*** - Since I haven't actually finished the campaigns, I'm giving Titanfall a preliminary three out of five stars simply for it's lack of storyline depth and a single-player campaign. As for gameplay, art, and design it is what I would consider par for a modern console FPS.
I've been gaming as long as video games have existed. Those of us who've played that long are not avid FPS players as, having already spent obscene amounts of time developing controller skills for games that no longer even exist, we tend to avoid games that depend on dextrous skills for complete success. We gravitate to games less demanding of finger speed and more rich in strategy, artwork, and storyline. Assassin's Creed, Fallout, or Skyrim are games that have their moments of chaotic warfare and rely on controller skills to a certain degree, but in general are more character development than gameplay. Titanfall is not like these games, at all.
Although the artwork and design is spectacular, and world size impressive, it doesn't take long before the environment starts to feel like just another battlefield arena. Rather than being a means to develop the skills to complete a storied game as in Bioshock2, arena play *is* the game for Titanfall, and despite all of Respawns efforts to keep things interesting, the game quickly stales into the familiar pattern of run-gun-retreat-rinse-repeat. Along with parkour like moves (ala "Mirrors Edge"), the Titans (ala "MechWarrior") are about the only thing that distinguish Titanfall from Call of Duty as far as I can tell. This is not entirely a bad thing as Respawn has taken the best elements of game control and movement for an intuitive, easily learned experience. Once you gone through the initial training, you'll be holding your own in your first battle within a few minutes, but you are likely to die quickly as there is little means of honing your skills prior to actual gameplay. You learn on the job.
As a first person, multiplayer shooter game goes, Titanfall is exceedingly slick. The integration of the two gameplay modes, as Pilot or Titan, is engaging and meaningful to strategy, not just some gimmick. The parkour moves as a Pilot are readily learned but, as one will find quickly, a necessary skill to perfect in order to survive.
To be fair, multi-player games are simply not my thing obviously, I play games at a much slower pace than younger gamers. Being frustrated that I haven't mastered the prerequisite "combo-moves" or manically stabbing my controller to stay alive is not gameplay for me. There are no apologies in Titanfall for lack of controller skill, like many FPS's, this is no country for old men and if you're going to play you better step it up. Titanfall is not completely ruthless when it comes to unskilled players, you can rely heavily on the abilities of your teammates to drag your carcass to the next level to avoid level-replay fever. Titanfall is engaging enough though that soon you'll find yourself trying your best help the team to succeed and move to the next campaign and in doing so your skills will improve quickly.
All in all, the technology behind Titanfall is impressive, gameplay is smooth and intuitive, design and artwork mesmerizing (especially on a 65" plasma), and AI elements noticeably unnoticable. Unsurprisingly the storyline is weak, at least so far to where I've played, but I don't think this lone detractor will influence gamer popularity. Everyone seems to know what they're getting in too when they buy it. At first I was disappointed there was no off-line campaign mode since players like myself tend to run through solo campaigns before committing to multiplayer challenges, but it doesn't take long to start enjoying Titanfall simply for what it is, a true next-gen console FPS for the masses. If this is a new experience for you, Titanfall does a great job of introduction.
Biggest surprise of the game? Stepping on enemies as a Titan is disturbingly satisfying.
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