The story sees you reprise your role as Michael Ford as you chase the evil John Adams across the world through a series of conduits. Some aliens wind up crashing the party, but it never does truly escape the tired old paradigm of good versus evil. The plot in general also feels quite confused, with some odd bits of humour off-setting some more serious overtones. At any other time I’d call this narrative diversity, but in Conduit 2 it just seems like the two elements don’t really fit together all that well. The story takes you through a pleasant variety of different locations that each have a unique and satisfying art direction. Aside from this and a few impressive boss battles though, the campaign is generally quite drab. Despite a reasonable length, you’ll find Conduit 2’s single player filling this time with many repetitive and tired shooter mechanics. Expect to clear out a lot of narrow hallways and corridors, and flick numerous switches.

Some cool boss fights are the highlight of Conduit 2’s single player

The engine used throughout does feel rather generic but, for a Wii shooter, is actually quite well accomplished. There are just one or two controls elements that feel off though. The fact that your sprint and crouch actions are mapped to the same button is a bit eccentric, and having to thrust your remote to melee will never work, as it mercilessly throws your aiming reticule off-target. Thankfully, High Voltage have had the foresight to allow you to alter most of these unusual control elements through the game’s extensive control options. Wii Motion Plus support for extra control, Classic Controller support for those who hate the waggle and a variety of other sensitivity related alterations you can make based on your preferences. Should you take offence at the game’s default control scheme there’s a lot you can do to make it more suitable for your preferences, but it can take some time to nail that sweet spot. I was also annoyed by some particularly glaring omissions. Why, if there’s classic controller support, can’t I use a Gamecube controller? I may be in the minority, but I still don’t like to feel left out in my love of reusing old peripherals.

More impressively on the customization front is the amount of perks you can unlock. This can be done through credits that you earn in, both solo and, multiplayer matches. As a result you can customize your loadouts in all game modes in Conduit 2, certainly a feature worth noting. There are some distinctly disappointing choices by comparison though. The weapons for instance are all distinctly similar and, aside from a few vaguely unique alien weapons, there is nothing to separate Conduit 2’s weaponry from the legions of other FPS arsenals available on other systems. The enemies too also become tiresome and repetitive. A clever re-skin is not enough to disguise the fact that it’s the same basic enemy repeated.

The story is let down by awkward characters and dialogue

There is quite clearly a lot of content in Conduit 2 however, even if it does become tiresome. One area where it does particularly excel is in the multiplayer modes. As far as Wii shooters go, Conduit 2 offers the most fully fleshed out online experience seen in a game yet. A suite of twelve modes offers impressive variety, along with a tasty and numerous selection of maps. It is a lot of fun, and the twelve player matches often become hectic and exhilarating. I do find myself making excuses for it on account of its native platform however. Though Conduit 2 has a solid online mode, it isn’t particularly impressive or unique when compared to other contemporary titles on other systems. It definitely does a good job of creating a competitive online environment on the Wii’s unimpressive online system, but it certainly could’ve been better implemented with a more robust online infrastructure backing it.

Conduit 2’s presentation is a mixed affair. Graphically speaking the game looks nice, with some impressive motion blur and reflection effects. The problem is that it seems that High Voltage have pushed the envelope a bit too far for the Wii’s usually uninspiring graphical capabilities, resulting in several noticeable visuals glitches. Disappearing textures and flickering walls are among a series of immersion breaking problems. The sound too is problematic with some hammy voice acting and generic music poorly framing the game’s story.

Split-screen horde-style mode and multiplayer are well thought out and implemented

You’ll notice that throughout my praise of Conduit 2, I’ve normally accompanied my compliments with the phrase “for a Wii game.” Unfortunately for Conduit 2, it is a rather unsatisfying and generic shooter that is only remarkable for successfully translating the mainstays of the FPS genre to the Wii. Though there are worse games out there, there are many superior titles within the genre on other consoles. Unless you’re desperate for a shooter on the Wii, Conduit 2 is worth a miss.

This game was reviewed on the Wii.

Following the launch of Wii shooter, The Conduit 2, Sega have posted a launch trailer for the game.

Hardcore Wii gamers (all seven of you) may have just found your next fix.

High Voltage’s Chief Creative Officer Eric Nofsinge told the Official Nintendo Magazine that Conduit 2’s multiplayer mode is far better than those in GoldenEye 007 and Black Ops Wii. The MP mode in Conduit 2, according to him, is what sets the game apart from its competition and gives it an upper hand.

“What sets us apart from Black Ops is that we’re exclusive to the Wii and take advantage of the hardware,” Nofsinger told ONM. “GoldenEye, I think our multiplayer is definitely far more robust and that’s what we set out to accomplish. We offer a lot of modes. I think they did a good job with the split-screen stuff but then we offer split-screen as well.”

“We also offer a horde mode like a Gears Of War kind of thing,” he carried on. “We have an experience which allows you to collect credits and then apply them to your character, you can customise your character, there’s a perks system… It’s a very robust multiplayer system with a lot of modes and a lot of different ways you can play.”

Nofsinge even thinks the multiplayer mode in Crysis 2 is good enough to compete with many HD console titles. “I think it’s competitive with what a lot of players are used to on PC, PS3 and 360,” he said. “I think GoldenEye and Black Ops did a fair job but in those areas I think we’re best.”

Does that mean the single player campaign will be less good? Will it be given less attention? Well, we’ll have to wait and watch. Leave behind your comments on what you think of this.

[ONM]

The Conduit 2 is a first-person shooter that has upgradable perks and tons of online as well as offline modes.  The trailer below highlights the modes you can play in the game, but lists them in the blink of an eye so here are some aspects of the game you will be able to take part in. Of course there is the single-player, online multi-player battles, and off and online co-op modes. Online you can play 12 player versus and 4 player co-op. Locally you can play 4 player versus and 4 player co-op.  The Conduit 2 will be out exclusively for Nintendo Wii on April 19th, 2011.  There has also been talk about a version of The Conduit for the Nintendo 3DS.

SEGA and High Voltage Software had announced that the Limited Edition of the game is apparently only available at Gamestop.  Follow the link for more info.

Sega have just released a brand new trailer for Conduit 2 and along with that we also have a confirm release date of the game. Conduit 2 launches in Europe on 18th March and Australia on 17th March.

The release date has been pushed back from November 2 this year to Q1 of 2011. But it’s not all bad news it seems. Sega have confirmed that The Conduit 2 will also incorporate Classic Controller and Classic Controller Pro schoemes, for those few who didn’t think greatly of The Conduit’s motion sensing control scheme.

More information will be posted up as it comes.

Speaking to IGN, the developer confirmed that a total of twenty five people had been affected.

“I can confirm that High Voltage Software has reduced some of our staffing based on our current production requirements and predictions of what is needed for the remainder of 2010,” a studio representative confirmed.

“We are sad to have to say goodbye to these employees and friends, but these changes are necessary to bring our organization to a healthy operational size.”

Well, they better at least have a good game released after this. Both, The Conduit and Tournament of Legends, have been extreme disappointments, and Conduit 2 better be good. If only so that you can justify firing twenty five people out of the blue.

The game’s producer, Josh Olson, revealed that the team hasn’t decided yet.

He states: “We played around with it a lot during the development of Conduit 1 – and probably said a bit too much as we ultimately decided to not include it into the first game,”
“We’re still evaluating it for Conduit 2, but any integration wouldn’t be mandatory and would serve only to supplement the core experience. We’re first and foremost a shooter with a focus on keeping the pointer on the screen – we’re not considering any melee weapons that would make use of its added fidelity.”

If you’d like a melee combat experience, Olsen recommends to check out Ubisoft’s Red Steel 2.

Thanks VideoGamer

Firstly, the Conduit 2 will be released on the Wii and will be published by Sega, and it will take place in Atlantis.

And here are all the new details revealed by Nintendo Power:

“Right now, the plan is to have one primary suit slot and two secondary slots where you can equip upgrades, but that may change in the final game, from a purely cosmetic standpoint, you’ll have tons of options to change your character’s appearance using the same modular system the team uses to diversify enemies.

For those who prefer to keep their gun fights local, Conduit 2 will feature a two-to four-player splitscreen option for all of the game’s competitive modes. And when you want to take a break from blasting your friends and loved ones, you can team up with them in the new co-op Invasion mode.

Up to four players can join forces (either via splitscreen or online), and the challenges they’ll face are unique to this mode. Further details remain under wraps, but we always welcome the chance to eradicate some alien scum with our fellow humans.”

And here are details revealed by GoNintendo:

– Team says the first game had the player doing “the same thing over and over and over again”
– Want to do more with level design, gameplay design
– Embracing sci-fi element
– Game starts off with thunder, torrential downpour, you’re in a huge oil derrick in the middle of an ocean
– Picks up immediately after the original when you enter the portal
– Not sure where you are when you enter the portal and land in the ocean
– Derrick’s occupants begin to shoot at you
– Game will have some “big vistas and multi-tiered areas”
– Multiple paths, team wants the game “to feel bigger and give players the sense that there’s more going on”
– Sea serpent attacks the facility
– “Having those types of ‘wow’ moments is really important”
– Quantum 3 engine still being refined
– Ford continues to go through the oil derrick, fights with the leviathan one-on-one
– Have to use one of the derrick’s mounted defense targets since normal weapons won’t work
– Serpent targets you and generator that powers the turrets
– Need to find the serpent’s weak points, stun him, then impale him with a harpoon from a turret
– Game has an airborne chase scene, take control of a ship’s rear gun emplacement, shoot pursuers (one enemy type is jet pack-equipped soldiers)
– More NPCs, Ford can interact with them
– There are other aliens besides Adams around the world who control territories
– Adams has been particularly successful, wants to take over the world
– Ford needs to get the help of the other aliens
– Atlantis is the hub, portals to other areas are there
– Some freedom in terms of which stage you’ll take on next
– One mission has you going to Washington DC, need to recover important artifact from the Smithsonian
– More alien growth in the city than in the first game, Drudge and Trust still fighting there
– “AI vs. AI vs. player now”
– Will happen upon fights already taking place
– “The AI in particular has been a big focus for us. We really want the enemies to come across as intelligent. In the first game, they just sit there waiting for you to show up. This time, we want it to feel like a living environment, like everyone was doing something before you got there.”
– Interactive elements in the environment (stuff moves, objects break, enemy knocks over soda machine for cover)
– Wider variety of hostiles, some specific to a location
– Atlantis: 30-foot-tall Guardians
– Siberia: Robotic wolves
– Differences between human soldiers, can carry any weapon (affects AI)
– SEGA/High Voltage will be holding a contest: Can get your name/face on a Missing Person flier or a Wanted poster
– 18 firearms from the original
– Have to tune the Phase Rifle by twisting Wiimote
– Deployable Turret: Set it down, control it with handheld display, can pull the trigger and have it autoaim or target manually
– Regarding the AsE: “…more puzzles and hacking minigames. It’s also a bit more of a detective tool now, we’re trying to put a lot more conspiracy objects and secrets in the environments to give you more reasons to use the ASE. Once you’ve scanned an object, you’ll be able to learn more about it in the game’s new data log. So it really plays into us trying to tell a deeper story.”
– ASE tied to Atlantis
– Using the ASE, can have a bit of control over the Guardians
– 12 players online
– due out this fall

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