The latest shooter to place the Russians squarely in front of your gunsight, Singularity, is unlikely to dazzle you with spectacular graphics or a particularly deep and meaningful plot. If you are looking for a great laugh mauling mutants with your shotgun and manipulating time to perform some incredible killing manoeuvres though, this really is the title for you. Fans of old-school shooters will be right at home, but with the time altering game mechanics set to make any and every fight action filled and fresh, anyone that enjoys splattering their enemies against the wall will be sure to find many hours of excitement within Singularity.
As you step into Singularity, you will take control of a soldier named Nate Renko, sent out to the mysterious Russian island Katorga-12. It seems the strange radiation being emitted from this location is due to some experiments that the Russians were conducting in the 1950s to toy with time itself. Their efforts were unsuccessful, and you are now forced to flit between the modern day and 1955 with a gadget known as the Time Manipulation Device (TMD) to battle with a range of mutants and Russian soldiers. The TMD isn’t just for transporting you between the two eras though, as it will also grant you a vast array of weird and wonderful powers, such as turning your enemies to dust as you speed up the aging process.
Although the plot certainly isn’t one to take too seriously, the dynamics of the game more than make up for any shortcomings. Tense and action packed fighting sequences are sandwiched between slower paced segments of the game that involve the occasional puzzle to solve or new area to explore. The different mechanics, huge range of enemies to slaughter and excellent choice of weaponry and powers within each battle help the excitement of Singularity last to the very last moment.
Your TMD won’t be too useful when you first find it, but you will soon discover new powers and upgrades to help you in more and more imaginative ways. This gradual introduction to the different powers on offer will keep you playing, as there are always new ways in which to terrorise your foes, and new methods for reaching another area of the map (such as moving time back to restore a formerly crumbled staircase). What’s more, each different power that you possess will affect the different foes that you face in different ways. Some attacks that would instantly kill a human enemy may only slow a large and terrifying mutant, for example.
When you do finally finish with the single player mode on Singularity, you will be happy to hear that the two online modes are just as satisfying, if a little on the simple side. There are a range of different mutant classes to play as, all with unique skills and abilities. Or, of course, you can play in the familiar human role with time-altering mechanics aplenty.
Singularity may not be particularly groundbreaking when it comes to graphics or general shooter gameplay, but it will certainly provide an experience that will hold you captive for many hours. The minor flaws to be found within this title can be easily overlooked due to the sheer fun of the game, so if you are looking for a new shooter to add to your collection, this is certainly one to consider.
