- Quick specs
- Price: Free to try (Two levels); $49.99 to buy
- Operating system: Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98
- Date added: August 11, 2003
- Total Downloads: 138,956
- Downloads last week: 58
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 37 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
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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User reviews
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 37 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 30 user reviewsSee all 30 user reviews
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0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
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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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
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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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: XIII demo
"Nice, unique first-person shooter"
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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Version: XIII demo
Pros: oui
Cons: gh
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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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