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Fracture Review - Xbox 360

Introduction

Fracture is LucasArts' newest IP, a game that takes modern third person shooter games and mixes things up a little. The game is available on both Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, and is developed by Day 1 Studios who are known for their work on the game F.E.A.R.

Gameplay

Fracture is set in the year 2161, when global warming has become a reality. Terrain deformation was first developed to protect the shores of the U.S from rising waters, and eventually spread to military use. Unfortunately, the country has been split into two halves due to the Mississippi River overflowing and destroying the central area of the U.S, which the Federal Government failed to deal with. The two halves are left to fend for themselves after this disaster, the east side eventually becomes known as The Atlantic Alliance, and the west side becomes know as the Republic of Pacifica. Each side takes a different approach to the ever evolving technology available, with The Alliance believing in cybernetics as mankind’s future, and Pacifica relying on genetic modification to create super humans. Each side disapproves of the choices made by the other, and eventually, all out war ensues. This is where the protagonist, Jet Brody comes in: as a soldier in the Alliance military, he’s being sent in to investigate exactly what Pacifica is up to.

Simply put, at heart, Fracture is your everyday shooter. There are a variety of different guns that you can make use of, and plenty of enemies to try and take you down. Where Fracture diverges from the norm, is the fact that in addition to your regular arsenal of guns, you also have access to a special gun called the Entrencher. This gun, unlike most, is not designed for offence, but for defence, and will need to be used strategically as you progress through the game. The Entrencher is a terrain deformer (which is non-lethal), from which the game derives its name, and has two specific functions. The first function is lowering terrain, while the other function is raising it. The Entrencher is operated with the shoulder buttons on the 360 controller - left lowers, right raises. Raising the terrain allows you to make yourself cover wherever you need it, as well as destabilise enemy troops. Lowering the terrain allows you to sneak into buildings via underground passages/holes, as well as destabilising enemies by putting them in holes, stopping them from firing briefly, and giving you easier shots at them.

The terrain modification doesn’t stop at the Entrencher though; you also have access to four types of grenades, each of which has a different effect. Two have the same effects as the Entrencher, but while the Entrencher can’t kill anyone, the grenades throw in an explosive charge which will take out enemies. This works particularly well with the lowering grenade, which can suck in an enemy, then detonate. There’s also a spike grenade which produces a spike of terrain that punches out ...

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