CNET Editors' review
Built around Epic's Unreal technology, XIII (pronounced "thirteen," for non-Latin readers) uses cel-shaded animation to create a first-person shooter that looks like an animated comic book. The story is based on a series of French comics by Jean Van Hamme, and it places the gamer at the center of a political mystery involving the assassination of the U.S. president. You play an amnesiac special agent, whose only information comes from a "XIII" tattoo on your neck and a safety-deposit key, and you must discover your past while avoiding a murderous secret army.Although the graphics aren't as realistic as some other 3D games, the comic book animation is very cool, especially combined with gameplay effects such as visible noises and multiple zoomed frame shots for detailed replays--the crossbow is particularly brutal. Assassins leaping from cliffs, dive-bombing helicopters, and earthshaking grenades are only a few of the highlights from the demo. The only major complaint is that the demo levels are simply too short, leaving us wanting a bit more time to get into the game.
Publisher's Description
From UbiSoft Entertainment:
A man wakes up on a beach. He has no recollection of who he is. He sets off in search of his past. His only clues are the number 13 tattooed on his collarbone and the key to a safety-deposit box in one of New York's most prestigious banks.
The passport he finds in the safe at the bank reveals his identity. His name is Steve Rowland and he's a captain in the United States Army. Moments after making this discovery, he's arrested by colonel Amos, director of the FBI's anti-terrorist department and accused of the murder of William Sheridan, the 43rd president of the United States.
Wanted by all the cops in New York State and hunted down by The Mongoose, the amnesiac seems doomed to a choice of death or prison. But XIII hasn't counted on the unexpected assistance of Major Jones, a young female soldier who helps him flee through the city of New York. During their escape, this foxy lady reveals to XIII that he's a secret agent working for General Carrington. Carrington is a nonconformist officer who is conducting a counter-inquiry into the presidential assassination but he was arrested and confined in an isolated military base in the Appalachian Mountains. When XIII realizes that general Carrington is the only one who can shed light on his past, he sets off to find him with Jones.
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All versions:
4.0 starsout of 37 votes
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Current version:
3.7 starsout of 34 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"tommy"
Version: XIII demo
Pros
oui
Cons
gh
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"Refreshing Change"
Version: XIII demo
Pros
I have always liked First person shooters, and this game is no exception. Although the cartoon elements are a bit getting use to, it's not that bad.
Cons
The website appears to be all but gone. Guess this game didn't sell as well as say "Doom 3", or The Quake series.
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"Awesomes!"
Version: XIII demo
Pros
This game oozes with style...anime/graphic novel fans will wanna play this...sort of reminds me of ghost in the shell...
Gameplay is awesome...weapons aren't really unique - 9mm, revolver, ak-47, m16, crossbow, shotgun - but it's a good set; I love M16s, and you can pick up objects and throw them. Also, plot looks sort of interesting in a Bourne Identity sorta way. And, although it's like a graphic novel, there are plenty of effects, like smoke, that you see in other shooters, and even more you don't, like inset panels showing guys falling of cliffs and such...Truly a unique, awesome shooter
Cons
Not much here...the AI is excellent, and all that...The demo is kinda short...my main complaint is that there's no quicksave, which can make the game really hard, since the damage model is like a Tom Clancy game...you can die against 1 guard if you're unlucky...also, experienced some of the bugs people complained about, but they went away.
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"Freakin ****"
Version: XIII demo
Pros
System gets hung everytime i start the game. though i have a high config system. this pile of **** is worthless
Cons
everything i should say.. DONT DOWNLOAD THIS
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"Good long game so far."
Version: XIII demo
Pros
Ran well on my crapper pc(low end).Better than it's ps2/xbox version's.
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"Nice, unique first-person shooter"
Version: XIII demo
Pros
I reading some of the other reviews, I noticed that a lot of people had a problem with installation/graphics. I'm running Windows XP Home on an Athlon 64 3300+ with 512MB PC3200 DIMM and a standard 128MB graphics card and had no problem. Also, a "kontiki download manager" was not needed/recommended/mentioned (in response to Martha's post).
As for the game itself, it packs quite a punch for such a small package. The overall graphics setup is like a unique cross between standard gaming graphics and that of a comic book. (When someone approaches, the text "tap, tap, tap" appears, growing larger in font, and when you shoot someone with an arrow, you are briefly shown a frame-by-frame of the hit.) Also, you have the option of going in guns-ablazin with standard military equipment, or try to make a silent enterance using silent attacks, such as a crossbow.
Cons
I didn't find any flaws in the game's setup, graphics, or AI. The comic-book-like style takes a little getting used to, however.
Overall, the game is characteristic of any good first-person shooter, with a few unique twists, and I highly recommend it.
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"The zip file is currupt"
Version: XIII demo
Summary
what a waste of time downloading this :(
! C:\Documents and Settings\admin\Desktop\downloads\xiiidemo.zip: The archive is corrupt !
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"won't run on AthlonXP 2200+"
Version: XIII demo
Summary
It won't run on my machine, either. I have an Athlon XP2200+ with an S3 ProsavageDDR graphics card. It installs fine, but hangs whenever you attempt to start a game.
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"Outstanding Break from the standard genre..."
Version: XIII demo
Summary
The demo of XIII was extremely interesting. A standard 1st person shooter, but the cartoon look and feel, and the film noire effects and atmosphere, really give this game a character that is quite unique. The demo itself is simple to learn and play... Items such as the ability to "hear" approaching footsteps in "cartooneeze", make this a really good game. Thumbs up. Only downside might be the fact that single player will become stale too quickly...
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"AWSOME!!!!"
Version: XIII demo
Summary
THIS GAME ROCKS!!!!! If the whole game is white lines then chances are that ur graphics card sucks. I beat this game in about a month and it really leaves u on the edge at the end. I would recommend this game to EVERYONE!!!!!! this game rules.
