Inversion

 Xbox 360
Metascore
53

Mixed or average reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 37 out of 51
  3. Negative: 12 out of 51
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  1. Gaming Nexus
    Jun 20, 2012
    42
    Inversion is yet another derivative third-person shooter with a gimmick. This time around you control gravity in the most limited way possible. Although there are plenty of strong moments, the game is ultimately brought back down to earth with the never ending cinemas, repeating bosses, ugly graphics and frustrating level designs!
  2. GameCritics
    Aug 13, 2012
    40
    It's been about a week since I finished Inversion, and I've already forgotten most of what happened in it. There were two plot twists that were mildly interesting and a couple of cool uses of the gravity powers, but as a whole the game is strangely lifeless. Most of the time, Inversion was boring me, and when it wasn't doing that, it was frustrating me.
  3. IncGamers
    Jul 17, 2012
    40
    Impressive tech undermined by generic level design and a complete disregard for providing something unique.
  5. Eurogamer Spain
    Jul 11, 2012
    40
    Uninspired, unambitious and lacking in personality, Inversion is a grey game that we can't recommend.
  6. Gamereactor Sweden
    Jul 6, 2012
    40
    All brown, all muscle Gears of War-copycat with painfully bad story and generic gameplay.
  7. Joystiq
    Jun 18, 2012
    40
    Inversion is so generic that I'd sooner recommend just about any other of gaming's numerous cover-based shooters ahead of it – especially since its anti-gravity mechanic barely even factors into the grand scheme of things.
  8. GameSpot
    Jun 8, 2012
    40
    Inversion isn't clever in the slightest. It's about as trite as a shooter can get, and its attempts to jazz things up with gravity-based antics come across as a jumbled mess, rather than as the clever invention it so badly wants them to be. Inversion is a third-rate knockoff full of cheap thrills, subpar acting, and a hefty dose of cheese--fun for a B-movie-style evening of masochistic punishment, but like most guilty pleasures, it's probably best to keep this one to yourself.
  9. DarkStation
    Aug 3, 2012
    30
    Regrettably, it amounts to a barely-competent shooter with an off-putting aesthetic, ludicrous plot, gimmicky hook, and a frustrating tendency to repeat its boss-battles more than a JRPG.
  10. GameWatcher
    Jul 17, 2012
    30
    It's never satisfying to condemn any game but it's hard not to with Inversion. There are glimmers of nice ideas within, but the water is too muddied to see them clearly. All that's left is a bunch of mechanics that we've all seen before, and better implemented elsewhere.
  11. Metro GameCentral
    Jul 13, 2012
    30
    Combat and storytelling are boring beyond belief, but what's worst about Inversion is that you can sense the far more interesting game it could've been just beneath the surface.
  12. XboxAddict
    Jun 17, 2012
    30
    By the time I got near the end of the game I was more ready for it to end than I was looking forward to an intriguing ending.
  13. Quarter to Three
    Jun 11, 2012
    20
    Inversion drinks deeply from the Gears of War well, including the same basic combat model, the same generic space marines, and the same overwrought investment in its own bad story. But there's none of Gears' heft or kick. Instead, Inversion has that lightweight feel usually reserved for the first level of a game before you get the useful weapons.

Awards & Rankings

94
#94 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012
84
#84 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2012

User Reviews

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User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 78 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 78
  2. Mixed: 31 out of 78
  3. Negative: 16 out of 78
  1. Xborn74
    Jun 7, 2012
    7
    Inversion is a new 3rd person Shooter by Namco-Bandai that involves the classic shooter gameplay with a gravity manipulation of the scenariosInversion is a new 3rd person Shooter by Namco-Bandai that involves the classic shooter gameplay with a gravity manipulation of the scenarios ans structures,
    that although said to be innovative, we have already seen it, in games like Fracture and Deep Black.

    The game's story tells of a town (Vanguard) that is invaded by a savage alien race called the Lutadore that use technology to manipulate gravity sites that attack and spread chaos. Are you a police officer, and together with your partner Leo, are facing is the threat and at the same time trying rescue your daughter Leila, who was kidnapped. Despite the short story core, I liked the way the story progresses, and gets to hold my attention.

    The game's graphics are good, overall: the highlight is the scenery and effects of destruction and fragmentation, with the cumulative damage (you can destroy
    cover structures) and anti-gravity effects scenes, that have very good detailing, along with good general details, like bullets in the walls and characteristics of the characters (Especially in cut-scenes). Overall the Havok Destruction engine, used in the game seemed very good, and does a great
    work.

    The lighting effects and gravitational effects were very well done, and despite the game doesn't have a top-notch polishing to every detail, there is a great attention to details of the stages overall. The design of Lutadore recalls a mix of Gears of War with Borderlands.

    Regarding the audio, the game features a sound-track of generic action games, which suits it and gives the general mood of the game. The general performances
    are good and so are the sound effects.

    The gameplay is based on the traditional 3rd person shooters, with the touch of gravity manipulation, for which you use an alien device: to be able to manipulate objects, you need find charge units, and you can choose between positive or negative gravity fields, alternating this by pressing the RS.

    With this you can levitate objects or enemies, or make them fall into the ground and become slower, also you can manipulate the environment, create structures to cover and use objects (or enemies) lifted with the LB to be thrown at targets. The rest of the game is the usual: they use different structures for cover, going through checkpoints with your partner, and using various weapons and experiencing occasional bosses. The stages are interesting due to the chaos effects generated by the gravity.

    The gameplay has some downfalls: the protagonist movement it's not very fluid, and some controller commands issues, such as the A button used to multiple things as running, cover and out of the cover (and there are not options to configure buttons) - another command that I didn't like is the use of LT, that usually serves to aim, but unlike other games, once pressed, you just get out of the aim mode by pressing it again, not letting it go, a thing that annoys a little in the action parts.

    The multiplayer has two forms, both online or via System Link: the coop, conducted the campaign with a friend, and competitive, with several known "mainsteam" modes. The campaign in Coop is nice when playing along with a friend, and the competitive modes have the differential of the gravity, which makes it interesting at least.

    I can sum up the game as a mix of Gears of War with Fracture, but without a great shooter mechanics and controls, but despite the flaws in such points, it presents interesting and very detailed graphics and quite nice general effects. This shooter may be not a AAA, but it surprised me and exceeded the expectations I had about the game, and I think it's worth to be played by those who enjoy a good 3rd person shooter, particularly in Coop.    … Full Review »
  2. FatherDoom
    Jun 5, 2012
    9
    I knew this game was going to get crappy reviews because of its familiarity. GOW rip off they'll say, but cover shooters have been around longI knew this game was going to get crappy reviews because of its familiarity. GOW rip off they'll say, but cover shooters have been around long before GOW. I like this game not because of its differences but it does feel familiar, and its a compelling story. Just like other cover shooters it has solid mechanics cool weapons and lots of gore. The drawbacks are Max Frustration 3 type problems. Short action sequences followed with cutscenes. Also the main character has got the worst head of hair I've ever seen. Note to all developers allowing the player to walk while advancing the story is better than a cutscene.… Full Review »
  3. BADGUYSKI
    Jun 8, 2012
    1
    They promised local co-op play and even sent me an email that it was included the day before release...i preordered and no local co-opThey promised local co-op play and even sent me an email that it was included the day before release...i preordered and no local co-op play.......these companies have to stop misleading us about this
    ghost recon fs did the same thing but they sent an apology.
    i want my money back as this was for me and my wife 2 play
    ign and co-optimus also had 2 pull the local co-op promise that they stated as they were fooled as well    … Full Review »
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