Future Tactics: The Uprising for Xbox Reviews & Ratings by IGN

If you happen to like the basic premise of tactical RPGs but aren't so keen on shifting through complicated math formulas to learn how much damage a certain attack will cause, don't like having to plot out movements in advance because you can't properly calculate movement costs, or simply dislike gridded environments, Crave Entertainment might have the perfect solution for you. Developer ZedTwo's Future Tactics: The Uprising blends tactical planning with action elements -- revolutionizing the way you view strategy games. With the right ideas in place -- turn based action -- is ZedTwo able to back Uprising with solid gameplay? Read on.

Gameplay
In Future Tactics you play as a rag tag group of humans fighting for survival in the not so distant future. Long ago, the Creatures appeared in the midst of a cataclysmic incident that no one recalls. But, these Creatures of unknown origins have continually reined terror upon the few remaining nomadic tribes of humans. Fortunately for mankind, there are those willing to fight for freedom. One such man, known simply as Father, played a key part in the fight against these aliens. However, after he was murdered at the hands of the Creatures, his son Low (with the help of his sister Pepper and any survivors they can find) sets out on the path of vengeance.

Low and Pepper's story develops via in game cinematics, which seem to be in place mainly to justify why you're about to dance with some nasty Creatures. They usually aren't too interesting, and luckily all cinematics can literally be fast forwarded. As soon as the story elements end, the game focuses strictly on the gameplay. Mission objectives flash on screen (usually is some form of destroying a certain target, protecting someone, or reaching a particular location) and then the camera flies over the map to give players a sense of what they're up against.

Combat takes place in typical turn based fashion. The human player moves, attacks, and sets up for the next turn, and then waits while the computer performs similar actions. It's formulaic, but it's the execution of these actions that makes the game so unique. As your turn starts, you'll have to choose which character to move first (your task force is usually three) -- remembering that you'll want to plan attacks so that your other characters will be in better positions. It doesn't matter whether you attack first or move first because as long as you haven't spent all your character's point, you'll be able to return to the other action. All abilities, whether it's weapons (zoom, power shot, double shot) or movement range can be upgraded via experience or power ups.

There are two main attack types (character dependent). The first is projectile, which requires that you have line of sight with your target in order to attack. Once a character is in an attack position, the player has to call up an aiming reticule (it looks like a sniper scope). Line up your shot on the crosshair and lock on with a button press. The power of the shot is determined by how closely you can align scrolling vertical and horizontal axes with the crosshair. Most won't have trouble hitting 90%-100% accuracy on headshots, but it's rather tricky to get the initial lock because the targeting reticule sways back and forth -- just as if you were actually trying to aim at someone. Missile attacks do not require line of sight, instead the properly equipped character simply has to be within a certain range of enemies. When it's time to attack, a multi ringed target appears over a map of the area. Your job is to stop a moving ripple in a ring containing an enemy (they're marked on the map) and then align a sonar-like reticule on the intended target.

Movement is determined by a ring of green dots (determined by the individual character). Players can move anywhere within this circle, even climb on top of boulders and houses. Once stopped, the ring shrinks to tell you your available movement range. This is most helpful if you want to shoot someone and then duck behind a boulder or other barrier. At the end of your turn, you'll be able to rest, defend, or heal. Defend and heal are limited abilities. Once used, you'll have to recharge them via resting before activating them again.

Once finished, the enemy takes its turn. All Creatures sport some form of telepathy. As long as they have line of sight with each other, they can trade information on your location. So, if you manage to kill all Creatures that know where a particular character is, you can move about undetected as long as you don't cross their line of sight (a thought bubble shows by each Creature tells you who they can attack). It's fortunate that the A.I. follows this behavior because most take several shots to kill and can easily use their numbers to over power you. But, the A.I. isn't that smart. Usually they'll blindly chase after whatever targets are available, rarely seeking cover. There are also several instances where it will attempt to reach you in the shortest possible path. If the land has been deformed, they end up killing themselves (at one point a bridge wall was destroyed and the enemies kept trying to use the hole as a short cut to our position, even though one after another drowned in the river.) While stages come in various sizes, they usually are rather similar. The only variation from the "plain with various rock outcroppings" motif are the few levels that take place near towns. What counterbalances this rather uninspired landscape is that everything is destructible. Ground and mountainsides can be blown away to leave gaping craters. Wagons and rocks can be overturned or completely obliterated. Even houses are destructible. It adds an element of surprise to gameplay because you are never quite as safe as you thought you were, especially since environments react in unpredictable ways.

There are a lot of good ideas in place, but Future Tactics has its share of faults. When matches aren't incredibly easy, they're frustratingly hard because of the sheer number of enemies. The control isn't intuitive -- too understand how you play the game requires some time with the tutorial. The camera, which you can zoom out and freely maneuver in "look around" mode, never quite shows you all that you want to see. The most glaring problem is that besides for the novelty of the combat system, there really isn't much reason to tackle Future Tactics. The story is too bland to be a compelling factor, the gameplay doesn't offer much depth -- most missions resort to trial and error no matter how careful you are, and the A.I. often behaves in ridiculously (either killing itself or allowing itself to be killed by refusing to take cover).

But, if you happen to like this style of play, you can tackle the computer or a friend head-to-head in two player battle mode. It plays just like the story mode, except that your objective is to destroy your opponent. New options are unlocked by completing certain objectives in story mode.

Graphics
Future Tactics is a very unusual looking game. Its art style is cartoon inspired and uses a lot of color to make up for rather simplistic models. Cut scenes and in game movement is well animated, giving the impression that you're partaking in a cartoon. Where the graphical style fails to hold up is in the barren levels (those that are mostly natural environments). The textures are far too bland and stretched -- and often fill your field of vision. Town environments look much better. Destructible effects, however, look ridiculous since huge solid chunks of land are blasted into the air. Regardless of art style, it looks sloppy.

Sound
The sound is surprisingly good for a budget title. The voice acting, if at times uninspired, is decent. Perhaps the British accents are helping to mask any inadequacies, but for the most part they fit the characters appropriately and even portray a good range of emotion.

From a musical standpoint, the score is neither exciting nor extensive, but it gets the job done without any headaches. There are only a few main themes -- one played during the A.I. turn and the other during the player's turn. The few phrases of each song are endlessly looped and you hear the same pieces each level, but the music is harmless enough that you won't mind -- and may even enjoy the continual upbeat tempo.

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