Singularity Review: If Only I Could Rewind Time and Play it Again

In a world where Call of Duty and Halo reign supreme in the first person shooter genre, it's a shame that gems like Singularity will often times be overlooked. While the games previously mentioned certainly deserve praise for revolutionizing the genre and the innovations that made games like Singularity possible, i'm here to tell you that there are other impressive and inspiring experiences to be had. Raven studios, the team responsible for last year's Wolfenstein, have put together a polished, mechanically sound package that represents the best of B-Tier shooters this year.

Singularity (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Developer: Raven Studios
Publisher: Activision
Released: June 29, 2010

First, allow me to explain why I have labeled this game a B-Tier shooter. While the quality of the overall package is hindered by the inclusion of some throw-away multiplayer modes, the single player experience, like the original Bioshock, is strong enough to justify at least one play through. While some of the more popular shooter titles have prided themselves on polish, solid shooting mechanics, and addictive multiplayer upgrade components, Singularity is a game that sets itself apart because of it's original, addicting weapon known as the TMD (Time Manipulation Device). In the end, what I found to be most surprising was simply how solid the shooting was,the atmosphere that was achieved, and how involved I found myself in the story.

It is easy to see a game like Singularity sitting on the shelf at a game store and convince yourself that it is not worth the risk. Games like this rarely get the notoriety that they may deserve and they are often brushed off as cheap imitations of better known quantities. In this particular instance, the game in question will draw many comparisons to games like Bioshock and gimmicky shooter titles like Time Shift and Dark Sector. While those games suffered for their over reliance on lack luster mechanics, Singularity plants the seeds for a really solid foundation that future sequels have the opportunity to build on. Of course, it will be hard to tell if this game will warrant a sequel but I fear that the true potential of the TMD will only be realized if enough people shell out their hard earned cash for the original.

Singularity is the story of a team of American special forces who are sent to investigate Katorga-12, an island that was abandoned by the Russians during the Cold War after an accident that occurred while experimenting on an element known as E99. Upon arriving, the team realizes that the island is stuck shifting back and forth through time between the year 1955 and 2010. After accidentally creating an alternate timeline, you stumble upon a mysterious device known as the TMD which becomes the basis for the remainder of the game. The concept of the TMD is a truly ingenious idea that is realized surprisingly well. The weapon, secured to the protagonist's left arm, allows players to manipulate individual objects in time in various ways. While I ended up feeling as though the true potential of the game was limited by a relatively low budget, the appeal of the weapon is exploited well in combat and a series of fantastic set piece moments left a real impression on me by the time the credits rolled.

Perhaps more surprising to me was the atmosphere that the game maintained throughout. Right from the beginning, it is clear that this is a late generation Unreal Engine title. The game sports the reflective sheen that has become a staple of the engine but sports it well. From the character models, particle effects, to the scripted first person animations, the game looks good; not amazing, but good. The sound design works well with the subtle soundtrack and the eerie world design that sparked my imagination in the same way that the original Bioshock did. From escaping a burning building that is shifting through time to racing to explore a vast cargo ship that is slowly reverting to a time period in which it was resting on the ocean floor, that game certainly makes great use of time manipulation. I was blown away by some of the cool ideas that the team came up with that kept the campaign feeling fresh and exciting from beginning to end. What I feel sets Singularity apart from other games with time manipulation, is the brilliant use of time outside of the TMD. The way in which the environment shifts through time and the way time travel was woven into the story was satisfying in a way that I didn't expect. If for no other reason, I recommend Singularity if you are in search of a solid single player campaign.

In what I consider to be a smart move, Raven adopted the control scheme that was perfected in MW and Halo so fans of FPS's should feel right at home with Singularity. Shooting, iron sights, crouching, and melee attacks are mapped to the control as you would expect while the TMD controls are mapped to the d-pad and the shoulder buttons. This combination works great and ended up creating a fluid, nearly flawless control scheme. While some may dock points for lack of originality, I think this was a brilliant move on the developers part because it allowed them to focus on what really mattered: perfecting the TMD. Whether you want to reconstruct a dismantled bridge, create a "bullet-time bubble", or my personal favorite, fast forwarding enemy soldiers into dust, the TMD adds a lot to the familiar FPS mechanics that you are accustomed to. Shooting feels solid and satisfying as it does in other FPS but the TMD adds a new strategic element to it that makes the combat scenarios a blast.

Of course, the game is not without it's faults. The TMD feels great but I ended up feeling like there was a lot of missed potential. The list of ways to use a weapon like that is potentially endless. The breadth of interactive material in the game was a little lacking as well. I found myself rebuilding the same elements repeatedly throughout and while the visual spectacle sure is fun to watch, variety would have gone a long way in making the game feel more complete.

Unfortunately, the mechanics didn't translate well into multiplayer. In fact, In my personal opinion, the multiplayer modes in Singularity are throw away for the most part. With only two modes to choose from, neither of which give you access to the full range of abilities acquired in the single player, I would find it difficult to recommend even trying it. This is unfortunate because had they been given more development resources, multiplayer could have been amazing.

I was on the fence about Singularity for several days before breaking down and taking the chance. To my pleasant surprise, I found a solid FPS shooter that I ultimately enjoyed for a good 8-9 hours of gaming. The premise is solid and the team behind it has demonstrated some truly creative talent. With a little more funding and support from Activision, Raven could blow the doors off a game like this. While it won't change lives, it is a game that stands out as one of the best (or at least most surprising) gaming experiences of the year so far and that is something that is rarely said about a new IP.

Score: 80 out of 100