Clive Barker's Undying Review

Speaking of which, the Dreamworks team didn't sit around on their asses either. Undying is a combined effort, and one segment wouldn't go without the other... The game uses the venerable Unreal engine, which still looks surprisingly stylish, and is perfectly suited for this type of gothic visual approach... The programmers have done an excellent job in draining the very last drop out of the old Unreal code, and have managed to create a dark and moody, yet very diverse world. A beautiful mix of gothic interiors and exteriors, old Celtic ruins and Monasteries, distinctively Irish outdoor environments comprised of gloomy skies, black sea, and wet grass. The outdoor poly count is not high by any standards, but everything is so well put that you're "handled" to pay more attention to the overall image of the environment than on the relatively low number of polys. The indoor environments on the other hand are highly realistic in appearance (the overall number of polys is used much more effectively) -- with heavy wooden chairs, beautiful tapestry, chandeliers, and the aforesaid strategically placed mirrors and animated long white curtains... I don't know if it's Clive's doing, or if the programmers are to blame, but the impression I got is that the creators tried to create more of a living and breathing environment.

Servants go about their daily routines, and you feel much more like you're in there with them, then simply starring at your PC screen and marveling at the visuals... A lot of work has been put into character animations of the monsters and the animated death scenes of the protagonist. Doesn't seem very important when I write about it like this, but trust me... It will make a whole lot of difference in the game. Heaving a well animated monster is sometimes more important than having a rich-in-poly-break-dancing monster... Since these scary creatures are fast and are jumping out of dark corners, it is much more important for them to move in a scary fashion than to look scary. And besides, halfway through the game you'll fight this cool looking belly dancer chick. Go on; let her kill ya... At least you'll get French kissed by a hot babe before she rips your insides and throws your limp carcass on the ground...

Aside from a few directing tricks that don't directly have to do much with 3D engines (like the skillfully orchestrated in-game cut scenes), the rest of the props for the visual appearance of the Undying world go to the vital Unreal engine and the modifications carried out by the code team.

Clive Barker has set the mood, and given general instructions on how to make a scary scene, so you'll be glad to know that yes, Undying will give you the chills, especially if you decide to use the headphones and play alone in the dark... The suspense and lurking creatures are sure to stir up some primal fears and superstitions in ya... The designers did a good job at pacing the number of the monsters per scene, thus creating that nightmarish frantic feeling of "narrow escape" at intended parts of the game. However, this type of "leading the player through a maze of scary environments full of nasty creatures" gameplay generates a whole lot of problems, like the noticeable linearity, and the obvious restrictions imposed on the player. I know it would've been devilishly hard to pull it off, but imagine if Clive Barker's story was conveyed in a more non-linear fashion. It's tricky business trying to scare somebody, and Clive's experience has helped in achieving such an effect, but the game is at times blatantly linear. The player is left with little or no choice, but to go along with the projected chain of events. Door A, then door B... you'll be led through a corridor to door C where a monster awaits. Don't get me wrong, "leading the player" is an essential part of any good horror FPS (gameplay dynamics are one tricky business), but it's just the way that the Undying designer's did it that can sometimes get frustrating, and feel too restrictive. A lot of the potential immersivness of the game that could've come from more freedom of choice was sacrificed in order to better present the storyline and induce the fear effect. Again, I emphasize, getting this part right in a single-player FPS is maybe the hardest thing to do, but there were titles that came closer to that goal, like System Shock 2 for example.

Besides the restrictedness, a few other gameplay drawbacks crept in through the back door. Undying's weapons system is based on an ambidextrous setup where Patrick is holding his weapons in his left hand, and spells in the right hand. And while the interface and the application of the system are highly applicable and easy to use in the game, many of the spells are downright ineffective and you'll probably seldom use them. The weapons are fun for the most part, and fit the period -- stuff like the revolver, the Molotov cocktail, or the double-barreled shotgun. There are even a few inventive ones, like the Tibetan War Cannon, but it would've been nicer if there were more powerful exotic weapons available to the player... I dunno, this is strictly a subjective opinion, and many would argue that the rest of the arsenal is exotic and interesting enough, but I just had this nagging feeling that I needed more.

Finally, the AI can get a bit dodgy at times. I can understand if some of the monsters are stupid, but the human opponent AI (the Trusandi) don't pay much attention to the fact that you just ran around a corner with a shotgun to ambush them, and they'll stumble straight on your barrel. Also, the routine that is supposed to make the Trusandi warriors take cover mostly gets them stuck, so that you can easily pick them off with the weapon of your choice. Having a good AI in place is critical for a successful FPS, and while Undying won't amaze you in this department, it's good enough not to cause any major disappointments, even despite the aforementioned slip-ups.

That about wraps it up, folks... Final verdict: this is one title that single player FPS wouldn't want to miss. Despite a few irksome drawbacks this is one helluva horror action game, and I hope titles like this one just keep on coming... I'll be a happy man.