Game review: Singularity

The latest shooter from Raven Studios hit the stores with little fanfare or press coverage, suggesting publisher Activision wanted a low-key launch for some reason.

While it may not be as accomplished as heavyweights Call of Duty or Halo, it certainly provides a solid, if at times ropey experience.

Singularity puts players in the boots of American soldier Nate Renko as his chopper crash lands on the abandoned Russian island Katorga-12, the site of shadowy military research until it was devastated by a mysterious cataclysm in 1955. More than 50 years later, Renko crash lands on the island, and becomes trapped in a fight across time itself to protect the West from Russian oppression.

Gameplay mixes up standard first-person shooting with the TMD, a top secret device that lets Renko bend time to gain the upper hand. Players can age enemy troops until they crumble, or use the time feature to rebuild structures that have collapsed. While not the most inventive mechanic, it can be a lot of fun, especially with the game's imaginative firearm selection.

With a generously-sized campaign, mechanics borrowed from countless other games and fun and unique multiplayer modes, there is a lot to enjoy here. If you can overlook that the graphics and premise lack imagination and polish, and manage to pick it up cheap, you may get a lot out of Singularity.

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Singularity

(39.99, PC/PS3/Xbox 360)