"Scheduled off world activation! SG3 returning …". Those were the familiar words that greeted me, from none other than Walter Harriman, when I first sat down in front of a PC at Perception to take a sneak peak of Stargate SG1: The Alliance.
I was fortunate enough to be able to play both the PC and the PS2 versions. There has been a lot of discussion recently about the quality of the game meetings fans expectations. Of particular note are the comments regarding the overall quality of the PS2 version.
With this in mind I sat behind the desk and with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation, donned my SG1 cap and charged full steam ahead.
Forget everything you have read about this game, it is going to blow your mind! Simply put, you aren't playing a video game, you are part of SG1 fighting and strategising along side Jack, Teal'c Sam and Daniel! You are now part of SG1!
First let me comment on the PC version.
My very first experience with this game was on PC. Not all missions have final names at this stage, so when I asked what the mission was called I was told it's "Not Abydos" or more commonly "The Tombs". Fitting name, because that's where you are … In a tomb, with a whole ton of Jaffa out for your blood.
The opening sequence had SG1 running down a ramp, with the very distinct voice of Jack saying "Daniel, this looks like it's up your alley" (the exact wording may be off slightly, but you get the idea!). There I am, first person, standing there, with a Daniel Jackson avatar in the top left, as clear as a photograph, and a P90 in my right hand. Movement is the standard "WASD" controls so it was easy enough to pick up. Moving into the scene I confront a couple of Jaffa, aim with the mouse and take those suckers out! At this stage I wanted to experience it all, so I looked at the sheet Viljar had created for me that told me the keyboard commands to change weapons etc. I wanted to pick up the dropped Staff Weapon after all - alas I was too slow getting to it - this time.
Wanting to see what this baby could do I change weapon to the infamous "Hand of Light". I honestly thought I was looking at a real hand! The detail in the hand was astounding, when I saw that, I realised the whole game looked like that. Sure the floor textures were rougher but then I was in a tomb so a "dirty" look is to be expected. One thing I will say about this game is I have honestly never seen a more detailed and more life like set of game characters in my life. Sure they aren't 100% lifelike, but then it's a game, not the TV show.
It took me a little while to work out what the hand of light did exactly. I had a little help from the voices in my head - also known as Viljar and one of Perceptions testers, telling me what it did. With this knowledge in hand (pardon the pun) I found it a most useful addition.
Thinking myself as part of SG1, armed with the hand of light and being able to readily swap to the P90, off I ran down the hall. The screen went red, we were under fire. Turning to see a Jaffa high on the ledge I began firing indiscriminately at him. I died!
Restart, charge down the hall again, I start to take fire once more. Realising the available cover was there for a reason I hide, ordering my team mates to focus their fire on him. The ability to focus fire - where all team mates focus their energy on one target can quite literally save your bacon! Advancing further down the hall, the ring transporters appear to reveal another Jaffa - fully loaded with full helmet. That's one tough cookie to break! This time I managed to grab the staff weapon.
Ahh the staff weapon, what a wonderful piece of weaponry that is. Simple but oh so effective! Firing staff blast after staff blast I was cutting through the Jaffa. A voice from behind, told me to charge it up. How? Press and hold. The longer you hold the fire button, the more charge you put into it, the more charge you put into it, the more devastation you cause. In the distance were two Jaffa hiding behind some rubble. I aimed, ordered the team to focus fire, then charged up the staff. Releasing it sent both Jaffa flying, scratch 2 bad guys!
Running on some more I encounter the dead Jaffa's brother - or at least very good friend. He wasn't happy I killed his brother, so somewhat effectively he took me out. Mental note to self - gotta use that cover more, this is NOT a run in with all guns blazing game, tactics will be required here!
All though this mission, there are mission reminders that pop up on the screen. These tell you what your mission objective is and the general direction you should go. Quite often I was too busy mowing down Jaffa to notice these. How do I see the objectives again? Press TAB, hey there we go, thanks. Onward we go.
Each mission objective has a set point where you have to get to complete that part. This is marked by a simple circle on screen with the distance left to reach that objective. Reaching an objective reveals a new objective and so on. I made the first waypoint - or first objective, once. The rest of the time I was busy being killed - I really have to remember this is not a run in with guns blazing game!
This time, Sam was taken out. She was lying on the floor dying. What do I do? You have to heal her. Okay! Running back to her you see her avatar on screen. Getting to her and "aiming" at her, your cross hairs change to an oval shape. This same oval shape appears when you can select an item such as picking up the staff weapon. Pressing the USE button (E on the keyboard) Sam began to heal and recovering, stood up and was ready for action once more. Going for the W key I accidentally pressed the Q key. Suddenly I disappear into a semi-transparent mode, with the rest of the team quickly following suit. Hushed voices saying "cloaking" were heard. I wasn't sure what had happened. What did I do? You pressed Q. Press it again. Sure enough I uncloaked. Handy! Does that have a time limit on it? Yep, you can see the bar moving down to indicate how long you can remain cloaked for.
Once more I was taken out fair rapidly, and once more I thought to myself I really should learn to make better use of that cover.
New mission. What can only be described as a "Foothold". Intro screen we see Jaffa and Super Soldiers entering the base. After the blast doors close, Teal'c says we need to get to the armoury to make use of the Super Soldier weapon. Jack responds with "Carter you have point". Now I'm Sam. Leaving the control room, which IS the control room - there can be no mistake, I head out. As we run, Jack says it is a good idea to close each blast door as we leave. Remembering this, we immediately encounter some Jaffa. Fire fights ensue and they are dispatched. Taking one of the Jaffa out I hear the very distinct voice of carter taunt the now deceased Jaffa - "you just got your ass kicked by a girl!"
Running through the first door way, I see a super soldier making chase. As the team fire on the Super Soldier, I notice the green light next to the door, pressing it (E key) the blast door closes. On doing this, I hear Viljar say "YES!". Looking to him he indicates he wasn't sure how obvious that would be. Well, I said, Jack did say to shut the doors behind us.
Time for Sam to use the ribbon device. What a weapon! Two Jaffa running towards us in the very distinct SGC tunnels and bam! Two Jaffa thrown clear across the room from the trusty ribbon device. I like this weapon. One of the Jaffa gets back up, another whack with the ribbon device and one more dead Jaffa on the list.
It was about here I was obliterated off the face of the map by a super soldier - oops forgot about them!
About this stage I was literally dumb founded. Viljar asked me what I thought, I was in awe. Absolute awe. Ben joined us, and we discussed the comments made by JoWood that this game will not meet fan's expectations. I must say, I am a fan and it does NOT meet my expectations. It far exceeds it. I was not expecting this game to be as detailed as it is. I was not expecting this game to hold the same amount of realism as it does. I wasn't simply playing a game, I was part of SG1 in a battle to rid the galaxy of the Goa'uld! I was there, I was part of that team. My sense of reality was suspended and I was now Daniel, or I was now Sam.
