The Saboteur
He's just like any other man, only more so
World War II has, according to some critics, been quite literally 'done to death' by recent video game releases; despite which, Pandemic and EA see fit to be embarking on yet another foray into the most recent 'total war' found in the chapters of history, this time as part of an action-adventure experience, complete with a cinematically inspired narrative and open-world elements. It also looks lovely, as a recent demonstration behind closed doors revealed to us.
One of the ways in which Pandemic hope to make this a wholly different WWII tale is by leaving the ravages of the frontline behind, and focussing on the resistance movement instead. As such, much of the game will play out in occupied Paris, and instead of a British, American or occasionally Russian soldiers, we'll instead be entering the somewhat less conventional shoes of Sean Devlin, an Irish racing driver who finds himself trapped on continental Europe as the war intensifies.
Devlin doesn't take sides in the initial conflict (Ireland's role as a nation was mostly ambiguous), but he finds himself within Nazi Germany with the war beginning, and he vows to return to France and the home of his racing mentor. When a friend is murdered, Devlin can no longer tolerate the Nazi presence in France, and he vows to work with British Intelligence and the French Resistance to defy the invading forces.
The game will play out across four Acts, and while the setting and gameplay are 'inspired' by history, The Saboteur won't be about realism in the same way as other notable WWII titles. Rather, this is an experience of a more personal kind, Pandemic hoping the game can offer an entirely fresh view of the conflict. As such for much of the game we'll be offered a sandbox world in which to play. Sean can use his rather swanky racing car to negotiate the narrow lines of 40s France, and the on-screen map functions rather similarly to GTA IV's; pointing out landmarks, missions, et al.
Given the importance of plot, however, the game does promise certain more tightly controlled set-pieces, bottle-knecks as it were, through which key elements of the story will play out. During these you'll find yourself trying to accomplish certain objectives, and while the environment is at your disposal, the main choices open to you will revolve around whether to use stealth tactics or to go in all guns blazing. During one segment we see Sean attempting to infiltrate a Nazi base. As Zeppelins soar overhead, he takes out guards through a mixture of sneaking and bare-knuckle brawling, until he steals a gun and the fight intensifies.
The aesthetics of The Saboteur are of full of iconic imagery. Zeppelins, swastikas, landmarks of Paris, and more combining to offer a series of picture postcard views of WWII. This is Indiana Jones, if you will, and while it isn't subtle, it looks never to be short of visual stimulation. Part of this cinematic style are the black-and-white regions of the game world, these areas representing the most heavily oppressed.
Not only does this styling enhance the Casablanca-esque look of the title, but it also serves as a valuable part of the sandbox gameplay, Sean able to 'liberate' these dour scenes by slowly doing away with the trappings of Nazi propaganda: banners, loudspeakers, guards. Once an area has been cleared of these tools of oppression, Okami-like colour will return, and the populous will go back to their normal lives. It all seems to sit together rather well; the black-and-white areas are all brooding, film noir inspired atmosphere, while when colour is restored Paris in particular really shines, showing off the full clout of Pandemic's open-world Odin game engine that boasts some hefty draw distances.
A dynamic cover system will come in handy too, this working automatically so as to ensure our hero Sean always looks the part, according to the developers. During one exciting sequence we were shown, Sean escapes across the German border into France, following country lanes to his old mentor's home; while the war rages all around. French locals desperately fight losing battles with the invading forces, while overhead squadrons of bombers rumble towards Paris. It really is quite an arresting scene.
Once you're in Paris (where more than sixty per cent of the action will unfold), your role as an explosives expert - the titular 'saboteur' - should really come to life, Devlin taking on a range of dangerous and secretive missions to make the Nazi occupation less comfortable. During one segment we're shown, Sean has to make his way across the Parisian rooftops, using a sniper gun to take out Nazis guarding an enormous gun - which will be tested imminently. If you're an eagle-eyed sharp-shooter, you can use the sniper gun to kill the scientist working on the gun before it can be tested, otherwise you'll simply need to take greater risks to take out the guards and reach him more quickly.
Once again, iconic elements on offer include Nazi flamethrowers, which explode in gloriously cinematic fashion when punctured by bullets. You'll also be able to use a rocket launcher on incoming Zeppelin, another favourite with our chuckling tour guide. With the districts of Paris brought to life in compact fashion, the city should make for a fascinating open-world to explore; from the cabaret of Mont Matre to the Eifel Tower itself and everything in between.
Combine all this style and freedom with an unusual premise and a unique-sounding plot, and The Saboteur could well be something of a treat when it eventually reaches us. The Great Escape certainly never looked so appealing.
The Saboteur will be released on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 before 2009 is out.
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