Summary
- Release Year: 2005
- Genres: Arcade, Puzzle, Shooter
- Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox
- Developers: Circle Studio
- Publishers: Capcom
Without Warning (2005): A Post-Mortem of a Failed Shooter
Introduction
Without Warning is a third-person shooter video game developed by Circle Studio and published by Capcom for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2005. The game was set in a vast chemical plant and followed the actions of six playable characters: three Special Forces members, a security guard, a secretary, and a cameraman. The game was set over twelve hours and featured a story that was similar in style to the TV series 24.
Despite relatively high expectations during development, given the developers’ previous work on the hugely successful Tomb Raider series, upon release, Without Warning received generally negative feedback by most game critics and players due to an evidently rushed release. Most complaints centered on the glitchy AI and numerous other technical inadequacies, coupled with a poor storyline and characters.
Gameplay
Without Warning is a third-person shooter game that is played from a fixed camera perspective. The player controls one of six characters, each with their own unique weapons and abilities. The game is set in a vast chemical plant and the player must fight their way through hordes of enemies, including terrorists, mutants, and giant spiders.
The game features a variety of weapons, including pistols, shotguns, assault rifles, and rocket launchers. The player can also use grenades and other explosives to defeat their enemies. The game also features a cover system that allows the player to take cover behind objects to avoid enemy fire.
Story
The story of Without Warning is set over twelve hours and follows the actions of six playable characters: three Special Forces members, a security guard, a secretary, and a cameraman. The game begins with a terrorist attack on a chemical plant. The player must then take control of the six characters and fight their way through the plant to stop the terrorists and prevent them from releasing a deadly virus.
The story of Without Warning is told through a series of cutscenes and in-game dialogue. The cutscenes are well-produced and feature some impressive voice acting. However, the story itself is rather weak and predictable. The characters are not particularly well-developed and the plot is full of holes.
Characters
There are six playable characters in Without Warning:
- John Deckard: A Special Forces operative who is the leader of the team.
- Mia Flores: A Special Forces operative who is a weapons expert.
- Jack Hale: A Special Forces operative who is a demolitions expert.
- David Richards: A security guard who is a former police officer.
- Sarah Jones: A secretary who is a witness to the terrorist attack.
- Peter Chen: A cameraman who is filming a documentary about the chemical plant.
The characters in Without Warning are not particularly well-developed. They are all fairly one-dimensional and their motivations are not always clear. However, the voice acting is good and the characters are at least somewhat likeable.
Graphics
The graphics in Without Warning are dated, even for 2005. The character models are blocky and the textures are muddy. The environments are also rather bland and uninspired.
Sound
The sound in Without Warning is also dated. The voice acting is good, but the music is forgettable and the sound effects are unimpressive.
AI
The AI in Without Warning is one of the game’s biggest flaws. The enemies are often unresponsive and they will often get stuck on objects. The friendly AI is also not very good and they will often get in the player’s way.
Technical Issues
Without Warning is also plagued by a number of technical issues. The game is prone to crashing and the load times are long. The game also suffers from a number of graphical glitches.
Conclusion
Without Warning is a deeply flawed game. The story is weak, the characters are underdeveloped, the graphics are dated, the sound is unimpressive, and the AI is terrible. The game is also plagued by a number of technical issues. As a result, it is difficult to recommend Without Warning to anyone.
Score: 5/10
Review Score
5/10
