The term "Interactive Movie" continues to be thrown around like it can refer to any computer game with digitized video and a story. Needless to say, a lot of these products are running pretty darn low on interactivity. But Origin Systems has a much better definition of the industry cliche, and they've already shown the world what a difference that can make with their recent smash hit, Wing Commander III.
Bioforge is also billed by Origin as an Interactive Movie, though the visual and structural design is completely different. Wing III is, at its roots, an arcade style shooter with the combat sequences connected by a thread of excellent video segments that look like they could have come straight from the next Star Trek film. Bioforge, on the other hand, is probably the only "IM" to contain no digitized video at all. It takes its "movie" status from quickly shifting camera angles, a dynamic soundtrack and a storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat, not to mention all the action that you can handle.
At the game's beginning, you are brought to a mysterious planet as an unconscious prisoner, and wake to find that your body has been cybernetically altered. You have no memory of your previous life, except for the vague recollection of a menacing bald surgeon and an earthquake. From the very beginning, you're going to have to fight to survive, starting with a security robot floating in your cell which is determined to keep you lying down even if it has to repeatedly drug you to do it.
After escaping from your cell, you are going to have to do some pretty quick deduction, because in addition to the high level of action, this is also a game that calls for a lot of mental involvement. How do you open security doors without authorization? How do you take out a battle droid that can shoot powerful missiles without a gun? How is it that you remember nothing, but can still play the flute like a professional?
You'll get most of your clues from written information: medical logs and journals. There are quite a few electronic notebooks filled with everything from meticulous notes on scientific experiments to the ravings of a mind slowly losing its grip. You might balk at the amount of text, especially in an action oriented game like this one, but rest assured, this is not boring reading. These pieces are very effective mood-setters, and are often utterly terrifying.
In keeping with the "cinematic" nature of the game, you will also receive information from dialog with other characters. In one particularly archetypal moment, you confront the scientist/surgeon who is your "creator", only to find that he is not just willing to talk, but eager to tell you all about his plan, just like the bad guy always does in the movies.
The striking character motions were created by the Origin design team using a piece of hardware called "A Flock of Birds" which digitally records the motions of a person hooked to magnetic sensors. This device was used in conjunction with the proprietary System for Animating Lifelike Synthetic Actors, or SALSA. This is a unique system, and it is responsible for some strikingly lifelike effects. For example, the main character never really stands still, even when not receiving instructions from the player. He is always looking around and shifting his weight. Unfortunately, the effect is not quite perfect. The characters do not mesh flawlessly with their backgrounds, with the effect being very similar to that of the Alone in the Dark games.
This comparison is also apt for the technique if shifting camera angles that both games employ. They also both suffer from the same occasional problem, in that it is all too easy to get your character caught in a "corner" between two angles, while another character is causing serious damage. You can't fight back because you can't see where to angle yourself.
These are certainly not crippling difficulties, however. The visual design of Bioforge is quite unique, and is certainly among the best-looking products this year.
The combat system is a tad unusual, but easy to accustom yourself to. All the moves are accomplished by a combination of the number keypad and the Control and Alt keys. This rather odd interface was necessary to accommodate the large number of moves. While the enemies you fight each have sixteen distinctive battle moves, you have twenty-four. The only problem I encountered with the system was that the moves were sometimes a bit slow. In my haste to cause damage, I would press the key again, only to have the move executed twice. Perhaps for the sequel, some work can be done on the combat move buffer.
Once again, the problems are by far outweighed by a superior product. bioforge is extremely engaging, contains lots of very challenging puzzles, and adapts itself to numerous play strategies. Origin has itself another winner.
