Killswitch - Game Boy Advance

Arrived a day earlier than predicted, in excellent shape. Thanks Rock 30 Games and Amazon.

Namco's Killswitch is probably one of the most technically impressive titles you'll ever play for the GBA, and one of the most frustrating. You play as a lone soldier behind enemy lines as you take out armys of thugs and terrorists via an array of guns and grenades. However, Killswitch isn't necessarily a run and gun type of game, because if you take that approach to the game, you'll be dead real quick. Instead, stealth is the name of the game as you must crouch, crawl, and use the area to your advantage to gain the upper hand. The third person perspective that the game runs on works well, using the shoulder buttons to pivet the camera and help aim your weapons when shielding yourself. Because Killswitch is presented in a third person perspective and this is the GBA, the graphics appear quite blocky, like a Super NES game using the FX chip, but that's not such a drawback. What is a drawback is the game's frustrating gameplay. When you die, instead of re-spawning where you died or a spot relatively close to where you died, you are re-spawned back at the beginning of the level. This can get especially frustrating during boss battles. Not to mention that as a whole the game is quite short. While this hurts the overall aspect of Killswitch, the game still has a lot going for it; including some great sound effects and a surprisingly great use of the GBA's control scheme. It's worth a look for action fans still holding on to their GBA, but Killswitch is one of those games to try before you buy.

Good

This is a fantastic little game! For those who like games such as Metal Gear Solid, this game will seem somewhat familiar. The 3D third person perspective is the best I've seen in a GBA title. Like any GBA title, 3D is bit blocky but that doesn't hinder the game in any way. It's a game like this that makes me wonder why Rogue Spear wasn't done in 3D for GBA. The player controls are excellent for a game of its kind! You can strafe, crouch, dive and put your back up against the wall and peak around corners and over object while shooting under cover. The only draw back that I've seen to this title is that some of the timed missions can be a bit daunting if not downright difficult, with all the objectives given to you! Otherwise, I really enjoy this game!