http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/05/26/the-conduit-brings-first-class-fps-action-to-the-wii/
‘The Conduit’ Brings First-Class FPS Action To The Nintendo Wii
I don’t know what was more surreal about a demo I did last week of High Voltage Software’s “The Conduit”: being given gameplay pointers by actor Mark Sheppard (known most recently for his work on “Dollhouse” and “Battlestar Galactica”) or the novelty of actually playing a top-tier Wii-exclusive first-person shooter. You see, “The Conduit” isn’t just the closest anyone has come to delivering a solid FPS experience on Nintendo’s Wii. It simply is one.
At least, that’s the impression I walked away with after spending slightly more than an hour playing through the game from its start. Following a brief, “Metroid”-style intro in which you learn to play the game with the help of some of its most powerful tools, a flashback kicks in and you’re back to being a regular old human being with a regular old pea-shooter of a handgun. Of course, this human being is Secret Service agent Michael First (voiced by Sheppard) and he’s about to go on a little bit of an adventure.
As this was my first demo of “The Conduit,” I focused most of my attention on the controls and how adaptable they are to player tastes. At base, the gameplay is FPS-standard: you move from room to room and take out enemies. There’s an All-Seeing Eye device (ASE) which, once found, can be used to find hidden messages, door switches and enemies. This is just a minor twist on familiar gameplay however; in “The Conduit,” the wheel remains the wheel.
Impressively, “The Conduit” does manage to reinvent by offering players an unprecedented level of control over how the game plays and looks. In addition to five difficult settings and adjustable pointer sensitivity, the size of the Wii remote’s dead zone can be set along individual X and Y axes. This changes how far off from the center of the screen the crosshairs can go before your character’s head starts to move. The entire HUD can also be rearranged from the Options menu by clicking and dragging the different readout boxes (i.e. health, ammo, mission objectives, ASE status, etc.) around the screen.
The visuals also push the boundaries of what we’ve come to accept as normal for a Wii game. “The Conduit” won’t stand toe-to-toe with “Call of Duty 4” of course, but there’s a lot to like about what High Voltage has accomplished here. The Wii proves to be perfectly capable of handling the game’s extensive use of reflective surfaces, depth of field, water effects and other visual tricks that are typically associated with more powerful hardware.
The only complaint I really walked away from the demo with is that the checkpoint saves feel as though they’re spaced a bit too far apart. Of course, it should be noted that I elected to play on the game’s “Elevated” difficulty setting, one higher than the default “Guarded.” The higher difficulty didn’t result in more effective enemy tactics, though it did make the opposition noticeably more aggressive, not to mention more effective with their weapons. At the default difficulty, the distance between checkpoints probably feels just right.
That pretty much sums up my first hands-on attempt with “The Conduit.” Publisher Sega is looking to June 23 as the release date, so the wait won’t be much longer. In addition to the single player campaign’s nine missions, the game will also feature a full-blown multiplayer component. I didn’t get to try it, though you can expect to see 10+ modes, a full range of weapons and Wii Speak compatibility for up to 12 players.
The insanely adaptable controls may blaze trails for future FPS titles, but “The Conduit” is worth attending to simply because there is no other game quite like it on Nintendo’s console. There are some that come close, but High Voltage’s presentation felt instantly familiar and comfortable to this hard-bitten shooter fan. “The Conduit” may not be a game-changer in the traditional sense, but it complements the few, highly effective tricks up its sleeve by filling a long-ignored niche in the Wii catalog.
We’re ecstatic that The Conduit is about to march some proper alien-shooting onto the Wii, and as a little pre-release teaser, we’ve got a pile of exclusive screenshots depicting some of the game’s Washington DC locales. Our favorites are below, but you can always jump over to our screenshot viewer to see them all.
The White House
The United States’ most officious house is also the most popular site for alien/terrorist attacks. As usual, the invaders from another world seem to have gone off their tour path.
The Washington Monument
This famous obelisk is already pretty surreal, so it’s unsurprisingly featured in a quite a few games (Fallout 3 is the first that comes to mind). Here it is in a bit of disrepair – though when you’re actually playing, we doubt you’ll have much time to enjoy the cityscape, considering all the death-devices aimed at you.
The Library of Congress
The largest library in the world is no place for a gunfight, but try telling that to the Drudge, our future extraterrestrial overlords.
bugsonglass said:i may still get this. i'd be a lot happier buying it though if i knew a few more vgpressers were getting it so we could at least try online and all
Well I decided that I'm getting it Bugs. I want to try another shooter with the wii controls and I haven't heard of another on the horizon... Plus I read good things about multiplayer especially. So if you get it, I will be open for matches for sure.
IGN-review is in
Closing Comments
It's not revolutionary, but the Conduit is a great first-person shooter designed just for Wii owners. While the game does not turn the genre upside-down, it is innovative in certain areas -- for example, it features the most customizable, precise and enjoyable controls of any console shooter created, hands down. Meanwhile, the technology powering the experience is leaps and bounds ahead of most third- party offerings for Nintendo's system. Combined, you've got a game that controls flawlessly and looks great. If you're okay with a few presentational cliches -- a story involving aliens that seems played out -- and a shooting experience that rarely strays from straightforward running and gunning, you're probably going to love the end product. If, on the other hand, you own another system, nothing The Conduit offers, fantastic controls aside, will seem extraordinary. Supposing you are a single console owner, though, High Voltage's shooter not only delivers a fun single-player quest, but an engaging online mode that will keep you fragging complete with WiiSpeak support for months to come.
8.6
gamingeek said:IGN-review is in
Closing Comments
It's not revolutionary, but the Conduit is a great first-person shooter designed just for Wii owners. While the game does not turn the genre upside-down, it is innovative in certain areas -- for example, it features the most customizable, precise and enjoyable controls of any console shooter created, hands down. Meanwhile, the technology powering the experience is leaps and bounds ahead of most third- party offerings for Nintendo's system. Combined, you've got a game that controls flawlessly and looks great. If you're okay with a few presentational cliches -- a story involving aliens that seems played out -- and a shooting experience that rarely strays from straightforward running and gunning, you're probably going to love the end product. If, on the other hand, you own another system, nothing The Conduit offers, fantastic controls aside, will seem extraordinary. Supposing you are a single console owner, though, High Voltage's shooter not only delivers a fun single-player quest, but an engaging online mode that will keep you fragging complete with WiiSpeak support for months to come.8.6
Nice!
the conduit am get
___
Listen to Wu-Tang and watch Kung-Fu
It sounds pretty good. The best shooter on the system was World at War IMO and IGN gave it like an 8.0 or 8.3.
This sounds pretty good and the perfect dark references sell it. I'm sort of tempted but I want a couple of other games first, Fallout 3 and Bash Party. Anno too.
gamingeek said:It sounds pretty good. The best shooter on the system was World at War IMO and IGN gave it like an 8.0 or 8.3.
This sounds pretty good and the perfect dark references sell it. I'm sort of tempted but I want a couple of other games first, Fallout 3 and Bash Party. Anno too.
yeah, i understand. and i think by the time you do those it will probably be down to a friendly £18-£20 price tag. did you ever finish broken sword?
___
Listen to Wu-Tang and watch Kung-Fu
bugsonglass said:gamingeek said:It sounds pretty good. The best shooter on the system was World at War IMO and IGN gave it like an 8.0 or 8.3.
This sounds pretty good and the perfect dark references sell it. I'm sort of tempted but I want a couple of other games first, Fallout 3 and Bash Party. Anno too.
yeah, i understand. and i think by the time you do those it will probably be down to a friendly £18-£20 price tag. did you ever finish broken sword?
I actually tend to play games while I exercise so playing a point and click game while moving about is difficult at best. I always think I will play it over the weekend but the HDTV stops me, playing an old 2-D game on a badly scaled HDTV makes things look very bad. And Broken sword deserves more than that.
What sets High Voltage Software apart is that it took the Nintendo Wii seriously as a platform, and the team tightened the controls until they screamed. Then it opened them up so you can have it your way. The multiplayer mode is also something to be proud of, and the single-player game is not a bad way to spend an afternoon or two. The haters will continue to hate because it doesn't look as good as 360 or PS3 games, and some will continue to turn up their noses at the idea of the motion controls, but the fact is that The Conduit brought an actual, honest-to-goodness, high-class first-person shooter title to a system that badly needed it. The people dumping on it are taking out their frustrations on the system, not the game. Don't let them scare you away from a good time... not to mention the vocal stylings of one Kevin Sorbo.
It can be campy, and the violence can be more brutal than the Teen rating may let on (due to the controls) but this is good stuff. If you a see a plot twist or two coming, there are worse things in life.
Verdict: Buy
Nintenstar review
http://www.nintendostar.com/?p=1761
Long story short, The Conduit is an amazing game well worth the $49.99, and if you did not pick this game up on launch day, you need to slap yourself, get in your car, and go pick up a copy now, because it is one of the most enjoyable FPS experiences on the market.
+ Enjoyable storyline.
+ Incredible gameplay.
+ Great presentation.
+ Fun online components.
+ Fully customizable controls.
- Lacking style.
- Campaign is a little short.
5 stars
1up CONDUIT REVIEW:
Online may come off a little crude by modern standards, but its raw, run-and-shoot action taps a nostalgic sense from back in the early days of playing PC shooters online. In the heat of this action, The Conduit comes closest to realizing its aspirations to become the first epic shooter for the Wii. By comparison, the best moments in single-player only highlight the missed potential for The Conduit to be more than the rather ordinary game it turned out to be.
C+
Gamespot Conduit review
Technically, The Conduit is one of the finest looking games available for the Wii. Highly detailed enemies swarm the screen, tossing grenades and peppering you with fancy weaponry, and the game is able to run smoothly despite the chaos. Guns create a brief burst of light on walls as the bullets streak by and explosions illuminate the screen, leaving death in their wake. As fine as The Conduit performs technically, the lousy art makes it an eyesore at times. The levels blend together because they all have the same drab color scheme and no memorable landmarks. The enemies could have been ripped from any number of science fiction stories and are based on an unimaginative insect design that would be impossible to pick out of a lineup. It's a shame the art direction couldn't have matched the impressive technology because what could have been a visual showcase for the system is now just a model for wasted potential.
Wasted potential is the main theme for The Conduit because its technical prowess is overshadowed by misguided design decisions pasted onto a generic science fiction universe.
6.5
Most impressively, The Conduit executes a level of graphical sizzle that rivals anything else on the Wii. It's not in high-definition, but you won't mind. The textures, animations and designs all look stellar.
It also fulfills the promise of the Wii's gestural revolution.
There's a bit of cognitive dissonance playing something so serious-minded on the Wii. The preconceptions about the Wii, its hardware capabilities and its audience may prove to be The Conduit's toughest opponent. As a FPS, it's not a world-beater. It's respectable, fun and cleverly customizable. High Voltage's fine efforts show that all it takes is polish and dedication to craft a solid adventure experience for Nintendo's console.
VERDICT: TRY IT
Gamespy review
3.5 stars out of 5
Gametrailers review
7.8
"Kim warns that this similarity is not necessarily a good thing. "I consider the similarity to Goldeneye as both a positive and a negative," he explains. "Sure, it's great to finally have a shooter that spiritually follows in the footsteps of a great game you played in the past, but damn, the N64 was two generations ago -- what does it say about the Wii that The Conduit doesn't blow Goldeneye's graphics out of the water the way Halo 3 outshines the original Halo or Killzone 2 completely destroys the original Killzone?"
GamePro's Tae Kim
Gamesradar Conduit review is quite funny to read.
If you’re reading this than we’ll assume you’re a seasoned gamer who knows his or her shit. As such, you’d be completely within your right to say that most third party Wii developers have all but abandoned fulfilling the needs of traditional gamers, and left the console an exclusive dumping grounds of dog-and-pony fashion shows, talking candy, and Majesco.
But remember: The Wii had always promised a different experience, one free of complicated button interfaces and the latest processers, so as to melt our faces off with something we’ve never seen before. Like it or not Johnny Hardcore, Nintendo has - to some extent - delivered on that promise. However, there was an indirect assurance made towards a specific genre that has gone woefully unfulfilled.
Not only had the Wii Remote and Nunchuk seemed poised to revitalize the console First-Person Shooter, some of us thought this was our chance to finally tell the PC mouse-and-keyboarders to STFU… Yet here we stand nearly three years later with nothing but a single FPS worth recommending and that genre seemingly having thrown in the towel. Then, there was Conduit.
“It’s pretty good… for a Wii game.” That’s a qualifier we’re sick of hearing, yet one that’s nearly impossible to escape when talking traditional Wii offerings. Luckily, it’s one we don’t really need to apply to here, since Sega and High Voltage appear to have nominated themselves as the Wii’s hardcore torchbearers. It feels great to say it: The Conduit is fun, controls well, and is, at times, quite beautiful… yes, for a Wii game.
Oh, in case you’re not familiar with how to control an FPS with a Wii Remote, it’s all about "The Dead Zone."
Above: How The Conduit works
8/10
Final Words:
The Conduit may not be the next Halo, but it is a solid shooter with a great visual and audio design and has the best controls of any Wii FPS thus far. Full customization of options means that everyone will be able to tweak to the game to feel just right to them. The story is generic but offers a couple of surprises and manages to be engaging throughout the entire campaign, which is unfortunately rather short. Adding to entertainment value is the unbelievably strong mulitplayer aspect which almost always runs fluidly and offers tons of modes and an addictive experience system which is simple, but will keep your attention for a good long while.
Pros
- Amazing controls are fully customizable and can be tweaked to your liking
- The graphics are outstanding
- Professional voice acting
- The best online component of any Wii game so far
Cons
- Simple linear level progression
- Only a handful of enemies
- Generic story line with a horribly abrupt ending
Score: 8.25/10 (Great)
Gameplay: 8.0/10 (Linear level progression, but it’s fun as hell thanks to the Wii controls)
Graphics: 9.0/10 (Amazing by Wii standards, sets the bar for future projects)
Audio: 8.0/10 (Sound effects and music work well, professional voice over)
Entertainment Value: 8.0/10 (Strong mulitplayer component, short campaign with a terrible ending)
So to sum up after all that.
Great graphics, great controls. Generic art and story. Short, linear single player.
Excellent online mode that you can play for months. Feels like Perfect Dark.
Ratings, the lowest I've seen is the gamespot 6.5 and the highest I've seen is the IGN 8.6 or the 5 stars from Nintenstar.
The most commonly occuring score is around the 8 mark either slightly lower or slightly higher.
Doesn't rival shooters on other systems, but is good for the system its on.
So the only problem I have is that I am a single player gamer mainly, but if a few people I know get this then I might try it for the multiplayer.
Oh and dont forget:
Nintendo Power review
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm43/PDTempest/scan0001.jpg
8/10
gamingeek said:So to sum up after all that.
Great graphics, great controls. Generic art and story. Short, linear single player.
Excellent online mode that you can play for months. Feels like Perfect Dark.
Ratings, the lowest I've seen is the gamespot 6.5 and the highest I've seen is the IGN 8.6 or the 5 stars from Nintenstar.
The most commonly occuring score is around the 8 mark either slightly lower or slightly higher.
Doesn't rival shooters on other systems, but is good for the system its on.
So the only problem I have is that I am a single player gamer mainly, but if a few people I know get this then I might try it for the multiplayer.
who's getting it so far, or at least who's considering it? you're on "maybe". i'm on "probably". monkey is also on "probably" i think. who else? aspro is also at least considering it. i think if about half a dozen of us from here get it, it would likely be fun on online multiplayer
___
Listen to Wu-Tang and watch Kung-Fu
If people are sttill around online after a month of two I might pick it up.
Is there a ranking system, or anything to keep you playing?
angrymonkey said:I picked it up already. It's good so far, reviews I think are accurate. Single player good but nothing amazing. Great controls.Graphics are serviceable. But I'm not a big fps person though so my expectations are probably lower than people that play these all the time. I dislike a couple of areas where there is continuous spawning from conduits until you can blow them up, I had to turn the difficulty to easy to get through one area. Man I suck at fps. It was kind of weird though, in that one level I thought the difficulty was too easy, just right and then too hard. I've never adjusted difficulty settings so much before and I've never had to play on easy before...Multiplayer, first time I tried to get in a game my console froze. But the three times since then has been fine, no lag. Lots of people around to get in games.GG you might want to rent first if you're really not into multiplayer.Yeah I think if a few of us got together it would be a lot of fun. The bounty hunter is a cool mode, weapons are pretty standard( I like the flash grenades). I haven't played on all the maps yet but I always wish there were more in fps.
I hate spawning. I learned to deal with it in Call of Duty, they had these invisible points where you ran to and the spawning tailed off.
At least in Conduit you can see the spawn gates and destroy them to stop the BS.
I've never played a FPS multiplayer with voice chat, I used to love split screen Goldeneye so maybe playing with people you know with VC will make things more enjoyable?
Does it feel like Perfect Dark?
Dvader said:Got the Blockbuster gamepass and guess what, no Conduit. I hope it shows up next week but probably not.
I thought Blockbuster were going out of business? Do you not use the blockbuster website for rentals? I used to before switching to another company and they were very good.
I just rented that Korean western film with the badass trailer. Film wasn't a quarter as good 
gamingeek said:I thought Blockbuster were going out of business? Do you not use the blockbuster website for rentals? I used to before switching to another company and they were very good.
Blockbuster is not real healthy these days, but they're not quite at the point of going out of business. A few years ago though they did close like 20% of their stores. But unless they come up with something radically different they will be out of business in 10 years. Netflix has been eating into their profits for years now, and their own online distribution model never took off the way they expected it to (i.e. just like Netflix).
And in this country (not sure about internationally) the new big thing that's popping up is DVD kiosks. These things are showing up in malls and grocery stores all across the country where people rent movies for a dollar a day. I just read an article a few days ago about how the company that's doing this has been madly successful and they're now starting to effect Netflix and Blockbuster because of it.
So between Netflix, kiosks, and digital download Blockbuster is living on borrowed time.
If it was a little more generic then it would be getting 9s and 10s.