Hands-on with Stranglehold, BlackSite: Area 51 and super secrets

1:00 AM on 08.13.2007   |   Hamza CTZ Aziz

33 comments

A couple of nights ago, the HuskyHog and I were invited to the Stranglehold event in San Francisco to play the multiplayer of Stranglehold.

The bad news: They couldn't get the network up to let people play the multiplayer. The good news: We got to play the single player of the game. The bad news: The demo was already out, and we've already given you a great first impressions of the game. The good news: BlackSite: Area 51 was also being demoed to play. The bad news: We've already covered that too. The good news: OPEN BAR! The bad news: OPEN BAR!

The good news: Midway told us some super secret stuff we're not supposed to tell you. The bad news: I'm going to tell you anyway.

Hit the jump for some quick hands-on impression, as well as some earth shattering news. 

Stranglehold was a very action packed and great looking game. The action starts off immediately and rarely ever lets down. The only problem I had with this game though is that what I just described is pretty much all you ever do. The game doesn't offer a whole lot of variety, and gets very boring very fast. There is a segment every once in awhile where you essentially pull a Matrix where you're shooting at your enemies and are only moving your upper body to dodge incoming bullets.

The bottom line: It's fun, there's tons of action, and it looks great, but gets repetitive way too fast.

BlackSite: Area 51 was actually a nice surprise to get my hands on, because there was no mention that it would be at the event at all. Plus, I love FPS games, especially ones involving the tired old story of alien invasions. Two very short levels were being shown off.

The first level had you manning the turret in a helicopter as you were flying towards your destination. While on the way, you got to pick off enemy aliens and eventually, a giant worm like alien creature. After disposing of it, you were dropped off at a camp to clear out more aliens. The second level was more of the same except this time you had a small squad of soldiers at your command. Unlike most other squad based games, telling your team mates what to do just took one little step -- where you're looking will determine what your squad will do. If you're looking of into the destination and press the command button, your team will run up ahead of you. Look at a locked door and your team will break it open. 

Bottom line: The action is good, there are simple squad commands, and epic boss fights.

Now here's the super secret news Midway slipped that I'm sure you've all been waiting to see. It's so epic, that simple words cannot describe what this is. So HuskyHog and I made a little video to tell you all instead.