When Breakdown was unveiled last summer at Microsofts X03 event, the assembled industry hacks were blown away by its immersive first-person viewpoint, dazzling graphics and intriguing story. But as with so many movies over the years, the finished product doesnt deliver on the trailers tantalising promises.
Anyone who suffers from nausea when playing first-person games such as Halo wont be able to handle Breakdown; the whole game is played through the eyes of the hero, so if an enemy punches him on the chin his viewpoint snaps backwards, leading to many confusing situations where you struggle to figure out where the hell youre supposed to go next.
The clichéd story and bland locations dont help Breakdowns case either and, even though its refreshing to see a developer trying something different rather than squeezing out another Identikit racing game or beat-em-up, the dizzying perspective gets in the way rather than creating an absorbing experience.