Introduction

Today we were able to try out one of the most recent releases from Headsup Games, World Shift. World Shift uses the concept of putting together a Role Playing Game with a Real Time Strategy game, which if done correctly it can lead to hours of enjoyment and bragging rights between friends. Most of us (reviewers) are used to Real-Time Strategy games like War Craft and Star Craft so i am looking forward to taking a look at this game as it has alot of hype.

Game Name: World Shift
Publisher: Got Game Entertainment LLC
Developer: Black Sea Studios
Genre: Sci-fi Real-Time Strategy
Platform: PC

Following was taken from Got Game Entertainment LLC.

World Shift

Description:

WorldShift is a next-gen cyber-fantasy, real-time strategy game for the PC.  Published by Got Game Entertainment LLC in agreement with Playlogic Entertainment, Inc. and developed by Black Sea Studios, WorldShift takes you one thousand years into the future and into a colonized solar system and post-apocalyptic Earth where survivors have splintered into three factions. In co-operative player-versus-environment gameplay similar to MMOGs, daily battles and missions for precious resources as Humans, Tribes, or Alien Cult will require a shift in thinking and a shift in strategy to prevail in this world shift!
 
WorldShift was designed with easy-to-learn real-time strategy and understanding in mind, so that all players would have a fast and enjoyable gameplay experience.  An intuitive social system enables everyone to become part of this massive and diverse world and to hunt items and artifacts together with friends.

WorldShift promises an exciting combination of a bold, immersive world with fierce and hectic action.  It also features a unique gaming system that allows for faster ramp up.

KEY FEATURES

• Quick action with easy to learn RTS
• Modifiable factions
• Emphasis on co-op play (boss raids similar to multiplayer RPG)
• Fast and furious multiplayer
• Fascinating story uncovering ancient secrets
• Thousands of items and powerful relics to collect and build your own tactics
• Random maps for infinite exploration
• Epic, dangerous missions with great rewards

Now that we got basic information about the game out of the way, lets take a look at our experience with World Shift.

History:

I started in campaign mode which I could only stand to play for about forty minutes before I simply could not take anymore of it. You are a small group of soldiers that travel the map engaging in combat with wild beast and foreign creatures which starts off fun but after a while becomes repetitive and leaves you searching for a purpose. It would have been better if you were able to do more than just attack, run away or call in reinforcements.

But to be fair I also tried the Multi player mode which can quickly change the way you feel about as game. Games such as Counter Strike & Star Craft are meant to be played in a multi player setting either via LAN or by web based connection which I believe was also the intent for World Shift, but with such tiny community of players for World Shift it took a lot of effort to even get a match started. I was forced to try to befriend players just to get a match going which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s not what I would strive for when they are better options for match making systems out there.
 
Story:

Story of World Shift in the campaign mode drags you in but only for a short period of time. After a while you loose track of the names and the actual story. You start with an opening scene similar to what a Role Playing Game will give you. After that is complete you start the game. The game reminds me of a mix between the Warcaft series combined with Command & Conquer which sounds absolutely incredible on paper but when put into action it turns out not to be as much fun as either title, even though both games were introduced years before World Shift arrived.

The events take one thousand years after the Earth is hit by a meteor. Survivors colonized the solar system. Half of the human civilization live in the futuristic mega cities while other half live in the tribal places. There is a third race, an alien race which seeks the control of the locations. Your mission is to play as one of these races and do whatever it takes to survive.

Game play:

When I was playing World Shift in the multi player setting, I was constantly searching for buttons or options to try and build buildings but it turned out to be so confusing that I ended up having to hit every button on the keyboard to find the key that would enable me to get something built. Other games of this type utilize a side menu or have things labeled clearly so that anyone can pick up the game and get the basic idea of what to do and how to get it done. The point of games is not to make the controls frustrating to understand I mean I’ve played games that have frustrated me but that was the intent, and the reason I was frustrated wasn’t because I was totally lost as to what to do or what the controls are, but because the game was challenging and took some thought to complete.

Graphics:

It’s hard to describe how this next statement makes sense but if you played the game you would understand what I’m about to say. The game feels like Headsup Games overdid it, yet under accomplished it at the same time. I’ll try to explain that statement a little more clearly. The environment or background of a game usually will not add or subtract much from the gaming experience but with World Shift I feel as though it takes away from the gaming experience. The shear scale of the backgrounds when compared to characters is simply put; way over done. I would describe it as Ants standing next to trees the size of Mount Everest. I can see the concept that Headsup Games was going for with trying to shock and awe the user with extravagant and vast environments but they seemed to have forgotten what the most important part of a games should be and that’s enjoyable game play. I feel like they put so much effort into the environments that the game play was almost a second thought which is always a big no no in the gaming community.

Audio:

The sounds of Wordsmith dialogue is not bad at all. Listening to the dialogue and audio effects was fun. This is one of the highest points in the World Shift. Everything kind of fell in its place and I really didn't noticed any blemishes. I did however notised that the effects on special tactical moves were not as great.

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Conclusion

Overall World Shift seemed very dated when compared to what’s on the market today, lacked a good storyline and was way to confusing for me to give the game anything higher than 5 out of 10. If this game came out when the top dog of computers was a 486 then I would probably like it better. Now I’m not trying to be harsh but I just think that this game might have been pushed through a small bunch of people that just say “Wow that’s the best game I have ever played.” Instead of getting some much need constructive criticism from the very people who will be using the software. I think they might be listening too much to the game designers and not enough to the game users. If they can work out these small issues I think this Developer has a lot of potential to rise above titles like this and go for the big time.

Rating out of 10 Rating Description 7 Graphics I think they over did it. Way too much stuff is going on on the screen. 4.5 Control Confusing and hard to get used to. Lack of the documentation and training on the game control. 6.5 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting Voice acting was very well performed. The cgi sound and music was well directed, however we thought there could be more creativity for the special moves. 5 Play Value It is very hard to get attached to this game. You can pick up m play games but they become boring after a while. And the lack of the players, really makes this game kind of boring. 5 Overall Rating - Ok Fun game to play for and hour or two but don't expect to get addicted to this title.       Click here to see explanation of Rating.