E3 2009 Preview
While Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown
Wars launched recently to critical acclaim, the open-world sandbox genre hasn’t
really been one that has been tapped into very much when it comes to the
Nintendo DS. However, Ubisoft is looking to throw their hat into the ring with
their upcoming sandbox action game, C.O.P.: The Recruit.
The Recruit puts you in control of a
reformed street racer turned undercover cop who runs missions for the police,
taking out criminals and searching the city for action. The game has a definite
stylized look to it, opting for an over the shoulder look as opposed to the
top-down approach used in GTA: Chinatown Wars. The game mixes driving mechanics
with solid shooting, and plays quite well on its system. If all goes well, The
Recruit would be one title that Nintendo DS owners will want to get their hands
on.
In the demo playable on the show
floor, Ubisoft showed off areas that emphasized the game’s driving and shooting
mechanics. While driving, missions are presented to you in real-time, as a voice
will come over your radio (subtitles will pop up) and you’ll receive info on
what is going down. A waypoint will then show up on your map, guiding you to the
right area.
Once you arrive, the action then
switches to third-person shooting. Entering the establishment (in this case a
warehouse) in search of a perp, we were immediately attacked by a group of
thugs, who opened fire and took cover behind the environment. You move your
targeting reticule with the stylus, tapping on your enemies to take them out.
The action was pretty intense, but luckily we had a full arsenal of shotguns,
pistols and machine guns to take out our foes.
C.O.P.: The Recruit is shaping up
very well, with solidly implemented driving and shooting and great stylized
storytelling. Look for it Q3 2009.
