Singularity Review

(Xbox, PS3; $59.99; Rated M for Blood and Gore/Intense Violence/Strong Language; www.singularity-game.com)

(four stars)

“Singularity” really needs to send a thank-you note to “Bioshock” and perhaps offer to buy that game a nice steak dinner.  Were it not for the success of “Bioshock” I believe “Singularity” might never have been made... at least not in its current state.

The similarities in style and game mechanics are nearly identical.  So much so, that I would not have been surprised if this had been released as “Bioshock 2: Singularity.” I actually might have enjoyed it more than the actual “Bioshock 2’s” and its more-of-the-same approach to sequalization.

Taking place on a mysterious island off the coast of the former Soviet Union, “Singularity” begins - similarly to “Bioshock” - with a sweeping introduction to the island that has been dormant since 1955 due to an explosion that occurred during the course of Soviet-experimentation with a mysterious element - E99.  American Black-Ops are sent to the island in the present day to investigate abnormal radiation emissions, but crash land on the island and are separated.

As is to be expected, things are not as they seem and the island is teaming with mutants who are the former inhabitants of the island and have been affected by the blast and E-99 - sort of like “Bioshock.”

Early in the game, the generic protagonist, Nate Renko, slips through a rift in time, taking him back to 1955 when all heck is breaking loose, and rescues a scientist from death - altering history.  Once returning to the present, Renko discovers the “TMD,” or “Time Manipulation Device,” which fits nicely onto his wrist and allows for fantastic powers... similar to the plasmids in “Bioshock.”

The TMD allows players to manipulate certain objects in the environment to age or restore their properties in order to navigate environmental puzzles and battle enemies.  See an old, broken staircase that leads to a door that you need to get to? Restore the staircase back to its original state to access the doorway.  See the erased writing of a clue on a chalkboard? Restore the writing.  See an enemy charging towards you? Age them until they turn to dust.

It is unfortunate that instead of aging, you can’t “youth-enize” (a term I geniously just coined) them and turn them into babies - which would be awesome.  Instead, it just turns them into monsters, because... well... I have no idea why.

Along the way, players will pick up audio logs and be exposed to the cartoony propaganda to uncover more about the history of the island and the experiments performed there, just like... you guessed it, “Bioshock.” Additionally, players will slip in and out of the past to fight Soviets, mutants, and other nasties as they uncover nefarious plot after nefarious plot.

Developer, Raven Software has a history of developing solid B-level video games - the type of game that people take a break from the “Halos” or the “Call of Duties” or the “Red Dead Revolvers” to play for variety, and then quickly forget about.

The same can be said for “Singularity.” It all feels vaguely familiar and by-the-numbers, but its still as enjoyable as any popcorn-fueled adventure should feel.  I don’t know if its worth the $60 price tag, but its definitely worth a weekend rental.