Mission Impossible
Score: 91% ESRB: Teen Publisher: Infogrames Developer: X-ample Media: CD/1 Players: 1 Genre: Action/ Adventure
Graphics & Sound: Aside from the occasional clipping, I thought the graphics were pretty good. The on-screen characters looked and sounded like real people (and strangely familiar to the movie actors). There was enough detail in the graphics to tell what every object was. Hey, they even left footprints in the snow. I generally don't like the third person perspective, but this wasn't too bad - I liked the way it looked and sounded. Everything was smooth and just plain well rounded in the visuals department. Although mostly in third person, you can go into a first person view. This perspective becomes very advantageous when the enemies are about. They call this the Sniping Mode, even though it has more uses than just sniping; I liked this inclusion. It helped turn this Tomb Raider-ish game into something more along the lines of Metal Gear or Golden Eye. Graphically, I have to give this one a thumbs up.
Gameplay: If you like games like Syphon Filter and Metal Gear Solid, you will love this game. Imagine Filter with good graphics. Imagine Metal Gear with better gameplay. Guess what. You just imagined Mission Impossible for the PlayStation. The game runs smooth, although somewhat slow, and looks great. Everything in big enough to see, but not big enough to be pixilated. The controls are great, and the game is fun. The only real problem I have with the game is that it's just too short. With the different missions and the different difficulty settings, I think you can get at most 20 missions in variation. That's it - great game, just not enough of it. I really liked the Sniper Mode. There's just something about walking around undercover and picking someone off from 100 meters. That's another cool thing about the game. You don't always have to run around scared of everyone you see. If you want, you can change your face, and walk right up to the enemy. It's just an all out good, but too short, game. The game is comprised of different missions that you are told to run. You will also be given information as to which tools are at your disposal for each mission. Once you complete the objectives, you get to move on to the next one. And fortunately, my PlayStation did not self-destruct (although I wonder what would happen had I chosen not to accept the mission).
Difficulty: Well, with varying levels of difficulty, it will be easy to find a setting that works for you. Even on the easiest setting, the game is not a walkthrough. When cranked up to its toughest, it's not impossible. You have to be quick and really know your controls to get through, but it's not too hard. They never put you against incomparable odds, and you are never completely overrun with bad guys. I almost wish it was a little harder, just to offset the short length. I would not recommend this one to small children or senior citizens, but almost anyone else can hang with this one.
Game Mechanics: I though the game ran pretty smoothly. It did run a little on the slow side, but the graphic quality makes it pay off. The controls were laid out great and were very responsive to the game. As with all third person games, the handling is awkward at first, but after the first 30 seconds, you're ready to rock and roll. The game supports the vibration function, which turns out to be a valuable asset in the game (it lets you know when you are being sniped). It's not too heavy on the memory card, so saving is no problem. It's only one player, but who really owns a link cable anyway? Good graphics and great gameplay make this one a winner if you have a few days on your hands.
-Storm, GameVortex Communications AKA Jeremy Kelso
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