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The
first thing you'll notice when you're working your
way through a level is that you can interact with
almost every item in the game world. Using the typical
right-click to pickup method, even tiny soda cans
can be picked up and tossed around. Pick up a barrel
and hurl it at a riot cop. Go ahead, it's fun. Not
the most effective weapon in the world, but that doesn't
mean you can't try right?
Sometimes,
all the game's object interaction can lead to physics
problems. Chairs and other objects occasionally flip
upside down and land awkwardly or stick to other things.
Problems with physics like this are common in areas
crowded with objects. Nevertheless, Devastation's
attention to detail should be commended. When you
walk around, you might involuntarily kick a soda can
along the way. It's the little touches such as these
that add even more depth and realism to the gaming
environments.
The
NPCs in the game that comprise your backup squad aren't
as sharp and detailed as the environment, however.
Even at 1024 x 1076 resolution, the characters' faces
are a little jagged and straight-edged.
The
HUD consists of typical FPS elements: a health and ammo
meters and a GPS to give you a sense of direction. The
front-end menus in Devastation do their job, of course,
even if they are a little bland. When you pause the
game, you're shown a map of all of the areas you've
trudged through already, along with some journal entries
from your character that describe his experiences. Unlike
some games, the journal entries aren't very long and
bothersome. They even add a little personality to your
fearless main character Eminem-lookalike.
 Gameplay,
A.I., and Control:
On
the whole, Devastation's gameplay feels a lot like
a mix of Half-Life and a team deathmatch game like
Unreal Tournament. NPCs follow you around and occasionally
set up small goals for you to achieve (i.e. getting
to a location etc.). Your HUD conveniently lets you
know what goals you need to accomplish as each level
plays out.
In
the single player, Devastation offers two modes of
play: Action and Simulation. Action-style offers a
faster-paced typical FPS experience while the Simulation
is more realistic and strategy-oriented. While you
can notice a difference in pace between the two, the
game is hardly strategic in either game mode.
This is mostly a result of poor squad management.
In
Devastation, you (supposedly) control the actions
of the characters that join you on your romps through
the hoods. You can instruct them to follow, attack,
hold, or defend. In fact, after a while, Devastation
seems to evolve from a FPS into a team deathmatch.
Only problem is, you're buddies can't follow directions
very well: Instruct them to stay put while you take
shots at something, and as soon as you start getting
attacked, here they come to get themselves shot up
too! This is a real problem because if any of your
teammates die, the game ends. No doubt, they're nice
to have on your side during the bigger firefights,
but they usually just end up feeling like a glorified
backup squad, not a tactical implement.
More
Screenshots:
 
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