ECKS VS. SEVER (GBA)
As gaming adaptations go, Ecks vs. Sever is a singularly unusual one. The most unanimously poorly-reviewed movie there’s ever been according to Rotten Tomatoes (not necessarily the ‘worst’, but the one with the most negative reviews without a single positive one) was, predictably enough, a commercial flop. Strange, then, that a box office dud that failed to garner even a modest smattering of apologists to fight its corner, would end up inspiring not one, but two well-received first-person shoot ‘em up titles for the Game Boy Advance.
The first of these, developed by Crawfish Interactive, was released nearly a year before the film would eventually premiere. Based on a draft script, it presents a different approach to the amended plot the film (and the game’s own sequel) would ultimately run with. The story is framed as a cat-and-mouse battle between its titular characters. Ecks, a former FBI agent, has been lured back into the field under the proviso of gaining new information on a terrorist attack that killed his family. Sever, raised as a killing machine by the NSA but now a vigilante, wants revenge on her old boss for the death of her family. Set around two distinct but overlapping campaigns, each consisting of 11 missions, there’s a fair bit of creative license at play. This works in the game’s favour, however, as there is a surprisingly varied set of FPS-friendly mission objectives. These include escaping a bomb’s blast radius within a time limit, evading a SWAT team, and tracking down a sequence of data disks. Though many of the levels appear in both of the campaigns, there are usually subtle differences in how they are approached.
Ecks vs. Sever packs plenty of action into its 22 campaign levels
Despite the GBA’s modest 3D capabilities, Crawfish crafted an impressive Doom-alike. It runs at a relatively consistent rate of knots, and factoring the system’s lack of buttons, controls and movement work surprisingly well. Using the D-pad to move and turn alongside the shoulder buttons to strafe, combat proves surprisingly impactful. Its cramped interiors and militant overtones share a cadence with Wolfenstein 3D, or a more streamlined, straightforward Rainbow Six. Basic pistol aside, the weapons pack some clout, with the Jackhammer shotgun and grenades especially fun to use.
Its bombastic, detailed mission briefings ramp up the sense of anticipation in fine style. Delivered as a retrospective courtroom analysis, these evoke comparisons with the Syphon Filter series, as does its occasional dabbling in spy-sprinkled electronic and techno music, committing fully to the nineties action-flick chic. At its heart though, Ecks vs. Sever is a corridor FPS. With the GBA sporting no analogue sticks and just two face buttons, Crawfish wisely chose to forego vertical-look controls. Therefore, Ecks vs. Sever plays more like Doom than Duke Nukem 3D or Quake. This isn’t a bad thing, though, as it promotes a sprightly pace and doesn’t feel overly fiddly. Indeed, the only aspect of mapping that leaves something to be desired is the need to hold both shoulder buttons together to crouch. It’s possible to retain this posture and strafe whilst taking cover, but it’s awkward.
Its bombastic, detailed mission briefings ramp up the sense of anticipation in fine style. Delivered as a retrospective courtroom analysis, these evoke comparisons with the Syphon Filter series, as does its occasional dabbling in spy-sprinkled electronic and techno music, committing fully to the nineties action-flick chic. At its heart though, Ecks vs. Sever is a corridor FPS. With the GBA sporting no analogue sticks and just two face buttons, Crawfish wisely chose to forego vertical-look controls. Therefore, Ecks vs. Sever plays more like Doom than Duke Nukem 3D or Quake. This isn’t a bad thing, though, as it promotes a sprightly pace and doesn’t feel overly fiddly. Indeed, the only aspect of mapping that leaves something to be desired is the need to hold both shoulder buttons together to crouch. It’s possible to retain this posture and strafe whilst taking cover, but it’s awkward.
Environments harbour climbable boxes, as well as windows, shutters and vent systems that the player can crawl under and through. These grant the environments a little extra depth, with the player rewarded for seeking out seemingly inaccessible spots in the form of ammo and health. Although the number of enemy sprites had to be limited to ensure the gameplay runs at a healthy rate, levels feel sufficiently busy. Some concessions had to be made on the visual side, with single-tone ceilings, ultra basic-looking sprites and limited lighting effects, but the fact it runs so well should be considered a triumph.
Ecks vs. Sever’s level design is a mix of highs and lows, though there’s more good than bad. The bar shootout is wild, seeing a SWAT team tailing the player and requiring that you urgently locate a backroom to acquire much-needed weaponry, and then encouraging use of the counter itself for cover. Later on, there’s an elaborate level set in a hotel with multiple floors and secret areas. To complicate matters, there’s no lighting, something that can be mitigated thanks to some nifty thermal goggles, before eventually locating a switch to reboot the lights. Players will occasionally encounter scoped rifles, which can line up headshots and take out foes from within vents.
Ecks vs. Sever’s level design is a mix of highs and lows, though there’s more good than bad. The bar shootout is wild, seeing a SWAT team tailing the player and requiring that you urgently locate a backroom to acquire much-needed weaponry, and then encouraging use of the counter itself for cover. Later on, there’s an elaborate level set in a hotel with multiple floors and secret areas. To complicate matters, there’s no lighting, something that can be mitigated thanks to some nifty thermal goggles, before eventually locating a switch to reboot the lights. Players will occasionally encounter scoped rifles, which can line up headshots and take out foes from within vents.
There's a decent range of weapons, with the shotgun and grenades proving two of the most potent
Unfortunately, what prevents the game from scoring higher is its so-called ‘boss’ stages, which see Ecks and Sever pitted against one another. At best, these are fiddly, and at worst, they’re a massive pain. Ecks is tasked with hunting down Sever, so in his campaign, you’ll encounter the odd mission where he must periodically land a few hits on his target to move them onto the next area. These sequences can be tricky, given how much damage your opponent is capable of inflicting, alongside a level’s worth of enemies in addition. These, at least, are doable with a bit of practice. Sever, however, must complete stretches with a seemingly indestructible Ecks on her tail. The player is forced to rush, challenged to shoot or dodge large numbers of awaiting police, while being shot in the back. It would be an understatement to say these sections don’t play to the game’s strengths. A dodgy idea that's badly realised.
A neat password system means recording progress across the two campaigns is simple enough, and the game supports four-player deathmatch, one of the earliest instances of this kind of multiplayer on a portable system. This offers greater scope for return plays than the campaign. A work of surprising technical innovation given the muted fanfare the troubled film would eventually receive, Ecks vs. Sever couldn’t compete with the better console or PC efforts of the six or seven years that preceded it, but it marked a commendable effort. In terms of enjoyment, it lands a close second in the system’s early FPS pecking order, just behind the port of Doom.
A neat password system means recording progress across the two campaigns is simple enough, and the game supports four-player deathmatch, one of the earliest instances of this kind of multiplayer on a portable system. This offers greater scope for return plays than the campaign. A work of surprising technical innovation given the muted fanfare the troubled film would eventually receive, Ecks vs. Sever couldn’t compete with the better console or PC efforts of the six or seven years that preceded it, but it marked a commendable effort. In terms of enjoyment, it lands a close second in the system’s early FPS pecking order, just behind the port of Doom.
OTHER CORRIDOR FPS GAMES REVIEWED