WarPath

Written by Troy Matsumiya  on March 23, 2006

Final Glimpse: Waging a violent war of supremacy Ц for those on a budget!

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Developer Digital Extremes Ц best known for the high-octane Unreal franchise Ц is giving the original Xbox a nice going-away present as they gear up for next gen systems: an action-packed online multiplayer fragfest for only $29.99 (and if you're a PC gamer, you can join in on the fun for $10 less). I like presents, don't you?

WarPath may be a budget title but this doesn't mean it will be УcheapФ because the developers are committed to providing a fun, challenging and high quality gaming experience. And for those cynics out there who think that you can't have a good FPS at a low price, I direct you to Counter-Strike, America's Army and Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory which are all free PC downloads and among the best multiplayer shooters ever made.

From the looks of it so far, WarPath could be a fantastic value for your ever-tightening gaming dollar. The primary focus will be on the multiplayer experience, which will support up to 16 players over the Internet. Similar to titles like Battlefield: Modern Combat, Star Wars Battlefront and Digital Extremes' own Unreal Championship/Tournament series, there will be a minimal single-player campaign that is really just a training ground for the multiplayer. Unlike these games, however, playing WarPath's offline campaign will unlock new weapons and upgrades that you can use online. Nice!

The game will take place on the beautiful resource-rich planet of Kaladi where three races, each with their own agendas, are fighting for control: the Ohm are cyborgs who need the planet's minerals to survive; the House of Kovos are religious warriors who covet the planet as holy ground and will fight to protect it from non-believers; and the Human Coalition are displaced colonists desperately looking for a new place to live. Needless to say, nobody agrees with anyone else's point of view and all hell breaks loose. Can't we all just get along?

You will be able to play four game modes Ц Death Match, Team Death Match, Capture the Flag and Frontline Assault (where you capture map points) Ц on 25 diverse indoor and outdoor multiplayer maps. The arena-style maps will be filled with powerups and provide little cover, which means you will have to keep moving if you want to survive. This will help create some intense one-on-one battles and also eliminate cowardly camping; so for players who like sniping while glued to one spot and bragging how Уl337Ф they are, you will likely have your wussy butt handed to you repeatedly. Mmm, I like the sound of that. As a result, gameplay looks a lot like Unreal (which shouldn't be surprising) with extremely fast-paced non-stop action where lives are often measured in mere seconds. The physics have been tweaked to allow for some really big jumps and cool floppy ragdoll animation. Accentuating WarPath's Unreal УfeelФ are the character and environment designs, which are obviously inspired by its bigger brother.

Unlike Unreal, however, the game will only have eight weapons and which ones you want will depend upon which race you play. Each race has two weapons, but a bladed melee weapon and a med-kit that boosts health and speed will be available as well. It sounds limited but don't worry because the weapons can be upgraded at least two levels. Killed enemies will drop CAMS, upgrade powerups that you can grab to give your weapons new abilities. For example, at its base level the Vanguard is your average everyday plasma rifle but at the first upgrade level, you will be able to shoot sticky plasma balls onto the ground that act like mines. Upgrade to the highest level and you can plaster bigger plasma balls onto any surface that will explode if anyone comes near. The rocket launcher weapon can be upgraded with a target lock-on feature, but at the highest level it can lock onto four targets at once. Sweet!

You will also be able to use three land vehicles, including a three-wheeled ATV with mounted machineguns. And remember, you will be able to use the unlocked bonuses (like extra CAMS) from the single player campaign as well.

The offline campaign will have you fighting to capture 16 territories laid out on a hexagonal map, but it's not as straightforward as it sounds. Each race will start with five territories and rotate attacks using a turn-based strategy format. When it is your turn, you will decide whose butt you want to kick and after the battle is over, another race attacks; they can attack you or fight each other but in any event, you must wait until it is your turn again before you can launch another butt kicking. Battles will take place on the multiplayer maps in any of the four gamemodes as you and your bot teammates fight against enemy bots. The turn-based hex format sounds like a cool idea that adds a bit of strategy into the mix and a nice departure from the rigid linear structure of similar games. You can also engage in the offline practice mode with up to 32 bots to help hone your skills.

Needless to say, WarPath uses the Unreal engine and looks fantastic. You'd never guess this was a budget title from the detailed character models and cool lighting, weapon, and explosion effects. Who said you have to pay more to look good?