XIII

XIII, is an FPS that I played 15 years after it's release simply because I never heard about it until the hype surrounding the Remake. I got the original version here and decided to try it out and see what the fuss was about. First, the visuals. For a 2003 game, the comic book artstyle and all the little details still hold up pretty damn great. It has so much personality. Animations do look dated but that's to be expected from a day this old. Sound design, is very memorable. From the soundtrack to most of the sounds, it all fits this cartoony espionage game. Music fits every situation and sounds are very distinct. Gameplay, while not revolutionary what it does, it works. You have your standard FPS gameplay that you've probably seen in a lot of FPS from every decade after Half-life from 1998. Guns feel nice to shoot and you get plenty of diferent weapons to play around whether you want to play it sneaky and go loud. I did like mechanic of picking up objects and wacking enemies on the head with it and I wish it was better explored to give it a more defined gameplay aspect. Perhaps in a future sequel, who knows. Story starts slow, but eventually picks up the pace by half point, starts "upping" the stakes and you get more exposed to the conspirancy that's happening around you. Unfortunately, it ends in a cliffhanger and with no plans to continue anytime soon given the critical failure of the remake. The game is based off of the source material which did, in fact, already concluded. So, if you want to see how it ends, then get the comics. The Good. + Comic book artstyle with lots of charm and personality. + Soundtrack and sound design in general. + Plenty of weapons to use and all feel nice to use. + Picking up objects to use as weapons. The Mixed. +- Character animations look dated. But were probably good enough for the time. +- Gameplay is just standard "FPS stuff". The Bad. - Story ends in a cliffhanger.

A poorly implemented save function and checkpoint system can ruin some of the enjoyment people who play for the first time may have. The level design is pretty linear. There are some technical issues and bugs but most of those can be fixed with unofficial patches. Gameplay is fun and has variety. A lot of levels require trial and error to beat. The Graphics and story can be described as a comic book version of John Wick and James Bond. An overall great game with some unfortunate issues.

The game is a gem. if you've ever wanted archer and 007 in one, this is a must buy. You'll need to make a few changes though before starting: 1. Download the all-in-one fan patch: (includes improved mouse input, the ability to alter mouse sensitivity from the main menu, general bugfixes, multiplayer improvements, etc.) https://www.moddb.com/games/xiii/downloads/xiii-all-in-one-installer 2. Go to: XIII\system and edit DefUser.ini. Search for "DesiredFOV=" and "DefaultFOV=" and set it to around 100-104. Note: changes to FOV only take effect upon creation of a new profile,

I gave this game a pass way back when it was new because cell shading looked gross and wasn't to my liking. I deeply regret it. Thanks to file sharing I was given an opportunity to play this magnificent game and am very happy to see it being sold again. I'll actually have a chance to buy this bad boy! The gameplay is pretty much the same but the comicbook style never gets old and swinging around with the grappling hook is soo much fun. That 3 panel head shot sequence may seem like it would get annoying fast but trust me, it's satisfying every single time. I also like how balanced it is. There will be times when you may need to play parts over more than once but it never gets to the point where you'd start screaming or rage all over the place. The music is glorious. If I ever met the music composer in person I'd give him or her the hugest high five ever. I love it's jazz/stealth style music. It's something I've rarely heard and need more of it. The sound effects are soo memorable it's not even fair. The level completion sound, relaxed breath when walking over the health pack are really great to hear. The only down-side is the limited support for resolution but it's forgivable. With that said, I notice this digital version is supported by 64 bit OS's so maybe it's been given a slight upgrade. The story is pretty predictable (At least for me) but the concept of hunting down numbered agents is just great! It's also surprisingly long too. If there's any FPS game you're thinking of buying off this site, this is it.

I never played the game when it was released and frankly I never really heard much about it, but I loved the screen caps shown here and so I bought it. A decision I most definitely do not regret. Granted, the visual style does a lot to intensify the storyline, it is stylish and refreshing all the same. Truly as if a comic book has come to life. The story and presentation of it is reminding me of the “Max Payne” games and the fast paced action goes along with that. The game also has strong elements of tactics and I find the stealth elements thoroughly refreshing. “Splinter Cell” comes to mind if a comparison is sought, as you can even pick up and hide bodies, despite the fact that doing so has not has much impact as it would in “Splinter Cell”. I could go into all the intricate details that the game offers along the missions, but that would spoil a lot of fun and surprises. As said in other reviews the "headshot" presentation is unique and the macabre part aside, is totally awesome. There are also other little features that provide depth and all I want to do is keep going. In fact the gameplay is so much fun that even the provided story steps into the background. That is rare in my opinion. The only con I can pick out is the fact that saving a game only works in so much as you can continue at the last checkpoint as the progress points are called. So a "save on the spot" does not exist unfortunately, however, this is one of the rare games where I don't mind playing through half a level again, because there is always a different approach. If you enjoy FPS game with a pinch of tactic, stealth and a comic book atmosphere (*RATATA TATA TATA* loading screens!), a somewhat unique amount of weapons and really refreshing level design then go get this.