In 2003, Ubisoft produced one of the most unique games ever seen on any format. Taking the source material of Dergaud's Belgian graphic novel series, the developers aimed to create a fully-immersive first person shooter with a twist - cel-shaded, comic-style visuals. Yes, cel-shading had been done before, but never in three dimensions, and the gauntlet thrown down was a big one from the beginning - could XIII enter the foray of FPSs and distinguish itself? Would it be different enough from the usual fare to impress, but still satisfy seasoned gamers? Well, from very early on it's clear that the developers pulled out all the stops to present XIII as a ...  Read the complete review

For the uninitiated, XIII is a Belgian graphic novel by Jean Van Hamme and William Vance. When we say 'the uninitiated' we mean practically everyone, as the book has never actually been translated into English. Anyway, it charts the story of a man who washes up on a beach, lacking a memory or any possessions. The only clue he has to his identity is the 'XIII' he has on his chest. Thus far there have been fifteen books charting this mysterious man's investigation into the assassination of the President and his own murky past. The developers of the game have wisely kept the distinctive visual style that made XIII such a hit right across Europe. A world of heavy ...  Read the complete review

This is actually a great game and underrated by many. IGN obviously liked it though, giving it a well deserved 8 when it was released. The game uses cel-shading. This makes it seem less life like and gives it a more cartoon and colourful look and it it's pretty impressive. Don't let this put you off as the game is based on a comic book series so it feels as if you are playing the comic. The plot is very good, especially for an FPS, and is conspiracy-rich throughout. Your character has amnesia and you have to work out the connection between yourself and the assassination of the president. It's great to try and work out what's going on. ...  Read the complete review

A very underrated game this shoot-em-up is totally unique in its approach to the styling, bringing a comic book to life, even with the proper "ta ta ta ta" text being shown on the screen when killing a villain. The story sees you washed up on a beach with no memory of what has happened and basically sees you trying to piece back together the events that lead up to you being on the beach. Multiplayer mode has many options and, after completing it once was what i focused on more than anything else. POSITIVE: A very different way of telling a good story and one that certainly helps the game to stand out against other shoot em ...  Read the complete review