The
X-Files had been on the air for three years before my backwater cable
company picked up a Fox affiliate. I had heard of the X-Files and was
chomping at the bit to watch it. The first episode that ran was season
threes finale, and I was more than a little confused. Over the summer I
watched the reruns. Then I bought the videos; soon I was addicted. In
2002, even though the quality had gone down and I paid little attention
to the final season, I was sad to see my one-time favorite show go.
Lately I have found myself jonesing for a little Mulder and Scully
action (mmmm Scully). Problem is, I have seen every episode a thousand
times, give or take a few. There is another movie in the works, but who
knows how far off that will be. Enter Black Ops. No, Im not talking
about a secret government taskforce bent on world domination through the
use of videogames. Im talking about the developers behind games such as
Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Street Hoops. They
intend to do something completely different than the first live action
X-Files videogame. The result should be a game that will not only please
X-Files fans, but survival-horror (i.e. Resident Evil and Silent Hill)
fans as well.
X-Files:
Resist Or Serve aspires to really capture the mood of the television
show. Expect a lot of dark rooms and flashlights and a big helping of
the television shows eerie soundtrack. Not only will Resist Or Serve
borrow Mulder and Scullys likeness, but David Duchovny and Gillian
Anderson have lent their voices to the game, along with the actors who
portray Agent Skinner, The Lone Gunmen, and Cigarette-Smoking Man (or
CSM to the X-Files literate out there).
The game will feature two different perspectives for each of the
three all-new episodes you are required to play through (that of Mulder
and Scullys of course. This is the first time you will get to play as
the shows leads). Each set of scenarios will play up to each of the
characters strengths: Mulders segment being more action oriented and
Scullys more problem solving. As Scully, you will even get to perform
an autopsy.
Black
Ops could have taken the more traditional licensed game route and done
the bare minimum. Instead of simply slapping an X-Files face on a
Resident Evil game they are trying to do some innovative things with the
genre. A major innovation is a new pinpoint healing system that allows
you to heal (or neglect) certain body parts at a time. You must pay
attention to the more vital parts of your body or you will die, but
others will only leave you crippled if not healed. If done well, this
should be interesting and add a whole new dynamic to the survival-horror
genre.
They are also trying to amp up the combining feature seen in Resident
Evil, by allowing more intricate combinations. I cant wait to see what
kind of combinations Mulder and Scully can come up with. Heck they could
probably take this aspect and make it into an entire game. One man,
fighting the forces of evil by combining inane objects into handy
gizmos. Anybody else thinking about a McGyver videogame? No? Well fine!
The
game is set to take place in the seventh season. Fans will remember that
as Mulders last season. Our Agents are called to a small town to
investigate strange happenings (hum, sound familiar?). Once they arrive
they are met by zombies which eventually steam-roll into aliens, clones,
and conspiracies, oh my! One can also expect to see all kinds of exotic
locales including an alien space ship.
This game may be a little late. Many viewers tuned out a season or
two before The X-Files demise but true X-Philes (the real X-Files fans)
will want to check this one out. The game isnt expected for release
until September and things are likely to change and hopefully keep
getting better. If I am really lucky, I will get to play an early
version (or at least see it) at E3 in May. Until then, I will have to be
content with reruns on cable.