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| | Title:
Clive Barker`s Jericho
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System:
Xbox 360
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Genre:
Action
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Publisher:
Codemasters
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Developer:
Mercury Steam
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Release:
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Online:
No
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ESRB:
Rating Pending (RP)
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Next generation action-horror takes a turn down the road of incited intrigue and qualm. Clive Barker’s Jericho has the most disturbing images ever present in a video game. Some of the creatures will make you question where the artists even came across some of the textures and concepts. But this first person shooter has more to it than just grotesque fiends and paranormal encounters. The game will actually have elements of squad-based combat and fast-paced FPS gun battles. Yet, even that description doesn’t really cover how strange and complicated the game really is.
Clive Barker’s Jericho strictly follows the exploits of six-and-a-half special agents who deal with supernatural events. Now the reason there’s only six-and-a-half members is because one of them – namely, the leader – is brutally killed about half-an-hour into the game. It’s no secret spoiler that this atrocious event happens to the protagonist. In fact, killing the main character is what prompts for the main shtick of the game; possessing your teammates. But before getting around to the Casper parts of the gameplay...it’s probably important to cover the main story plot.
Basically, there’s this super evil, ancient city called Al-Khali. In this city there’s unspeakable malevolence that threatens time and space, and so the Jericho Squad must go in and “contain” the evil before it’s too late. The team will travel through Sumerian, Roman, medieval, World War II and modern day time periods. Each period will have various enemy combatants, weapons and stages that reflect each era’s atmosphere. So stage variety shouldn’t be problem in this game. However, just because players will do a lot of traveling doesn’t mean it’s all rose patches and sunsets seen from Venician-arched bridges. This game is hardcore from top to bottom...and every era contains vile scenarios that only Mr. Barker could dream up.
As mentioned, the leader of the team, Ross Faulk, gets killed and becomes a possessive spirit...literally. So players go around as Ross, controlling/possessing the other six members of the team to complete certain tasks or utilize each member’s special ability. Speaking of abilities, these range from telekenetic powers or x-ray incineration to self-sadism, astral projection, and healing fellow teammates. In a way, Jericho has a coating of elements that resemble an RPG. Utilizing different members with their varying stats is no different than taking control of various character classes. In concept – and on paper – this seems like a darn good idea for a fast-paced shooter. But tried and true concepts on paper don’t always make the best transitions in actual execution. So it’ll be interesting to see how it pans out in the final version.
But the game isn’t just about possessing and solving character/stage puzzles. There’s tons of action. Remember, this is a first-person shooter? So the walls will run red with blood more often than an independent horror flick by Eli Roth. And trust me, you’ll probably want the walls stained with the enemy blood rather than with your own. The monsters/creatures/spirits/demons/etc., featured in Clive Barker’s console shooter are some of the most horrid looking things you’ll lay your eyes on. If the smell of vomit had arms, legs and wore leather, it would be the creatures from Jericho.
Whether the game will contain a fleshed out multiplayer mode is still being “deliberated”. However, that really means that the developers have a multiplayer mode in place but it sucks too bad to release any info to the public. In the coming months more details on the multiplayer features will undoubtedly surface and we’ll be there to give you all the inside details. Clive Barker’s Jericho is set to appear on retail shelves this fall for the Xbox 360 and PS3.
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