WinBack 2: Project Poseidon

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WinBack 2: Project Poseidon
Developer(s)	cavia, inc.
Publisher(s)	Koei
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, Xbox
Release date	2006 2007 Australia
Genre(s)	Third-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Media	DVD

Winback 2: Project Poseidon is the sequel to WinBack. Despite the high popularity of the later title, Project Poseidon was labeled as a rather disappointing follow-up by many publications.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Plot

A rogue US Special Forces unit dubbed "Black Hand" has joined forces with a terrorist group called "The Minutemen". They have taken control of a vast nuclear arsenal in a top secret military installation at sea and seized the activation codes for a weapon known only as "Project Poseidon". The fate of the world hangs by a thread, and a few ticks of the clock means the difference between justice and annihilation. The player controls one of 2 of 3 CRT (Crisis Response Team) members. Lead by CO Jack Walcott, the new Winback assault team is comprised of three young, yet combat-proven operatives led by Craig Contrell. Each team member is qualified in six different weapon types and highly-adept at CQC (Close Quarter Combat). The player's objective is to complete 30 missions of action, strategy, stealth, rescuing, escorting and various types of essential goals to stopping the terrorists.

[edit] Gameplay

The player does not have unlimited pistol ammunition, like in Winback. Various weapons are found either on a character from the beginning or from arrested enemies in the form of a machinegun, sniper rifle, grenades, claymores and so on.

Besides the graphical update and new cast of characters, the major feature newly implemented into this game from the original Winback is playing as two different characters per level. The player operates as a Route A person and a Route B person, e.g. Craig and Mia, Nick and Craig etc. The partner in Route A offers a supporting role to the main partner in Route B, to unlock doors and assist in eliminating enemies for their benefit. After finishing each level for the first time, the player goes through it a second time as your partner. Rankings ranging from A-D are given at the end of the level based on Time (time taken to finish a stage), Arrests (the number of hostiles taken into custody rather than simply killed) and CRT Points (these work as a points-based health system as well as being awarded to the player for rescuing hostages/helping your partner on the parallel route).

[edit] Reception

Despite steady sales for the game and core elements of the gameplay staying close to the original, the 'Route' based system of gameplay for Winback 2 has been greatly criticised by many game reviewers, stating that the process becomes drawn-out, tiresome, and even annoying in the later stages.

In particular, The review from GameTrailers was particularly harsh on the lack of fun they derived from both the multiplayer and the random deaths of the 30-level single player campaign, awarding the game a score of 4.7 out of 10. [1]