BlackSite: Area 51

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• Expert Rating

  4.00 / 5

• User Rating

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• Price

  $ 109.95 (AUD)

GamePro staff GamePro (online) 14/11/07 Follow @pcworldau

Pros

• Unreal Engine visuals shine; good, solid action; NPCs are actually likable

Cons

• Its story won't 'wow' you, NPCs battle skills are lacking

Bottom Line

At the end of the day, Blacksite is a decent enough FPS title that's the gaming equivalent of a summer action blockbuster: it sure as hell won't win any Oscars but it delivers just enough thrills to make you feel like you got your money's worth.--Tae K. Kim

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The truth is out there

And truth be told, Blacksite deserves to lurk in the shadow of those giants as it doesn't quite reach the lofty bar that's been set for the FPS genre. The plot is rather generic -- you're a Delta Force commando who has to clean up the mess created by some eggheads at a secret government research facility -- and while your NPC comrades are likeable, their battle skills are seriously lacking. This becomes a big problem during the based levels where you're forced to drive and rely on their near-sighted gunnery skills to take care of enemies.

Popcorn flick

That said, the gunplay, which follows the standard FPS formula of 'see bad guys, shoot bad guys', is solid and fun; it's also bolstered by an interesting morale system where, if you perform well, your comrades get a small boost to their own skills. But let your team get into dire straits and their abilities take a small penalty. It's not revolutionary but it is an interesting system that rewards skilled gunplay.