UTV Ignition Entertainment and Zombie Inc., the developers behind America’s Army, are bringing a new meaning to downloadable gaming through a fully customizable first person online multiplayer shooter. I was able to get a hands-on demonstration at E3 2010 on the forthcoming summer release and there is potential that it could be a blockbuster hit in the low cost, downloadable market.
Blacklight: Tango Down features a bevy of modes expected of any online multiplayer shooter. They range from your standard fare: deathmatch, team deathmatch, last man standing, last team standing; to more varied modes of gameplay: domination , retrieval, and detonation. Blacklight supports a persistent match population up to 16 players per game and its never the same experience each time you play. The co-op mode proves the counterpart to the online multiplayer experience as the game becomes more of an objective based shooter, including 4 missions to complete. The gameplay is accessible in that it is instant pick up and play for anyone of skill ranging from novice to expert.
There’s been a reasonable concern among the gamer populace that online shooters have a steep learning curve due to players often winning firefights solely because of having better equipment, weaponry, and armor. Yet, the Zombie developers were aware of this from the get go and balanced the gameplay so that while everyone will level up through experience, it won’t necessarily determine a player’s victory. Instead, there is a visual indicator present that dictates how each equipment will add or detract from a person’s skills for example speed, stamina, vitality, etc. In this case, leveling up is not about unlocking new, better “uber stuff†but opening more options and variations that lead to customization.  Players won’t be confined to a specific character or skill as everything in the game is customizable to support different loadouts. Didn’t like the scope on your gun for a particular map? Switch to another custom loadout after a respawn. The customization is designed to be intuitive through this sense of mix and match.
What differentiates Blacklight from other online shooters on the market may be its unique take on the heads-up display and user interface. Keeping in tow with the imagined universe of Blacklight, the weapons technology simulates the future of real-life combat. The HRV (Hyper Reality Visor) interface in Blacklight replaces the antiquated mini map of olden day shooters and give players similar information but in a more accessible and fully integrated way into the gameplay experience. The HRV allows players to pinpoint enemies on the map and landmarks however immobilizes them from actively firing, relegating HRV to a standby tactical feature. In addition, equipment such as the visor and digi grenades help foster this immersion. The latter, for example, creates a cloud of digital scrambling that anyone who wanders into it will recieve an immediate distortion effect on their screen. It is all more important to the gameplay and story as Zombie Inc. divulged deep into “science fact†to realistically predict what modern weaponry and combat might be like in the next 25 years or so. Essentially, Blacklight attempts to bridge a middle ground between the Call of Duty’s and Halo’s.
Blacklight: Tango Down is readying up for a “Gold†completion status soon for XBLA, PSN, and PC (Games for Windows Live with achievements and matchmaking) platforms. The developers are seemingly eager to see how users will react to the online multiplayer shooter in implementing future map packs, add-ons, and downloadable content directed by their response. And we are just as eager to see how Blacklight will fare among the crowd.
