The Pixel Empire
  • Home
    • Back Issues
    • 2018 - July - September
    • 2018 - April - June
    • 2018 - January - March
  • Pixel Review Archive
  • Features Index
    • Pixel Q&A >
      • Pixel Q&A - Wayne Imlach, Lead Designer, Wip3out
      • Pixel Q&A - Jeff Ross, Lead Designer, Syphon Filter 3
    • Landmark Levels >
      • Landmark Levels: Gran Turismo - Grand Valley Speedway
      • Landmark Levels: Metal Gear Solid - Psycho Mantis Boss Battle
    • Pixel Hi-Score Duel >
      • Pixel Hi-Score Duel #6 - Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (PS)
      • Pixel Hi-Score Duel #5 - Super Castlevania IV (SNES)
    • Pixel Timeout >
      • Telltale Games: A Retrospective
      • Pixel Report: PLAY Expo Manchester (2015)
    • Pixel Memories >
      • Pixel Memories: Life Is Strange
      • Pixel Memories: PlayStation 3 - Generation In View
    • Pixel Preview >
      • Pixel Preview: The Chaos Engine (PC)
      • Pixel Preview: Black Mesa (PC)
  • Sony
    • PS4 Reviews >
      • Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles (PS4) review
      • Shiny (PS4) review
      • Spider-Man (PS4) review
      • Grip: Combat Racing (PS4) review
      • Beach Buggy Racing (PS4) review retrospective
    • PS3 Reviews >
      • Ridge Racer Unbounded (PS3) review
      • Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3) review
      • Saw (PS3) review
    • PS2 Reviews >
      • Jet Li: Rise To Honour (PS2) review retrospective
      • Soldier Of Fortune: Gold Edition (PS2) review
      • The Thing (PS2) review
    • PS Reviews >
      • Discworld Noir (PS) review
      • Discworld (PS) review retrospective
      • Grandia (PS) review retrospective
    • VITA Reviews >
      • Assassin's Creed Chronicles (VITA) review
      • Kick & Fennick (VITA) review
      • Proteus (VITA) review retrospective
    • PSP Reviews >
      • MotorStorm: Arctic Edge (PSP) review
      • LocoRoco (PSP) review
      • Resistance: Retribution (PSP) review
    • minis Reviews >
      • minis Round-Up #1 - Age Of Zombies, Aero Racer, Echoes
      • Speedball 2: Evolution (minis) review
  • SEGA
    • Dreamcast Reviews >
      • Spirit Of Speed 1937 (DC) review
      • Star Wars Episode I: Racer (DC) review retrospective
      • Shenmue (DC) review
    • Mega Drive Reviews >
      • Empire Of Steel (SMD) review
      • Bare Knuckle III (SMD) review
      • Streets Of Rage (SMD) review
    • Master System Reviews >
      • Castle Of Illusion (SMS) review
      • The Excellent Dizzy Collection (SMS) review (i) >
        • The Excellent Dizzy Collection (SMS) review (ii)
      • Prince Of Persia (SMS) review
    • Mega-CD Reviews >
      • Final Fight CD (SCD) review
      • Hook (SCD) review
      • Snatcher (SCD) review
    • 32X Reviews >
      • Blackthorne (32X) review
  • Nintendo
    • Wii U Reviews >
      • Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (WIIU) review
      • Star Fox Zero (WIIU) review
      • Flight of Light (WIIU) review
      • Pokken Tournament (WIIU) review
    • Wii Reviews >
      • Mario Kart Wii (WII) review
      • Thrillville: Off The Rails (WII) review
      • Just Dance 3 (WII) review
    • GameCube Reviews >
      • Resident Evil (GC) review
      • Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GC) review
      • Luigi's Mansion (GC) review
    • SNES Reviews >
      • Batman Returns (SNES) review
      • U.N. Squadron (SNES) review
      • Pushover (SNES) review
    • NES Reviews >
      • Metal Gear (NES) review
      • Ski Or Die (NES) review
      • Fantastic Dizzy (NES) review
    • DS reviews >
      • Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (DS) review
      • Cate West: The Vanishing Files (DS) review
      • Frozen: Olaf's Quest (DS) review
    • GBA Reviews >
      • Top Gear Rally (GBA) review
    • Game Boy Reviews >
      • Metroid II: Return Of Samus (GB) review
      • Tetris (GB) review
      • Super Mario Land (GB) review
  • Microsoft
    • Xbox One Reviews >
      • Shadow Of The Tomb Raider (XONE) review
      • Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 (XONE) review
      • Middle-earth: Shadow Of War (XONE) review
      • Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (XONE) review
    • Xbox 360 Reviews >
      • Gears Of War 3 (X360) review
      • Homefront (X360) review
    • Xbox Reviews >
      • Dead Or Alive 3 (XBOX) review
      • Conker: Live & Reloaded (XBOX) review
  • PC
    • Football Tactics (PC) review
    • The Witcher (PC) review
    • Black Mesa (PC) review
    • Half-Life 2 (PC) review
  • Other
    • Amiga Reviews >
      • Brutal Sports Football (AMI) review
      • Navy Seals (AMI) review
    • Commodore 64 Reviews >
      • Batman: The Caped Crusader (C64) review
    • Amstrad CPC Reviews >
      • Cyber Chicken (CPC) review
      • Roland On The Ropes (CPC) review
    • Amstrad GX4000 Reviews >
      • Wild Streets (GX4K) review
      • Fire & Forget 2 (GX4K) review
    • Atari 2600 Reviews >
      • Defender (AT26) review
    • Spectrum Reviews >
      • Alien Destroyer (SPC) review
      • Batman (SPC) review
    • TurboGrafx-16 Reviews >
      • R-Type (TG16) review
      • Fighting Street (TG16) review
    • 3DO Reviews >
      • Real Pinball (3DO) review
  • Pixel Vault
    • About
    • Updates
    • The Pixel Gallery
    • Contributors
    • Contact
    • Like Films?
search The Pixel Empire

Picture

SPEC OPS FREE MISSION 1 (PS3)

Publisher: Capcom.
Developer: Slant Six Games.
Released: April 2012. Genre: Third-person shoot 'em up.
Other versions: X360; PC.

Posted 27th November 2014.
By Tom Clare © 2014

Clearly a hook for getting fans to splash out on the six remaining, ridiculously expensive Spec Ops missions (which tot up to £16), Slant Six’s free opening level pack, which essentially acts as the beginning of Operation Raccoon City’s ‘B’ scenario, is nevertheless a worthwhile diversion.

It’s a simple deal; you get one campaign mission, free of charge. This hefty level is (rather embarrassingly) better than any to appear in the main game proper, and an infinitely more fitting way to begin a story than the lifeless drudge you’re subjected to in the Umbrella campaign. Here you get to choose from a bunch of new characters and battle through the streets in a setting that feels considerably closer to the spirit of the series’ formative years. A lengthy but action-packed escapade, Eye of the Storm sees the player blasting a balanced mix of zombies, dogs and mercenaries, before your team becomes unwittingly embroiled in Jill Valentine’s attempts to evade the vicious Nemesis creature. A breathless run through the streets is capped by a really enjoyable, tough boss fight at a petrol station as the player attempts to manoeuvre the killing machine within range of explosive barrels, whilst avoiding the attentions of his gatling gun. It’s a far better engineered section than the fight with Nemesis in the main story, and again, better than any boss fight the main story had to offer.

There’s a sprinkling of everything, and whilst it doesn’t quite make up for ORC’s humdrum game mechanics and lack of sparkle, it does go to show how good design can result in a better gaming experience. Fans disappointed with the main adventure would do well to cushion the blow with this mission pack. [6]
Picture
Picture

Picture
Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City (2012)
Vid by Mike Bettencourt

search The Pixel Empire
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.