When the Wii was first introduced, one of the most seemingly obvious uses of the new controller seemed to be to use it for a first-person shooter. However, the only notable FPS’s released so far have fallen short. Red Steel was a disappointment, and ports of FPS’s from other consoles were sloppy and inferior. The Conduit, however, was supposed to change all that – and while it is probably the best FPS released for the Wii to date, we still have a ways to go before the Wii gets its Halo.
The Conduit’s cornball plot is centered around shady government organizations, conspiracy theories, and aliens (of course). The only truly interesting thing about it is its setting. The game takes place in Washington, DC, and as a frequent visitor to our nation’s capital I enjoyed experiencing the various locations depicted in game. You’ll find yourself in the Library of Congress, the White House, and a personal favorite, the Jefferson Memorial.
Of course, these locations would be even more immersive if the graphics were a bit stronger. I would say the graphics are pretty good, but I’m getting sick of using the qualifier “for the Wii.” Therefore, I’ll simply say they are passable, but nothing more. This becomes especially evident when you’re traveling through a level and you see the same background pass by over and over again. An early airport level makes you walk down what would appear to be the same hallway at least three times.
Yet even repeating backgrounds would be bearable if there were competent enemies patrolling them. Alas, the enemy AI is poor. Most enemies will simply charge directly into your line of fire, and I witnessed a few getting stuck behind objects.
Now you may be thinking, I thought he said this was the best FPS on the Wii? Well, despite everything, the game is still fairly enjoyable. The controls are infinitely customizable, which makes any complaints about them moot. If you don’t like the default set-up change anything and everything about it. You can even change what appears on your HUD.
The weapons vary from the usual human fare to unique alien weaponry, a la Half-Life. Most guns have a secondary function as well. You can melee by thrusting the Nunchuck at the screen, which came in handy more often than I expected it to.
The game’s multiplayer is also fairly robust. It offers WiFi support, a multitude of game modes, and you can carry your customized control scheme over into the multiplayer matches. Kurono, a fellow NGal reviewer, complained of a hacker problem when playing online, but I personally did not run into any cheaters during my playtime.
If you’re an FPS nut and the Wii is the only console you own, you can’t do much better than the Conduit. It can’t compare to games like Halo and Half-Life, but it is a solid shooter and worth a look if you’re tired of all the casual fare the Wii offers nowadays.
