The future's bright
Chrome is a little-known but pretty solid science fiction shooter that plays out a little like HALO and which is perfect for any fans of Duke Nukem and Wolfenstein. It's got some nicely slick visuals with a surprisingly decent storyline and although the multiplayer aspect is now dead, the single-player portion is enough to keep you going for a while. You play the part of Bolt Logan, a tough future merc whose life finds him caught up in some gloriously gritty and dangerous situations. After being betrayed, he has now built his business up again and finds himself caught up in a virtual gold rush as corporations and individuals alike will do whatever they can to find a rare substance known as Chrome. The game itself is a first-person shooter that is split into self-contained missions, with the story unfolding between them. Like Deus Ex, levels are large and open and can be completed how you want, using a mix of stealth and action, while you've also got a range of weapons and even vehicles to try out. Chrome is actually a highly enjoyable little romp even if it does suffer from some major faults. On the plus side, the visuals are lush with some spectacular environments that are packed with detail and which are just lovely to behold. The action too is fast and furious while the open-ended nature is a big draw. There are some problems with the enemy AI while the physics system is wonky to say the least and the vocieovers terrible. However, despite these elements Chrome proves to be a cool blast from the past which is worth a look.
