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The greatest experience I have ever had in all my years of gaming. That’s right Xbox owners, in many regards it even surpasses "Halo."
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In spite of any inconsistencies, disparities, or shortcomings, Breakdown is an enormously compelling, satisfying game - one imparting a joy of discovery sorely lacking in far too many of today's biggest titles. [Apr 2004, p.88]
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A solid step forward for what a video game is capable of. If nothing else, it's definitely an attempt to do something new, and that alone is worthy of support.
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But you’re really missing the point if you pick apart every negative thing here without seeing the big picture the developers intended. There’s enough tension and thrills here to beat any Hollywood action movie you’ll see hands down.
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This is a game that breaks the mold and forces players to think, react, and interact with their environment unlike any other game to date.
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Official Xbox MagazineIt's also got the most riveting plot of any Xbox FPS to date, topping "Halo." [Apr 2004, p.78]
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For as much as I was impressed by Breakdown it’s not perfect, the gunplay is dull, but again understandable because it’s all about the fighting.
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Although I really liked Breakdown for its story and first-person implementation and grew to love the combat, some will think it’s a “niche” title with too many idiosyncrasies for a wider audience.
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It's the first person camera work that brings even this lack-luster world to life and makes up for the simple textures. The first person perspective goes beyond anything that we've ever seen in other games and brings the immersion of the experience to new levels.
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Despite some obvious flaws, Breakdown has probably had the single biggest impact on my perception of gaming since the original "Half-Life."
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A solid game. The only issue I really have with it is that it's very linear. Once you're done with it, it's not really going to get played again...Namco gets a lot of credit for trying something a little creative in a very crowded genre.
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There's so much good going for it, I can't see not recommending it as a purchase for most gamers, although the subject material and weird moments in the storyline might be a bit too off-putting for casual gamers.
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Those who persist will experience a truly breathtaking example of exceptional storytelling and original gameplay ideas. The rest will dismiss it after a few hours as not their bag and/or too hard.
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The story is very cool and definitely is a reason to keep playing the game, but could have been fleshed out a little more.
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We're not sure sure we've ever seen a more convincing first-person action-adventure quite like Breakdown. [May 2004, p.91]
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An excellent effort on the part of Namco, and is a competent title that just could have been more.
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AceGamezA groundbreaking title and surely a genre-creating one at that. It takes the immersion and realism of first person games to new levels and weaves the action into one of the best science fiction storylines yet seen in a game, with plenty of big twists before the end.
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TotalGames.netThere's something just so attention-grabbing about the game's approach to action and subject, something so intriguing about the story which makes it far more than the FPS-scrolling beat-'em-up early opinions suggested. [JPN Import]
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Breakdown is the most boring game I [Crispin] have ever played. Its pacing is just off - especially in the first half, when you dart through lame environments for too long, with nary a bulgy-veined monster to muss your hair. [May 2004, p.99]
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There are lots of buttons, doors, and items to interact with in Breakdown so you can understand how this gets frustrating. Yet, you take this all on the chin because the level design and overall artistic quality of alien beings and their worlds is high.
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In case you haven't figured it out already, the gunplay in this game sucks. However, the hand to hand combat is so good that it makes up for gunplay's faults.
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An interesting attempt to expand the limits of a tried-and-true genre - just anticipate some frustration for the awkward interface and time-consuming stretches of trial-and-error. [May 2004, p.66]
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One thing is assured: Breakdown is a new watermark in player immersion, and it's difficult to see how it will be one-upped any time soon. From start to finish, in sickness and in health, in combat or in exploration, the player experiences the world as though inside it.
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A fantastic ride, with all of the highs and lows of a classic. There are areas for improvement but these are eclipsed by a terrific story and solid game mechanics.
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The graphics are strong and shot from a realistic firstperson point of view, which adds to the disorientation while at the same time immersing you in the story.
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Where am I? What's happened here? Why can't I remember who I am? These are some of the questions you'll find yourself asking, as you begin playing Breakdown.
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Ideas aside, however, Breakdown's underlying game design is unable to bear the weight of its own innovation, so it's really just a pretty good action game that you can't help but feel could have been so much more.
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A poorly executed game with an original concept that is held back by its repetitive action and uninteresting world.
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I like that conserving ammo is the name of the game, but found that hit detection was a crap shoot - especially when you're behind cover. [Apr 2004, p.104]
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PlayboyEven noncombat activities are seen from Cole's view, whether he's eating a cheeseburger or ogling his sexy sidekick. Brilliant. [May 2004]
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Weird, sometimes wonderful, and certainly unique.
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In many ways, it is a groundbreaking title and is certainly deserving of praise for attempting to do something new, however it fails to be as good as it could have been, resulting in a game that has many fantastic parts that never form a unified whole.
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If you're looking for something that's truly revolutionary, you won't find it here, but despite Breakdown's occasionally repetitive gameplay and bland environments, it's a breath of fresh air in a genre that's fast becoming stale.
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It's just not right hating a game which tries so hard to do something fresh.
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Play MagazinePacing becomes an issue too, as you see a conveniently placed line of goodies on the ground that can literally take a minute to retrieve as you sigh, watching the animation. Same goes for opening doors. [Apr 2004, p.59]
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An admirable but stilted tilt on the age-old FPS genre. It attempts to do so many things and, perhaps purely through the power of statistics, actually nails a few.
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BoomtownIf nothing more than an interesting footnote in the evolution of gaming ideas, it would be a real shame to let this game fade into obscurity without at least coming to your own conclusion.
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Fans of run 'n' gun games and arcade-fighting titles likely will find that Breakdown is a uniquely enjoyable -- though visually dizzying -- single-player tale.
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The learning curve jumps due to the confusion the player feels while trying to get a hold of the camera and the involved combo system turn into a button masher in frenzied fights. Still, the title is worth a look.
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Breakdown was meant for a rental from start to finish, assuming you have a strong stomach to handle the first-person camera. Stick with the game and it can offer plenty of satisfying fun to accompany the initial frustration.
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On the one side, you have a horrid control scheme that forces combat to be a burden rather than a joy and makes your interaction with the environment slow and arduous. On the other side, you have one of the best presentations in any first-person shooter game ever with an uncanny immersion factor and a nicely directed story to tell.
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One huge graphical glitch in the game is that Derrick's appendages seem to penetrate enemy corpses when he's picking up items from them. All of the sudden parts of his hand seem to vanish, go through the enemy or both.
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The overuse of bland office building environments and a steep difficulty curve mar an otherwise captivating storyline and novel use of the first-person perspective.
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It’s a good game with tremendous ambition that often drags you out of an immersive experience and throws your focus on a few, flawed mechanisms of gameplay.
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Weekly Famitsu7 / 7 / 7 / 6 - 27 [Vol 798; 30 Jan 2004]
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From mindless AI to boring and generic level-design, Breakdown plays out more like a bad Schwarzenegger flick (repetitive, unfunny, and without soul) than a work of staggering genius. Yet still, this is one of those bad games I couldn't help but enjoy, even as I cursed its very existence.
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It doesn’t succeed in making you feel like you are a part of the game’s world, but rather that you are involved in a tedious and repetitive exercise over which you have very shaky control.
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The hand-to-hand combat is actually quite fun to use, which more than makes up for the mediocre gunplay you have to use early on.
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Cheat Code CentralSome aspects of the game could have been tightened up such as the storyline and the combat mechanics but I would equate this game with a trip to the country. It's a little laid back but offers you plenty of breathing room.
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While getting into a one-on-one fistfight was often quite cool, getting trapped by a horde of mindless drones was quite the opposite, making the game extremely frustrating and even cheap at times.
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Fighting multiple opponents is so difficult, gamers lacking dedication will feel like washed-out students under a demanding sensei. The story line may be pop-culture sci-fi, but the gameplay is hard-core.
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While the story is entertaining, it never takes off and soars the way it could have. It's a very generic shooter with a gimmick, but that gimmick's cool enough to last you to the end.
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It's never a good sign when adjectives such as linear, bland and dull spring to mind after a mere 2 hours behind the pad, but that's exactly what happens here. [JPN Import]
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If you're a fan of the genre, then you'll find plenty to get your teeth into, but after several hours even the most ardent fan will be forced to concede that this is by no means an original, immersive or hugely fun first-person shooter. Starts well - fades - then crumbles, if you'll pardon the pun.
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Enormous potential. However, those moments where you feel justice being done are few, and a brave mess is still, after all, a mess. [Apr 2004, p.104]
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For what is one of the few Xbox-only Japanese titles, you'd expect much more than almost featureless corridors, and only the occasional glimpses of artistic talent from Namco's team.
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games(TM)If only Namco had put a bit more variation into the actual content of the game instead of placing all the emphasis on the innovative interface, this might have been more than just a good starting point for the future. [July 2004, p.117]
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The first-person action/adventure title does a decent job of fist fights and immersing the player in a mysterious plot. But some of the first person aspects will leave you as frustrated as the protagonist.
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Breakdown is exactly what it says on the box - a game with a broken engine.
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With flat, repetitive environments and uninspiring combat, Breakdown doesn't have much to recommend it.
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That’s just about all Breakdown has going for it: a genuinely good sci-fi story. But even that gets overpowered by numerous gameplay flaws, from the unconvincing AI and crummy fragging to the boring environments and irritating pacing.
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A fairly awful experience with just a literal handful of inspired moments, and since these moments are so heavily scripted, you are better off just watching videos of it instead. [JPN Import]
Awards & Rankings
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90
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30
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#30 Most Discussed Xbox Game of 2004
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75
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#75 Most Shared Xbox Game of 2004
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User score distribution:
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Positive: 22 out of 30
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Mixed: 4 out of 30
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Negative: 4 out of 30
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Sep 21, 2014
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Sep 22, 2013
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Jul 29, 2014