Breed is a new game developed by CDV Software Entertainment. It looks to be one of these games that just makes you want to drool. Every now and again a game comes along and pushes the envelope of graghical realism, detail and imagination. These are games that become pure classics, from what I've seen and heard Breed looks set to be one of those games.

Description

Breed is a cutting-edge science-fiction shoot'em-up, which skilfully blends addictive, accessible, free-roaming gameplay with cutting-edge, state-of-the-art technology to expand not only the gameplay potential, but also the player's perceived freedom within the game world. Breed Utilises both 1st and 3rd person viewpoints so players can freely take control of a variety of units and vehicles – from standard ground troops to APCs and Dropships – to do battle with The Breed both in orbit and on the Earth's surface. The objective is simple: Halt the invasion of The Breed and stop the destruction of mankind.

The sheer diversity of weapons, vehicles and geographical locations allows every mission to offer a refreshingly different challenge, whether the player is entering an underground bunker on foot, driving their jeep across rough terrain, or piloting their fighter craft down a heavily guarded canyon.

Features

• Origional and absorbing storyline - 2602. The new colonies of mankind in the neighbouring Besalius binary star system were caught off-guard by an aggressive attack from a highly belligerent alien race which the Colonists nicknamed The Breed

• Seamless terrain/orbit transition - There is seamless terrain/orbit transition. Thanks in no small part to the amazing technical capabilities of the Mercury game engine, Players can pilot their crafts from outer space, head through the Earth's atmosphere, then continue their journey down to the planet's surface.

• Co-existing realtime battles

• Shared vehicle control - Something an underused feature in multi-player games, players can now work co-operatively to operate vehicles (e.g. one player drives a tank, the other fires the turret).

• Lan & Online play - Key to Breed's appeal is the ability for multiple players to work co-operatively to accomplish objectives; for instance, one player can choose to pilot a Dropship into Breed territory while other players control the ship's turrets. With this in mind, up to sixteen players can join together via LAN or Internet.

• Immersive sound system

• Amazing array of vehicles - The game boasts a wide diversity of vehicles, ranging from Fighters (launched from the USC Darwin mothership), Jeeps, Tanks, APCs, and Dropships. Players also have the ability to steal Breed vehicles to use in their battles for supremacy.

• 30+ hours of continous action

• Multiple player viewpoints - Utilising both 1st and 3rd person viewpoints, players can freely take control of a variety of vehicles - from standard ground troops to APCs and Dropships - to do battle with The Breed both in orbit and on the Earth's surface. The objective is simple: halt the invasion of The Breed and stop the destruction of mankind.

• 25+ Missions and campaigns - The missions are set in various locations across the Earth's seven different continents, To ensure greater variety, different continents will feature different graphical styles and geographical features appropriate to the region. Broadly speaking, Breed's missions are divided into three different categories; Defend, Attack, and Collect. This forces the player to adopt a number of different strategies and playing styles in order to accomplish their objectives (whether defending key areas from attack, wiping out Breed emplacements, or retrieving important objects, items, or information). Additionally, missions can be set both on Earth and in orbit, which further expands the gameplay potential. For instance, the player may be forced to defend the USC Darwin from attack (using a fighter or on-board turret).

• Wide variety of playing modes

• Streamlined user interface - Breed does away with complicated menus and cursors; by using simple icons, keeping buttons to a bare minimum, and keeping controls consistent between vehicle types, the player can focus on the game in hand rather than mastering the controls.

• Cinematic quality 3D Graphics - Not only does Breed's engine permit the use of real-time cinematic cut scenes, it also allows a greater level of detail for the game's environments, vehicles, weapons, and special effects.

• Vast array of weaponary

Verdict

Dubbed to be the Game that kills Halo, its bound to impress. Breed is set for release mid September 2003 and it should be a cracker.