As an amateur anthropologist it’s a joy to read the reviews of annual Gameloft sequels like the space-themed N.O.V.A. or the more grounded Modern Combat series, especially from those in the gaming and mainstream press. Where else can one witness evidence of editorial evolution at work from so-called experts that actually get PAID for their so-called expert opinions? These editors, many who happily gorge themselves on those other yearly updates like Madden and Call of Duty, seem to be in a state of perpetual amazement at Gameloft’s accomplishment on what these bastions of open-mindedness relegated a non-gaming platform – touchscreen phones and tablets. To them, mobile gaming has always been – and will always be – the domain of graphically simple casual fare like Angry Birds, Temple Run, and other types that know their place: hardcore games – and gamers – need not apply.
Yes, Gameloft deserves its (well earned) reputation as a cloning factory of popular games and, yes, there’s nothing present here that can honestly be called ‘original’… but you could say the same for about 99% of mainstream gaming these days. It’s an industry built on clones, and in the genre of first-person shooters they’ve done more to make mobile FPS more playable than anyone else, from new interfaces to online multiplayer that you’d actually want to play. Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour is the latest and greatest of these experiments, a culmination of their best bits and pieces, reassembled here just in time to ride the coattails of those other yearly shooters. For those who’ve kept up, you know the drill. Everyone else, prepare to be amazed yet again.
While Activision’s Call of Duty series may alternate between the Modern Warfare and Black Ops storylines, the Modern Combat series has remained on a straightforward path in the modern era. MC4’s release may be tied to its most blatant inspiration – Black Ops II – but the only real nod to Activision’s cash-cow is the brief glimpse of that game’s futuristic helio-powered Dragonfire Drone during the opening cinema – and then never again. There’s a storyline at play here, but I’ll be damned if I remember what it was even after the credits rolled by. Let’s just say that it’s a sad day for console purists when a supposed COD knock-off is light-years better than the supposed ‘real thing’ found elsewhere, Call of Duty: Declassified on PS Vita. Buttons or no, this is definitely the best mobile FPS currently out in the wild, and that’s not a pejorative.
For many the real meat of the game is the roughly 4-hour campaign that includes just about all of the requisite FPS checkmarks throughout its 13 missions. There’s nothing particularly unique about plowing through a war-ravaged metropolis, snowy vistas, overhead helicopter strikes, and infiltrating gigantic terrorist headquarters. But the trick here is that Gameloft gets them right, and the game never forgets that you’re playing on a mobile device, with generous checkpoints that take into account that you might only have a few minutes here and there for a quick attack while waiting for a bus, between classes, or something like that. The campaign is much better paced than past MC games and I did find the new unmanned drone robot levels a lot of fun, as was the new Uncharted-inspired race through a city market. Generic and predictable, maybe, but always entertaining and competent (which is more than I can say about some big-budget shooters, like Medal of Honor).
Battles are still little more than glorified whack-a-mole contests as you’ll clear one area of enemies before moving onto the next, repeat as necessarily. What makes this acceptable is how often the campaign switches things up, with micro-bursts of action followed by a quick mission of sniping here or an unmanned drone assault there (there’s no night vision overhead levels, thank goodness). An interesting narrative choice has you controlling not only the good guys, but also assuming the role of main baddie Edward Page as he carries out his plot to bring down the West. It’s a nice change that adds a shot of depth to an otherwise predictable plot (and maybe a little self-serving, as this allows the campaign to double-dip certain levels). The occasional QTE swipe is required during some of the close-up cinematics, but they are few and far between, and that’s fine by me.
Seasoned Gameloft FPS veterans will find the controls immediately familiar with the touch-only options here; fire, reload, run, duck, melee, and everything else is exactly the same as previous chapters, with the same options to redecorate the interface to your liking for finger-friendly action. There’s options for gyroscope aiming but they can be turned off – there must be people out there who prefer gyroscopic gameplay, but I’m not one of them. iPad and other bigger-than-phone tablets will have more real estate to work with, and select Android devices can take advantage of the various Bluetooth gamepads for that extra-console feel. As for myself, I prefer the touch controls, as they make the game feel more like an accomplished mobile shooter and less like a water-down console equivalent.
Last year’s Fallen Nation was a looker, easily the most graphically complex mobile game I’d ever seen up to that point. No real surprise that Zero Hour bests it in just about every area, especially in the complex and lovingly detailed backdrops that you’ll blast your way through. Impressive new lighting and particle effects are surprisingly effects, easily on par with some console games. One area that hasn’t improved much are the character models that serve as little more than target practice. With low-resolution textured faces that look frozen, the endless swarm of baddies still have the intelligence of soggy wood chips, but at least they move and react better than ever thanks to Gameloft’s use of the Havok engine for extra-realistic ragdoll physics and animation. They might shuffle left and right a little more, but they’re still pretty much planks of deadwood. Well-animated deadwood, but deadwood all the same.
If there’s any issue with the main campaign at all it’s with the storyline, mainly with Edward Page and his insane rambles. Taking cues from the tinfoil hat conspiracy theorists and spouting some truly cringe-worthy lines about “the West”, the guy just won’t shut up when he’s onscreen. The script, as written by Rafael Chandler, is so laughably bad that it actually makes things all the more entertaining if you’re able to take it with a grain of salt. I’m not making fun; so many generic first-person shooters become insufferable under their own pretensions that I really did appreciate the B-movie cheese that livens up a storyline with fewer aspirations than a disposable napkin.
For others looking for more after the campaign ends there’s the impressive online multiplayer through Gameloft Live or local WiFi. Here you’ll be able to host a party or hop into a Ranked Match, create customized matches with over 8 detailed maps to blast through and 8 different modes to play with, including Battle (Deathmatch), Team Battle, Capture the Flag, Manhunt, Zone Control, VIP, Barebone, and Warfare. Most of the latter modes are team-based variations but with up to 12-players to group with there’s more than enough variety to keep you coming back for more.
Fans of those ‘other’ shooters should be comfortable with the game’s leveling system, medals and perks, and vast customization options for load-outs: Gameloft brags there’s over “20,000 weapon arrangements” – you’ll forgive me if I just take their word for it. An improved stat tracking means hardcore soldiers can keep track of their progress, see vitals, and other incidentals over their entire match history. There’s a LOT of content here for the taking.
Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour isn’t just Gameloft’s best chapter in their Call of Duty-inspired series, but the best mobile first-person shooter currently vying for your download dollar. The game looks, sounds, and plays better than previous editions, with an expanded online multiplayer that’s even more engaging and brag-worthy than some home console efforts. It’s sad when a supposed clone outdoes its namesake, i.e. Black Ops: Declassified, but that’s what happens when one developer understands the market more than another. Those looking for a mobile FPS that entertains like it should will like and appreciate what Gameloft has accomplished here, especially with an online multiplayer arena that should keep the action hot and heavy – at least until the next one comes along.
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12/06/2012
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17+
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Gameloft
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