out with 32 enemy bots, but it's like shooting fish in a barrel. If you can come to grips with the aiming system, you can easily take the AI out. Although they will rush you, they will not take cover nor will they even so much as strafe or duck. Thankfully there are a number of multi-player modes that may just be the game's saving grace. However, at the time of this review I was unable to find enough people online to fill out both teams.

There are actually three factions in the single-player mode. In a far away galaxy there is a Eden-like planet that is inhabited by three races. They all have different reasons for inhabiting the planet, as well as different philosophies. But one thing they can all agree on is engaging in a full-out war. The Ohms are a race of biochemical beings that wish to exploit the resources of the planet for their own personal benefits, while the Kovos covet the world and wish to preserve its natural beauty at all costs. In the middle are the humans that just want to live and enjoy themselves but find the other two races too fanatical to coexist with. So the fight is on to determine which race shall dominate the planet.

While the races look and act different, and even have different-looking weapons and vehicles, their differences are purely cosmetic. They weapons and armor they use have the same strengths and weaknesses of other two races but at least they weapons can be upgraded which gives you some variety. Futuristic-sounding monikers such as Wolverine, Javelin, Tyrant and Violator are just nicknames for your basic machine guns, sniper rifles and rocket launchers. Each race is essentially the same. Using the C.A.D system which stands for Combat Augmentation Module, allows you to upgrade each weapon three times as you capture more of your enemy's territory. The upgrades include faster reloading, faster firing, more destructive ammunition and accessories such as night and heat vision. You can even use the upgraded weapons from the single-player mode in the online mode. If that's not enough (and I didn't think it would be), you can use the other teams' weapons online. At least then you'll see that they aren't all that different, and to be honest that's about the only way that it would work online. You can't give one team a weapon advantage online, but that could be made to work in the single-player mode.

While progressing through the map your ultimate goal is to capture new territories from your rivals. Each team has five zones which they will alternately defend and then try to capture from the other teams. The terrain will change to give you some different gameplay options. You can use the terrain to your strategic advantage by hiding behind foliage or climbing to the highest vantage point in a hilly section where you can post a lookout for the enemy. Due to the unimpressive graphics, the enemy can be hard to differentiate from you own teammates especially in melee situations. The sound effects are good as is the soundtrack which mirrors the onscreen action, giving the combat some added aural excitement.

There are plenty of online modes to access including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag and Frontline Assault in which you try to capture the other team's base before they get to yours. Up to 16 people can play online but don't expect that many to show up for a war. Fortunately you can play with as little as one extra person online - and that may be the best you can hope for.

Features:

• 3 different races to choose from, each with their own unique weapon load-out and appearance.
  
• 3 land-based vehicles
  
• 8 weapons, including the Wolverine, Tyrant, Javelin, Judge, Vanguard, Vibro Blade, and EMAD, allowing for a highly diversified range of play styles.
  
• Weapons can be upgraded to unlock more functionality and greater destructive force with each new level.
  
• UNREAL engine and Havok physics technology provide stunning visuals and effects.
  
• 4 Modes of intensely addictive multiplayer action Death Match, Team Death Match, Capture the Flag, and Frontline Assault.
  
• 25 Multiplayer levels that take players across the diverse environments of the Kaladi System.
  
• Support for 2-16 players via LAN or Online, allowing battles to be intimate grudge matches, or all out clan carnage!
  
• Access to all the weapons and upgrades that players unlocked and mastered in the single player campaign.
  

By Cole Smith
CCC Senior Writer

Rating out of 5 Warpath (Xbox) 2.8 Graphics This is a budget title all the way. The graphics are low res with blurry textures. It's difficult to identify the enemy in a melee situation. 2.6 Control The controls are easy to learn but they are unwieldy, even with hours of practice. All you can do is learn to compensate. Thankfully the AI is stupid and easy to kill. 3.2 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting The music is good as are the sound effects but there are no cutscenes or in-game dialog. 3.3 Play Value You can play online or with the system link with up to 16 players. This may be the game's only saving grace. 3.1 Overall Rating - Fair Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.