Review: Conduit 2 (Wii)

After all the waiting, finally I get to play Conduit 2. In this sequel to Sega and High Voltage Software’s popular Wii shooter, the stakes are higher as Michael Ford continues to chase his enemy Adams across the planet. Should we follow along? Let’s find out.

Picking up where the last game left off, Michael Ford and his alien ally Prometheus (who is trapped inside the ASE, the floating orb computer that helps you scan and hack objects) find themselves on an oil rig, where Adams is planning to continue his plan to conquer Earth. After an opening chapter that reminded me of Metal Gear Solid 2‘s first area, Ford finally makes his way to Atlantis, a massive technological area that functions as the game’s hub, where you can use the titular Conduits to jump all over the planet, purchase new upgrades, and replay old missions. With an awesome set of new armor which earns him the name “The Destroyer,” a new ally in the form of the armored ancient warrior woman Andromeda, and more new sci-fi guns, Ford will attempt to put an end to an alien conspiracy and save humanity.

The story is not what I’d call the best, but what makes it great is just how Ford knows some of the things he’s experiencing is quite out there. And of course, Prometheus is a great little deliverer of dry wit. At one point, the computer is disarming a bomb, and you’re in a fire fight to survive until he’s done. And while Ford is freaking out over his situation, Prometheus shows how little he’s actually paying attention to the fight. The weak point of the story to me was that its story is primarily taken from every crazy conspiracy theory involving aliens, from being behind the government to making the Mayan Pyramids. It can be a bit of a cliche, but the gameplay saves it.

This is one of the best FPS games I’ve played (and I tend to only enter that genre when it’s something like Portal or Mirror’s Edge), the controls a lot like Metroid Prime 3. However, if you want, you can use the Classic Controller Pro. The single player campaign is like 6 hours long, and pretty challenging even on the easier setting (that may just be my inexperience with FPS though). Thankfully, on top of returning to old chapters to find more hidden goodies and try out your new weapons on old foes, there’s multiplayer: local and online.

There are two kinds of multiplayer, local and online, both of which drop you in ten-minute matches. I’m going to have to in detail about this.

Local: Only has four players across splitscreen. There’s various modes of death-matches, where you can either have a free-for-all, or team-based. It’s best to bring the total of four, or you may be wandering for a while trying to find your opponent. My favorite mode for local multiplayer is Invasion, where you and your friends must face an endless wave of enemies. This can be a source of awesomeness, as you can fulfill your dreams of going back to back and fight it out with aliens.

Online: This has modes that go anywhere from eight to twelve. There’s all the standbys of FPS, like “Capture the Flag”,  “Death Match”, “Team Death Match”, as well as new modes like carrying the ASE like a basketball to a ring. The online is also compatible with the Headbanger headset, which allows you to trash talk. Personally, I avoid all that, and just keep to fighting it out.

There’s a ton of customization options, not just in the controls (seriously, you can make any button do whatever you want). As you progress through the single-player, and earn points during the online game, you can customize your avatar, and have up to four loadouts that you can switch between during each time you die.

Graphically, the game is alright. It’s pretty good for the Wii, which says a lot in this age of HD. Sound-wise, the voice acting is good, and sound effects really sell the weapons. The music is average, though. Overall, while you can beat the single-player in a short time, the chance to explore and unlock new stuff, as well as all the multiplayer will keep you coming back. FPS fans with a Wii, this is the one you’ve waited for.

Conduit 2 is available right now for the Wii for $49.99 from all major retailers, such as this one.