Conduit 2 (Wii) Review
I think it’s a little bit unfortunate to say this but I do think that I gave the original Conduit too high a score. While the game did have its merits, all of it was incredibly derivative of other titles in the genre, and for some reason we were willing to excuse such a fact because the Wii had nothing like it before. Now, several years later, and we’ve got the much anticipated sequel too. Just like the original game, I should highlight that I have seen absolutely nothing in the media about this game, I’m literally going in with no idea what to expect. That being said, Conduit 2 is something that will definitely appeal to fans of the original, but nothing majorly ground-breaking has been undertaken here, once again. I feel as though this franchise will not be as big a hit as SEGA is hoping it to be. But, the game does have its ups and downs, and allow me to elaborate just what works and what really doesn’t.
Skip this paragraph if you haven’t yet played the original game, for it contains spoilers. Conduit 2 takes place straight after the end of the original game, with Mr Ford following Mr Adams through a conduit to an unknown place. Following a rather dramatic and interesting set piece, Mr Adams attempts to utilise the alien race, the Drudge, to give himself more power over the cosmos. Naturally, Mr Ford, using Atlantis as a hub must band with his new allies, Prometheus from the original game and a new ally, Andromeda, to stop him. The story itself is once again nothing to write home about, and it’s clear that anyone playing this should really only be interested in the action and spectacle that follows, as both the terrible and foreseeable plot twists and absolutely ridiculous ending are bound to disappoint anyone looking for a decent story.
Thankfully, it seems that the developers have taken on all the criticisms about the original game and made an effort to improve certain components dramatically. The game’s artistic direction still remains rather generic, but the set pieces are much more varied this time around, namely due to the expansion of the setting from the US to all around the world. Enemies still look as generic as ever, though they do animate quite nicely and die differently depending on situations, a nice touch carried over from the original game. The dank and boring texture work from the original game is no more, as many of the environments sport some great and semi-realistic looking textures that really give the environments a lot of life and personality. In particular, the environments feel much more open and natural, which is a nice change from the restricting corridors and the like in the original game. There are a few moments during all the action where the game does slowdown, and this can be a bit jarring on the player’s accuracy, but otherwise the game is one of the better looking ones on the Wii.
In terms of gameplay, there’s not a whole lot new in this outing from High Voltage. The game still features a great amount of customisation as well as versatility in the support of multiple control methods, although curiously the control via Gamecube pad is absent. Still, all these features are a very nice touch for those looking to have a go and see what suits them best. Honestly, however, we found the non-Wii Remote controls to be a little bit easier to use but that’s probably because we grew tired of the motion controls fast. This does not mean they are bad; it’s just a matter of personal preference – of which we preferred a traditional controller. Motion Plus support is also included but in a game where the pointer is really all that’s needed, it seems a little, well, pointless.
My previous complaints about the original game was that there was a distinct lack of memorable or well thought out set pieces. While this problem has been remedied for the most part, a lot of the beautifully designed set pieces are let down by embarrassingly bad AI. Enemies no longer take cover as much as you’d think they would, with a lot of them just standing out in the bare open waiting to be shot. This is a very confusing change in the mechanics of the game considering how well it worked in the original game, and quite frankly didn’t really need changing either. This lacklustre programming is saved ever so slightly by some genuinely interesting and boss encounters, though the game is overall pretty easy to complete.
High Voltage have also put a lot more effort into the weapons and equipment that Ford can use, particularly the All Seeing Eye which has received a notable upgrade although it’s obvious where it draws its inspiration from. Acting similarly to a scan visor in another first person title, Ford can uncover certain tid-bits of backstory to further flesh out the experience, as well as solve very easy puzzles too. This is definitely an improvement over the first game, but once again, nothing too substantial and as a result it feels a little bit hollow. Weapons themselves are a little bit more ambitious and fun to use too, such as a stealth gun that not only cloaks the player but slowly increases in power as long as the player fires. Another honourable mention is a remote control turret gun, which evokes strong memories of weapons like the Laptop Gun in Perfect Dark, only this time the player has more control.
There are also many different options for the player to customise their own appearance in Conduit 2, which extends to both singleplayer and multiplayer appearances. Players will enjoy having to choose from different suit load-outs, which give different perks and abilities depending on the suit chosen, as well as weapons too. These can all be purchased from a store in exchange for in-game currency, and adds a kind of strategy element to the game. These elements are a nice touch and might encourage players to play through the game again, trying different load-outs as they progress, in order to get more life out of this roughly six hour game.
Conduit 2 also offers a very robust multiplayer mode, which is sure to compete with the better experiences available on the Wii right now. Featuring the ability to play up to 12 opponents in competitive and co-operative modes (there’s over 10 different modes), a lot of effort and thought has gone into Conduit 2’s multiplayer mode. There are also 12 maps to choose from, with a surprising three returning from the original game. Since there’s no proper DLC system for the Wii, it’s a shame to see the original Conduit levels couldn’t just be ported over to make the package a bit more appealing, but what’s presented here feels more than substantial.
Perks and weapons can be unlocked and upgraded, and the HeadBanger headset is also supported although we weren’t able to try it out, and Wii Speak isn’t supported at all. An offline co-operative “Invasion Mode” is also available for players who wish to compete against oncoming waves of enemies with a friend. All offline modes also feature splitscreen support too, a nice upgrade from the original game. It’s very clear that High Voltage is aware of what’s available out there and wants to craft a multiplayer experience that is on par with high definition shooters, so those interested in this for it’s online modes should definitely consider picking it up. The online play itself was particularly smooth when we played it with no apparent lag throughout, although there was the odd spike during some more intense and international matches, but surprisingly this mode felt much more stable than the singleplayer mode. Still, it’s a nice touch and is more than playable and very easy to recommend.
The game’s soundtrack can come off as a little melodramatic but kudos to the developer for trying to drum up some interest through the use of music instead. Voicework and dialogue is still as cheesy as ever, and the fact that the developers had secured Jon St. John’s voice to voice the main character is incredibly telling (the voice of Duke Nukem for those not in the know). Still, the voicework does the job and the one liners are as cheesy as you’d expect from an action movie, so I suppose they fit. It’s nice to see the voice actors not phoning in their performances, though.
Overall, Conduit 2 is definitely one of those games that players will enjoy if they enjoyed the first, but it’s just downright perplexing as to why some changes were made to some elements that simply weren’t broken. But aside from some of the issues with the AI and stability of the main campaign, it’s actually quite a solid little shooter that I am happy to recommend to most Wii owners. That being said, don’t expect anything that eclipses any of the “big guns” in the genre thus far, but I have a feeling High Voltage are slowly but surely starting to “get it”.
Graphics 9.0
The Quantum3 engine shines once again here, though its a bit odd to see better stability graphically in the multiplayer modes over the absolutely stunning singleplayer modes.
Gameplay 6.5
There are some nice improvements but the distinct lack of challenge and terrible AI really brings down the game. Boss battles are nicely thought out and well designed. Multiplayer and online work very well.
Sound 6.0
Some nice yet not-so-serious voicework from Duke Nukem himself adds a layer of cheesiness that strangely fits in with this games aesthetics. Music is melodramatic and boring, though.
Tilt 8.0
This one really is variable depending on what you do with it, but players who want to play offline should probably subtract two points from here. A six hour campaign and heaps of upgrades and unlockables in online make this quite a decent well-rounded package, though offline players may feel like theres less to do.
Value 7.0
Despite the improvements, the strange regression to terrible AI really put me off enjoying this game. Also, the ending is one of the strangest and most ridiculous endings Ive ever been subjected to in a video game.
Overall
Conduit 2 improves a lot of things thats wrong with the original game, but at the same time diminishes some things that werent really in need of a fix either. With all that out of the way, though, Conduit 2 is definitely a game that will appeal to any shooter fan who owns a Wii.
