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Chaser
Chaser
is the latest first person shooter by Encore productions that uses the
powerful CloakNT 3D engine and puts gamers in the role of John Chaser
who mysteriously wakes up on an examination table. Before the player can
gain a sense of stability, the scene is shattered by masked commando
squads that rip the room asunder. Chaser awakens, having no memory and
no clue as to why he’s being hunted, and is able to escape into an
adjoining hallway by mere inches. Although, all is not safe as the space
station begins to destabilize and threatens to explode, forcing the
amnesiac hero to find and board an escape pod. Following the thrilling
escape from the Majestic, Chaser returns to Earth and gets involved with
the mafia, where he’s eventually led to Mars and learns of his past and
a far-reaching conspiracy.
The gameplay of Chaser is of typical FPS fare where the player must
shoot the enemy before the enemy can shoot back and cause too much
damage. However, there are some instances, albeit few, where stealth is
of primary concern and no shots can be fired. The handling of John
Chaser is nothing complicated and will be instantly recognizable by FPS
fans. The keyboard moves John around and allows him to interact with the
environment, while the mouse enables him to look around and use weapons.
Chaser also contains an impressive adrenaline mode, which is a bit like
Bullet-Time from Max Payne, as it slows down time and allows the player
to see everything unfurl in slow motion. The adrenaline mode isn’t
exactly necessary in Chaser, although it is always available if the
player thinks there’s a need for it.
The player also has access to a variety of weapons in the game that
include everything from submachine guns and pistols from the present,
including Beretta M12s, FAMAS, Colt Commandos, and Sig Sauer P226s,
among others, Each weapon has an alternate fire mode which can be
accessed, by default, by hitting the mouse 2 button. For the most part
the weapons, despite their oddity concerning the time period, function
well. Aim is dead on, balance is fine, and weapon drops offer just
enough power for the levels they're found in.
The AI of the enemies is not exactly top notch, but it is enough to make
most encounters at least somewhat challenging. Enemies will eventually
trundle around corners if a player attempts to hide, although that is
not always the case. In many instances the player can rush right up to
an enemy who’s attempting an ambush, hide behind a nearby barrier to
reload, sit there for an almost unlimited amount of time without being
bothered, and then charge through the blockage without being too
severely damaged. The enemies are generally set to stand in strategic
locations throughout the levels and fire maniacally whenever the player
turns up in their sights, and that’s basically it. Nothing flashy, such
as diving for cover when taking fire or moving in squads. The challenge
is in the number and location of the enemies, not exactly in their sub
par skills and tactics.
Graphically, Chaser is a very impressive looking game on the PC that
adequately portrays the Majestic space station and locations on Earth
and Mars. The biggest problem, however, is exactly how drab certain
locations look, which can almost be expected considering the grim, dirty
future setting the game takes place in. However, many levels are livened
up by the background scenes, especially in the slums of Earth, where
toppling structures are contrasted against towering futuristic
skyscrapers, all lit up with hues of blue and red.
The
character models are acceptable, although some look better than others.
Characters in civilian attire do not look as smooth as they could,
although other models depicting commando forces in highly detailed armor
appear spot on. There certainly isn't a wide variety of different model
types throughout the game, especially since the player can expect to
take on the same type of enemy unit over and over within a certain
number of levels before being exposed to enemies in different clothing,
which doesn't necessarily keep the visual interest level high.
The graphical effects are done rather well. Blood splats convincingly on
walls behind enemies as they're shot, water looks realistic, and light
reflects off of shiny objects as it should. However, there's a bit of
the problem with the reflective effects which doesn't deal with how it
technically works and looks -- There are simply way too many reflective
surfaces in the game. The vast majority of the space station Majestic is
overly reflective, and there are several locations on Earth and on Mars
that are very similar. Woven clothes sometimes are reflective, even,
which is definitely not how it should be unless metal can be woven into
wearable fibers in the future. While reflective surfaces are indeed a
pretty sight to behold, its overuse can really annoy a player, and this
is exactly what happens as a player makes his or her way through Chaser.
The musical score of Chaser uses a combination of cyberpunk and rock to
help immerse the player into the futuristic setting. Certain selections
create tension, while others help the adrenaline flow in extremely tight
situations. The sound effects are nothing spectacular, although they
work. The guns sound like guns, breaking glass sounds like breaking
glass. The ambient noises are done well, too, as the player will come
across crackling fires, cawing seagulls, and the shattering sounds of
broken glass among other atmospheric noises. The spoken dialogue within
the game is absolutely laughable, which is a shame since it tends to
take away from the artistry of the cut scenes. Emotion is forced in the
vast majority of the lines and that fact is highly obvious. If anything,
the dialogue is entertaining by way of it being so horrendously bad.
In conclusion, Chaser is a great game for those that love the genre of
first person shooters and not only does the game contain an interesting
and immersing storyline but it also features a great 3D engine with also
the gameplay to match. Check it out!
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