G4: The Conduit Review

G4: Note to marketing folks: using quotes referring to The Conduit as the "best shooter on Wii" isn't exactly setting the bar high. It's not too far off from saying that Guitar Hero: On Tour is "best handheld rhythm game requiring a plastic doodad" or You're in the Movies is the "best Xbox 360 game bundled with a camera." With few comparisons to draw on, things tend to look a little rosier. Nevertheless, The Conduit is an impressive shooter on Wii -- if only for the developers' noble attempt at delivering an experience akin to a Resistance or Halo on the "bigger" platforms. The controls are strong, the visuals have some razzle-dazzle, and the online component offers plenty of options. Yet on any other system, The Conduit would be as memorable as its title.

[EvilTwin]

Criticizing the level design and linear mission structure is a valid point.

But once again, this is another review with the "the single player mode is short and the plot is cliche" meme.

COD4 had a short (and not particularly memorable) single player mode, yet most reviewers didn't deduct much for that.

An online multiplayer-centric FPS title with a generic plot? That's pretty much par for the course. It's not like the plot of Halo was THAT great. It's not like it was Puzo's Godfather. Of this gen's top FPS titles, Bioshock is the only one that had a truly great story (IMO).

So...short single player with a generic plot on PC/360/PS3? Cool.
Short single player with a generic plot on Wii? Not cool.

What's with the double standard? Those two criticisms are in almost EVERY review of The Conduit, yet they don't knock down the scores of other titles in the genre.

I'd think that a console FPS that finally rivals the control of a mouse and keyboard would warrant some more praise than what people are giving.

Just my $0.02.

[MEsoJD]

Ok give me a mouse and keyboard

you take the wii-mote

I guarantee I'll kick your ass in any fps.

^_^

[ChickeyCantor]

I bet you would too, i mean mouse doesn't have the jitter...talk about a step closer to realism LOL.

[Horny]

i agree with sidar.
Mouse is as unrealistic as it gets, to easy. Prefer the wii mote and controllers.

[DRUDOG]

I'm sorry Deee187, did you say something? I was, um, a little distracted...

[ChickeyCantor]

No in fact, he typed something. So if you missed it just read the comment above you =).

Thank you for calling logic hot line.

[Syronicus]

I do agree, these days most FPS's have a very short story and one that is not memorable and it is a bummer that this one does not break the mold.

As for the controls, it is the reason why this game will do ok but not great. The control scheme for the Wii is just not all that great for FPS's.

As for the COD4 story mode comments... I remember the sniper part and the AC-130 part. Those were two of the most memorable moments int hat game and in the genre for many.

[N4g_null]

Syronicus and people like you don't get it. You say it does not break the mold when it clearly does. The mold was controls. We've been needing an upgrade since the N64. Seriously only FF fans would gravitate to flash more than controls. As a hardcore gamer I prefer controls.

MEsoJD give you a mouse and a keyboard and I would wipe the floor with you but in the living room give me a wii mote vs dual analog and I'll get heads shots while running. You see there is a difference. Also I can shot you and throw a grenade so you can not retreat then run in for a melee attack and you only hope would be the shot gun.

Seriously if you are going to talk junk log on to this game or quake 3 and you will get shut up very fast. FPS are about skill and cunning. You seem to lack both.

I mean come on we all know you are not going to buy the game because of what ever reason. HVS is not making a game for you they are making it for players like me true hardcore gamers.

Another thing why come and talk to us now most of the Wii owners here have the game now so the reviews are irrelevant and if it does not sell to standards then fine it will just show how sad hardcore gaming is period across the board not just on the Wii.

Many of you claim to own wiis and claim to have dust on them. You also call your self hardcore gamers and many of you claim this game is not good enough for you...well guess what you are not as hardcore as you think and on top of that you are missing out on the beginning of motion controlled FPS... We are just a few more step from full VR when you think about it and it took the weakest system on the market to do it go figure.... talk about HD gimmick pushers....

The more you complain the more irrelevant you make your self. Many employees in the game industry are gamers and we are starting to see who is the real hardcore and who are the expanded audience want to be core gamers.

[FinalomegaS]

The Pros

* Engaging, responsive controls
* Strong online options for up to 12 players
* Slick visual effects and professional voice acting

The Cons

* Short solo campaign ( FPS need we say more?)
* Linear missions ( like most FPS ..)
* Clichéd storyline ( OMFG , this is just their 2 cents)
* Repetitive, confining level design ( valid point)

The Pros, shouldn't they have stated the ultimate fully customizable control set up ever on home console?

Haven't seen many sites give this a mention;

professional voice acting

interesting..

[SinnedNogara]

All the cons remind me of Halo, except the last one. Weird right, and that game got a 5/5.

[kevnb]

the original halo completely blows this kind of crap away. Halo 3 had a pretty good campaign, with some nice set battles and fun vehicles... that's alot more than this offers.

[SinnedNogara]

Yes I meant Halo 3. It had a generic story, and I didn't like the game's ending. It was fun at some points, but generic at others. Still a good game. I just don't understand all the praise it gets.

The GOTY 2007 either belonged to Super Mario Galaxy or BioShock. I do realize that Halo 3 has addictive features, but still. I never have played online (i don't own a Xbox, but have played all 3 in single player) is addictive and I believe it is pretty simple.

[ico92]

story isnt terrible in the conduit it just takes it's self too seriously and you'r right most stories in FPS games this gen suck but there great for what they are COD,killzone 2,resistance 2,halo 3, the conduit tries to be something diffrent with th whole conspiracy but its just pulled of terribly

[Mr Face Creamer]

Only on the Wii Computer Entertainment Terminal System.

[Scolar Visari]

I don't understand how.

[ZOMBIEMAN1]

what now there's a conspiracy against a Wii game waw you guys are unbelievable just face it The Conduit isn't that really hardcore awesome game everyone wanted it to be ( Madworld was it ) i say again i've seen better looking PS2 , Xbox & GC games and Conduit is just a good FPS on Wii and face facts that this is the year of disappointments : RE5 ( WHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY ) Bionic Commando , The Conduit , Afro Samurai , FEAR 2 , Prototype and soon MW2 ( Bioshock 2 won't disappointment if it's for 2009 ) yet weirdly enough some of the games that didn't disappointment was KZ2 ( maybe because ppl were like KZ1 sucked what makes KZ2 different ) and inFAMOUS ( because everyone was Prototype will rape inFAMOUS ) and SF4 ( i got nothing for this one ) you can agree or disagree with KZ2 & inFAMOUS but point is both overcame the odds and were big hits and very successful games and SF4 well i got nothing

[deadreckoning666]

Wii sucks and people are stupid for buying it. I don't thk its that hard of a concept to grasp.

[Cheeseknight28]

You have one bubble for a reason. I'm gonna help keep it that way.

[EvilTwin]

MEsoJD -- The only response required to you is a "rolleyes" emoticon. Go troll elsewhere.

ico92 -- I can't say the Conduit's story blows me away at all. The cheese factor does go up without some real levity. But I pretty much felt the same way about Halo. Futuristic sci-fi shooters usually just don't have great stories, IMO. The only current-gen FPS -- regardless of time period -- with a really interesting story is Bioshock, IMO.

[MEsoJD]

trolling??? you said rival keyboard and mouse.

Thats completely idiotic and halo sucks, but yes bioshock is a very

good game.

[EvilTwin]

MEsoJD -- Yeah, rival a mouse and keyboard. I don't see how it's idiotic. The controls are COMPLETELY customizable; you're as precise as your aim. IGN's review even made the remark about if gameplay scores were based only on the shooting controls (instead of also including the simple, linear setup for run 'n gunning), Conduit would get a perfect mark there. Metroid Prime 3 scratched the surface, but this is the payoff. It's the best controlling console FPS I've ever played. I'd put the control set-up against a mouse/keyboard (if you kicked my ass with each of us using one of the control methods, it wouldn't be because of the Wii mote -- it'd be because I'm a mediocre FPS player; I enjoy them, but I'm not a grizzled pro).

It ain't a AAA title overall (it's a solid B), but the controls are AAA. IMO.

[Cenobia]

Anyone with a mouse and keyboard would absolutely destroy anyone with a console controller. It's just faster and more precise. I'm sure that you can be accurate pointing the Wiimote, but you just wouldn't be as fast. Not to mention his turn around time would be a fraction of yours (I don't know how the Conduit plays, but other Wii FPS' take me like 5 seconds to do a 360).

Regular controllers are slower too, even though I prefer them.

The fact is he just said a mouse would be more accurate, which is true. I don't really understand why people are jumping all over him.

[EvilTwin]

Cenobia -- You don't know how the Conduit plays, but you're sure a mouse/keyboard is better? Well, that's why you wouldn't know that doing a 180 turn is mapped to a button press (I'm not sure why you'd wanna just do a 360...kinda defeats the purpose of looking behind you). If it takes you 5 seconds to do a 180 in the Conduit, you're doing it wrong. Fact.

Anyone that plays with their arm up, pointing straight at the TV won't control a Wii FPS well. Sit unobstructed, rest your hand against your lap or knee, turn the controls up to their very touchiest, and you're golden. Pivot from your wrist with subtle movements. Standing in front of the TV and pointing straight out is for booth demos, not playing at home.

I never said the remote/nunchuck is superior to a mouse/keyboard. I said it rivals it, which it does (if you know what you're doing), IMO. About the only thing I can think of that a mouse/keyboard setup is completely superior for is if you're sniping without a scope.

[phantomexe]

1848-9441-0187 is my friend code for the game phantomx ad me if you got the game and leave yall here.The game great

[IQUITN4G]

I just love it when Halo always gets mentioned in these comments, never Resistance or Killzone2 because lets face it, those games simply don't manage what Bungie achieves.Halo does a lot of stuff right so even if it does share similar themes etc, the good far outweighs all this.All this stuff is handled differently ie better anyway

Still iv'e very much been looking forward to this game and these less than perfect scores wont put me off enjoying what will obviously be a generic playing yet enjoyable blast.It seems to have a Goldeneye, Perfect Dark kind of feel which is nice and i'm looking forward to how the Wiimote shooting experience feels - an almost entirely new experience really outside of Metroid

[condorstrike]

I finished the single campaign and the only thing that bugged me about this game was in the library of congress you see lots of artifacts when using the ASE but only there, the rest was awesome + great multiplayer.

I say for Wii it's a 9.

[phantomexe]

It is the best fps on the wii it's great guys.Rent it or buy it just check it out.Sidar you getting this when it comes to where you are.

[condorstrike]

agreed, the wii really needed this game, now to start building clans for the multiplayer...

ohh, question.
is the Gamestop edition's mp skin and ASE a code or does the game start with it? anyone? cause I want to play with that ASE.

if it's a code pm me.

[condorstrike]

never mind, I got the code.

damn need bubbles...lol