Xotic (XBLA): "An FPS Hybrid Like No Other"

I rarely ever get excited solely by the looks of an XBLIG, or XBLA game. In this case something about 'WXP Game's (The Developer)' new FPS Hybrid titled "Xotic" really caught my attention. In fact it held my attention to the point that I watched all of the trailers, and videos about it as I sent multiple review requests hoping to secure a code. I was definitely determined to get this game for review. To me 'Xotic' seemed like one of those "next best thing" sort of games. It's not often that someone reinvents a genre in an entirely new way. WXP Games not only reinvented the FPS genre, but made a game unlike anything I have ever seen. The originality I witnessed in 'Xotic' was truly awe inspiring to say the least.

Xotic actually has a story behind it that builds a nice mythology based on an entity (Orb) that has gone mad. The Orb is a sort of world consuming parasite that must devour life on planets in order to sustain it's life. The hero in this story is a mysterious 'force' that was created in order to deal with the Orb. As the gamer you take control of the said force which looks like a cross between one of Oddworld's inhabitants, and Tim Burton's living dolls from the movie "9". As this creature you must use a morphing weapon called the 'Macroterra (which looks like a giant fly)' to rid regions of the of biological infestations (scab plants, viral orb essences, orb brains ...) that alter the minds, and bodies of the inhabitants. Terraforming (removing the threats) the planet back to it's original state is the ultimate goal.

This game has a lot of content, and stuff to learn in order for the gamer to play it well. It actually took me a couple of read throughs of the "How To Play" section in order to understand the game well enough to play it. The control scheme was a little complicated for my tastes, but I watched an interview video of the game where the developer actually said that you could change the control scheme to suit your preferences. I'm not sure if this would make things easier though, because I chose to stick with the original set of controls. I'm not going to attempt to go over the control scheme in this review due to the fact that it's better experienced first hand through the game itself. The game does a good job of explaining itself if you'll pay attention to details.

Aside from the complicated control scheme Xotic is a pretty solid game. It features a combo/chain points system, and 5 star rating system that is the main focus of the gameplay you'll experience. Your character, and it's weapon has various customization options in the game that can be leveled up as you collect score globes from the scab plants you kill. This adds a sort of RPG element to the core FPS gameplay style. The chain system in the game is based on scab plant combos that are set off when you shoot at a row of scab plants. Once one scab plant is shot the rest will burst in a sort of domino effect. Your goal/aim is to keep the chain going by continually destroying scab plants. Each time you set off a chain you'll be given 5 seconds to start another by shooting a single scab plant, or row of scab plants. You are given score globes with certain point values depending on how long you keep the chain going. There are a wide variety of ways to score points in 'Xotic' such as killing orb brains, and making aerial combos with the viral orb essences but for the most part it will always be about keeping the chain of scab plant combos going.

The weapon of choice in the game is a sort of living gun that resembles a giant fly. Your weapon, the Macroterra has the ability to change form and shoot a wide array of different shots. The gun itself has two types of customizations that are changed using the (D.Pad), and alter the look/shot of the weapon. The gun options sort of reminded me of the plasmids, and weapons of 'BioShock/BioShock 2' in the sense that the Macroterra is kind like wielding two different weapons at once. The 8 types of weapons/shots (spine shot, crusher, slayer, bombug, virus, scorch, volt, rocket flies) that the Macroterra can shoot mimic the kinds of weapons you'd find in a military FPS only they have a biological appearance to them. Each of the shots can be leveled/upgraded 3 times with points you earn for the completion of a region/level. The same is true for your character which has 4 attributes (health, energy well, barkskin, absorption) that can also be upgraded. There are power-ups (regenerate, energize, speed shot, double damage, flight, double/triple points) available in 'Xotic' some of which directly effect the Macroterra and it's abilities (shots, flight).

Xotic is a game with unique level designs, and terrain. Navigating through the levels will require not only the Macroterra's many shot types, but also it's other abilities such as flight and the ability to produce hologram shields/platforms. As I mentioned earlier in the review the Macroterra looks like a giant fly. Since it is a living fly-like weapon it has the ability to fly if you happen pick up the 'flight' power-up. Using this feature to your advantage is very necessary in order to completely rid a region/level of scab plants, and enemies. The hard holograms will also help you in getting into hard to reach places. The holograms can be used as a shield, or as a platform depending on if you are standing (shield) or jumping (hologram). The strange terrain in Xotic also provides cover from enemy fire in the form of crates, pillars, and other structures. As the main character you can can perform snaps (peeking around corners) as well as stance (crouch, stand) changes in order to dodge enemy fire. Using the terrain, and snap/stances to your advantage is the key to surviving the more intense attacks later on in the game.

The graphics in 'Xotic' have an otherworldly appearance with bright/vivid colors that compliment the arcade style gameplay. There are a wide variety of special effects, and renderings that definitely give this game a unique look. The HUD displays in the game aren't intrusive which is a nice thing. I also found that the HUD displays for your health, energy, barkskin (armor), enemies, and weapons were easy to understand which is helpful when trying to complete the game's campaign. While the game is beautiful in design it does have some lag issues that are possibly due to the graphic effects found throughout the game. I even experienced some lagging in the menus which was a little bothersome to be honest. The creatures, biological life forms, and civilization based structures found within 'Xotic' all have a unique look that compliment the game's mythology quite nicely. The visual, and artistic story that is told with a creepy alien voice at the beginning of the game is also brilliantly displayed in a manner that truly brings the game to life. Overall the game is a living masterpiece that breathes life into what you experience.

In the end I was satisfied with what I witnessed during my playthrough of 'Xotic'. It's a game that offered something new to the world of gaming. As I previously mentioned in my review I think it's awesome when a developer is willing to create something new in the gaming world even if they borrow a genre's theme to do so. It's not often that I experience something as unique as 'Xotic' was, and I'm definitely grateful for the experience. With that being said, 'Xotic' isn't without flaws. The game is supposed to be more of an arcade experience, but I felt like I was playing through a campaign for the most part. The constant barrage of enemy fire (that sometimes had me baffled as to where it was coming from) prevented me from achieving any impressive scores or chains. I couldn't even get a 5 star rating due to that issue. The lagging in 'Xotic' was also fairly serious. The game's frame rate slowed down significantly at times. I actually saw a video on the steam version where another gamer experienced the same lag issues, so I know it wasn't just me. It's definitely an issue that could use a patch. Considering all of this I still think the 800 msp price isn't bad. If you're looking for something unique in the FPS/Arcade genres then this might be the XBLA game for you.