Considering that the Wiimote works basically like a light gun, you'd think that of ALL the systems to be flooded with first person shooters, that the Wii would be the one. Oddly enough there are only a few, and even less that are worth playing. 

So in comes High Voltage Software with their novel idea of putting a shooter on the Wii. Turns out the results are fantastic. After just a minute or two of fiddling with the controls to get them exactly how you want them, you are off. You play as Michael Ford, a special agent working in a government organization called The Trust. 

 

In Washington D.C. a sickness begins to spread around rising concerns about the real force behind it. Turns out, it's aliens, and wouldn't you know it just like in Half-Life, the aliens take people and use them for their own bidding albeit in a different way. 

So off you go to stop a man called Prometheus (Kevin Sorbo) who is supposedly a terrorist and might be working alongside the aliens. Well twists and turns later and the tables are turned and so on and so forth. The story is slightly reminiscent of Perfect Dark actually, which is a good thing. The story, while lighthearted, is about an invasion and is filled with plenty of fun twists and good reasons to kill loads of baddies. 

Thankfully when you get to killing the bad guys, it ends up being a lot of fun. After you get the 100% customizable controls to EXACTLY how you want them you can blast away all you want. Once the sensitivity is exactly to your liking you'll find that your shots can be quite accurate, especially when sniping. There's a reason people thought the Wiimote could give the keyboard and mouse a run for its money. Of course if you don't have a steady hand you're screwed. 

The Multiplayer is a huge draw here as this is the first fully online first person shooter ever on the Wii. As you play you gain XP and go up in ranks, of which there are 24. You can have up to 12 person multiplayer. There are three main multiplayer modes. Free-for-all, Team Reaper, and team objective. Each mode has a number of options for what you want as your objective. All of the combined mini-modes make 13 multiplayer modes in all. It's a very standard deathmatch FPS online experience. If you've played almost any online FPS, then you have a good idea of the experience you'll find here. Thankfully with the wiimote and the great controls, it's loads of fun to go online. 

The graphics are fantastic and possibly the best ever seen on the Wii. The game won't be mistaken for being on any of the other current systems, but the game's art style and direction are good enough that it makes the game really great to look at. The gun models and enemy and friendly characters are especially good looking. 

I've heard many people compare it to Halo, but really it's more like Perfect Dark than anything, which is to its credit. the feel of the gameplay, the speed of reloading, the way the levels are laid out and how things exist during the game make it very much like PD. The multiplayer mode isn't as versatile and varied as Perfect Dark's multiplayer was, but I've also never seen another game that had that many options for play since that game either. 

While I'm HIGHLY enjoying (and will continue enjoying) this game for a long time to come, I DO have a few complaints. While there's nothing in the game that really stands out as being a significant problem, there still are some major problems. The game's problems stem not from what it does wrong, but from it just doesn't do at all. There are no large, open areas in the game to allow for exploration. The whole experience is entirely linear unfortunately. There's no vehicle sections, and you NEVER work with anyone else or as part of a team throughout the entire campaign. It's always one man against the world. 

The game also TECHNICALLY (!!!!!!!!!SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!!) doesn't really have an ending. The last level involves you standing your ground against hoards of enemies. You learn some story information (that I thought was interesting, albeit somewhat cheap), but regardless, at the end of the game, when you are on your way to face the FINAL baddie, don't expect to meet him, because you never do.(!!!!!!!!!!SPOILER END!!!!!!!!!!) 

Thankfully, at the end of the game you know there is more than likely going to be a sequel. And with the ending that happens, it's also possible to incorporate CO-OP into the campaign of The Conduit 2. Which leads me to another problem I find (that I also find in WAY TOO MANY games coming out nowadays, not just this one). 

The campaign. It is criminally short. It's about as long as playing through all 4 campaigns in Left 4 Dead. Which is a shame. The game is 9 levels. You can finish the game in 6-8 hours at best. Thankfully the single player mode is fun and you'll want to check it out a few times (not to mention the hidden messages which allude to a larger plot than is revealed throughout the rest of the game). Sadly you can't play it with a friend, nor can you with any aspect of this game. 

That's right if you want to play with a friend during the game it MUST be online, and even then it MUST be multiplayer. There is no Co-Op campaign at all. While the story somewhat requires a single man against all odds as part of the narrative, it's a shame they didn't even allow any room in the story for a second player to have fun with you. This would've greatly increased replay value. To the single player's credit it does have achievements. However, even for multiplayer, you can't play splitscreen. No matter what. If you want multiplayer it must be online. 

I personally demand they make a sequel. Not only because this game has given me a thirst for Wii FPs action but because I'd love to see an infinitely more ambitious follow up. Let players play spitscreen multiplayer, splitscreen coop, online coop. I'd also love to see a bigger game, not only in length (as in AT LEAST 3 times longer please), but in scope. Having vehicles could be loads of fun. Having a less personal story of you and your boss giving orders and giving you a squad to play with during the campaign. More locations, more enemy types, more weapons, more, more, more. I'd love to see more from the sequel. 

Thankfully I think this game requires a sequel and I'm not begging for them to not make one. Even if you have a 360 or PS3, this game still has plenty to offer. The controls seal the deal. While I will also complain about having my arms pointed at the screen, thankfully the cord on the sensor bar is incredibly long if you want to move the bar because you shift positions while playing, and thankfully the Wii controller is two pieces so you can have your hands close or more spread out for your own style of comfort. Fatigue sets in after a while, just make sure you move around sometimes and you'll be ok. 

I demand a sequel High Voltage Software, and I will not accept no for an answer. Hopefully my petty gripes will be addressed in the sequel as well....namely the length of the campaign. Oddly enough, right after this game came out High Voltage Software revealed their next Wii game entitled "The Grinder". They wanted to make a Left 4 Dead style FPS experience on the Wii. There will be loads of enemies, as well as (and this takes care of most of my complaints of The Conduit) splitscreen play. They said The Grinder will have splitscreen Co-Op, online Co-Op and all manner of Co-Op and multiplayer you were basically wanting in The Conduit. 

I feel that instead of making The Grinder, if HVS had spent the time they're using making The Grinder for making The Conduit a fuller, more varied and interesting experience, then The Conduit could have become one of the biggest titles of the year, and one of the biggest releases the Wii has seen. Unfortunately, as it stands, there is too much The Conduit DOESN'T do which shooter fans generally expect. 


Regardless, my final opinion is for you to BUY THIS GAME. The controls are odd at first but are way more intuitive than any other FPS I've seen in a long time. It plays really well and is loads of fun online and off. While you can lament the things the game doesn't do, you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not even trying it. Even if they put in the EXACT SAME multiplayer options from Perfect Dark in the sequel, it'd be so worth playing. No matter what, if you have a Wii and want a great online multiplayer FPS, this is one of the few games that is unquestionably worth your time. I assure you I WILL be playing this game online for a long time. You should too. Play it. 

[3/5]

 

EDIT: Since writing this review High voltage Software has said that in The Conduit 2 they WILL be including pretty much everything I asked for in here so that's great. 

Splitscreen multiplayer as well as OFFLINE multiplayer will be included. Players aren't restricted to one path through levels and will be able to branch out and figure out their own paths in certain places. Don't know about vehicular combat but since HVS isn't making the game engine for The Conduit 2 like they had to with the first one they can spend a lot more time making a higher quality game. Good news I'd say.

 

By Jedilink : September 1, 2010

ILLegal Alien: Jedi Link of USA.

Of all the muthafuckas in the world, he's the muthafuckest.

This one is a bizarre case. Some places he fits in, others he stands out. No matter where you find him, he'll always be the same guy as he never puts up a facade for any reason. A filmmaker on the rise he has a vast knowledge of useless garbage. If it's in a movie he's seen it. Thanks to the internet he's seen worse. This one is severely scarred by an incomprehension of how retarded people can be. Generally a loner, he knows few, those few don't always support him so he stands on his own.

 

 

He is relentless in his pursuit as a filmmaker and refuses to be left out of a business he wants to see improve. He also has ADD which explains the somewhat "all over" nature of his own description.