Now, XIII is the kind of game that deserves a remaster. Routinely ignored on launch, it deserves a second appraisal with a few more eyeballs on it. It was pretty damn good, for a start, albeit with some obvious nips and tucks that a remaster could provide; then there’s the slick art style, one of the first to adopt cel-shading, which stands the test of time. All of the above makes a strong case for a remaster, and we’re eager to get our hands on it for review. XIII is out now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4 and PC via Steam.
XIII was a pacey first-person action game, released way back in 2003 on the Xbox, PS2, PC and Gamecube. It fit snugly into that period, as it had a Jack Bauer, 24-like storyline about conspiracies and the murder of the President of the United States. You wake up on a desert island with a tattoo of the number XIII on your neck and a locker key. Of course, evidence implicates you in the death of the president, so you’re Richard Kimble-ing across the world to prove that you didn’t have a thing to do with it. Trouble is, you have amnesia, and you’re never quite sure if you’re innocent.
The cream was in the single player campaign. This was a 34-level thriller, and it managed to keep the attention throughout. The multiplayer is included too, but if memory serves it was the plain digestive to the single player’s chocolate.
The remaster has upgraded the visuals of XIII, but tried to keep what made the cel-shaded original unique. The music and voices of the original are also included, rather than re-recorded.
Features include:
- * The remake of the 2003 cult FPS initially released on PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Nintendo Gamecube.
- * A new artistic direction that respects the original work and its iconic cel-shading design.
- * Numerous references to the eponymous graphic novel, with onomatopoeia, speech bubbles, panels and more.
- *Music and voices from the original version.
- * A conspiracy-based plot with numerous twists and turns.
- * Varied gameplay with action, infiltration and exploration phases.
- * A breathtaking solo campaign with 34 levels.
- * A brutal arsenal of 15 weapons to get your memory back.
- * Fierce multi-player fights.
XIII is out now on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S and will cost you £41.74. It’s also out on PS4, Switch and PC via Steam. It’s also out physically, should you want this retro charmer in your collection.
Game Description:
WHO ARE YOU, REALLY? XIII is a remake of the cult first-person action game that was initially released in 2003. You play as “XIII”, a man without an identity, in a solo campaign with numerous twists and turns. Inspired by the eponymous graphic novel, the game features a completely reinvented and unique cel-shading design. In XIII, players can also take part in fierce multi-player fights. The country remains in a state of shock following the assassination of President Sheridan. You wake up, wounded and with amnesia, on a deserted beach on the east coast. The only clues as to your identity are a tattoo of the number XIII near your collarbone and a locker key. Even though your memory is failing, you discover that you have the reflexes of a highly trained professional fighter. You set off in search of your past, discovering that you played a role in the murder of the President of the United States of America, and revealing the most astounding conspiracy ever hatched in the country’s history.
