[Phalanx]

Halo.
One craze I initially missed.
I had tried to play it before but never really got into it, and just recently d/l'd it to give it a good go. Aside from the car thing being a bitch to control on pc (only the mouse turns it, and I can't seem to change this in the settings...) it's not a bad game.
I suppose it plays out in a decent sci-fi movie kinda way...I can see them perhaps putting this one on film eventually.
I thought this at first, and I still do - those little retard aliens that run around sounding like Gir from Invader zim are annoying, and stupid - completely wrong to the feel of the game and I feel they take something away from the experience.
The musical scoring is nice, and the locations and architecture of the structures is interesting and original.
The storyline is pretty good, I like how you were thrown into the reality of the game, nicely handled.
I heard some people had an issue with the "two weapons only at a time" thing, I personally don't, but I have to say I don't particularly like the range of weapons.
Nice bit of physics work for the effect the grenades have.
I'm not sure what it is, but how your character moves around feels a little...wrong somehow.
Having given this game a proper go after all this time, I have to say that it is a well made fps game. I cannot say I would give it the same legendary status that many others seem to have, but it's a good effort, and it's retained enough interest to continue playing...it's among the "good".

I guess if you've read this far into the "review" I'll give a couple of reccomendations.

*Star Trek: Elite Force 2
I played both, but cannot remember the first one all that well...however, this one gave a good impression. Excellent game. Perfect storyline, and some hardcore firefights. All the technology of the series without getting too geeky., the tricorder/scanner plays a big role, but it's fun to use. Great sets and REALLY good AI...Not to mention Tony Todd as one of the main in-game characters. Very good. This game will make you jump, some of the scenes literally play out like a good horror/thriller should. Knowledge of the trek series doesn't matter, the storyline is very well conceived and easy to follow, the characters unestablished.
The length of this game (for once) was perfect. VERY solid title.
Check it out, and I garauntee you'll be as surprised as I was.

*Unreal 2.
I never played the original, so I don't know how this one stacks up by comparison, but this here game is excellent in so many ways. The alien worlds are absolutely beautiful to look at, the missions vary from simple to complex, never overwhelming, never unrewarding. The storyline is one of the best I've yet to see in a scifi game, the storyline introduces some pretty cool characters (and one sexy holographic bitch...or was she a robot?), the dialogue is interesting and funny. This game can go from easygoing to completely intense within seconds, the combat in this game is also varied, dependant upon what you're fighting, a pretty nice mix-up....oh and the main badguys, the "skurgg" are just...evil.., scary, angry, and not easy to take down...they make the halo baddies look like bitched.
Visually stunning game, even by todays standards.
Well worth whatever the asking cost is these days or D/L...

The reason I mention these two games in short review is that even though HALO might've been newer and prettier at the time, I think both of these games did what Halo was going for, but they did it earlier, and (SORRY HALO FANS) better.
If you're a fan of Halo, I'd definately reccomend checking them both out, for a similar but alltogether different couple of games.

- B.