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[A Human Becoming]

TITLE The Conduit
PLATFORM Nintendo Wii
GENRE First Person Shooter
PUBLISHER SEGA
DEVELOPER High Voltage Software
RELEASE DATE / RATING
USA June 23, 2009 / Teen
Europe July 10, 2009 / 16+
Australia July 10, 2009 / M
Japan ??? / ???

GAMESTOP EXCLUSIVE LIMITED EDITION (Oh boy!)

The Limited Edition includes:

• 24-Page art book featuring exclusive concept art and digital imagery sharing the creative process in bringing the world of The Conduit to life.
• The in-game “All Seeing Eye” (A.S.E.) Device featuring custom detailing and projected light. Allowing you to unlock puzzles and discover the secrets of The Conduit.
• “Secret Agent” Multiplayer skin which helps you dominate your enemies in intense multiplayer battles.

STORY

The Conduit takes place in the near future, as Washington, D.C. is shaken by several unusual and tragic incidents. A mysterious flu-like virus known as "the Bug" has swept across the region through local water sources, resulting in high-security locations being left understaffed as government workers are afflicted. Months after the initial outbreak, an alleged terrorist attack destroys part of the Washington Monument, and on September 11, a senator is killed by another terrorist cell reportedly disguised as members of her staff, greatly heightening local and national tensions. Most alarmingly, an assassination attempt on the President of the United States occurs only weeks after the previous attacks, carried out by the president's own Secret Service detail. Following these events, a secretive organization known as the Trust realizes that the capital has become the epicenter for an extraterrestrial attack by an alien race identified as the Drudge. Sent to stop the onslaught, Trust agent Michael Ford must overcome the onslaught of the Drudge and the virus-infected humans under the Drudge's control, as well as a group of traitorous Trust agents that actively support the invasion.

GAME MECHANICS

The Conduit is a first person shooter made from the ground up for the Wii using High Voltage's Quantum 3 engine which was heavily upgraded. The Conduit supports both widescreen, 480p and Wii Speak. The soundtrack was composed in part by Rick Nielsen, the lead guitarist in the rock band Cheap Trick. The single-player campaign has 9 missions that has been estimated to be 10 hours long. The game allows you to customize the controls to play exactly the way you want. Modifications can be made for the bounding box, sensitivity, HUD layout and more. The Conduit has won several awards including Best Shooter Game of E3 2008 (Wii), Best Graphics Technology of E3 2008 (Wii), and Best Overall Wii Game of E3 2008 by IGN. GameTrailers also gave the game Best Wii Game of E3 2008.

The All-Seeing Eye is a tool in the game used to solve puzzles, detect hidden traps and enemies scattered throughout a level, and reveal secret features in the environment that can help the player to progress, such as uncovering invisible doors and platforms and other interactive objects.

MULTIPLAYER

Multiplayer in The Conduit features 13 competitive multiplayer modes for online play, with 7 different maps and 18 weapons to choose from. Multiplayer modes include standard deathmatch and team-based modes. In "Free for All" category modes, each player is independent and can attack any other player to score. In the "Marathon" mode, players must score as many kills as possible within a time limit. Other "Free for All" modes include "Three Strikes," which limits players to only three lives per match; "ASE Football," where the player who captures and holds the All-Seeing Eye device the longest wins; and "Bounty Hunter," which involves each player hunting a specific opposing player and receiving penalties if the wrong player is targeted. Team-based modes, under the "Team Reaper" category, focus on cooperation between players to achieve a specified goal. "Marathon" can be played with teams in "Team Reaper," and a "shared-stock" option can be activated which forces the players in each team to draw from one limited pool of lives. "Team Objective" is a capture the flag-like mode where each team must find and capture an ASE more times than the opposing team to win.

The online multiplayer supports up to 12 players simultaneously. When seeking an online match, the player can choose playlists with randomly-selected players from locally or around the world, or with players who have exchanged friend codes. Maps for the multiplayer are taken from places seen in the campaign, but are redesigned to better suit the different multiplayer modes. Voice chat for the online multiplayer is included through implementation of the Wii Speak peripheral, and is available only between players who have traded friend codes. While in a Free for All match, players will only be able to hear the six other players closest to them on a level. The developer stated that the decision was made in order to cut down on the substantial amount of noise created by 12 players speaking at once.

MEDIA

The Commercial
Control Customization
E3 2009 Trailer (Off-Screen)
Singleplayer
Singleplayer (Off-Screen)
Multiplayer (Off-Screen)
Multiplayer (Off-Screen)

CUSTOM CONTROLS

Here are custom control layouts made by other NeoGAF members!

CONCLUSION

Don't expect The Conduit to compete with other first person shooters on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Instead, anticipate a fun Wii game that more effort has put into it then other third-party Wii titles. Don't disregard it because of High Voltage's track record.

So in essence, BELIEVE!

REVIEWS

Nintendo Power 8.0

Pros
-large amount of customization
-good weapon selection
-Intriguing locals (Library of Congress, Pentagon, etc.)
-“platform defining online play”
-Bounty Hunter mode
-best pure first person shooter on the Wii

Cons
-story is rote
-enemy AI fails to impress
-little innovation to speak of (outside if the controls)
-level of detail in the environment can be inconsistent at times
-no destructible environments
-The “All Seeing Eye” is a cool idea but underutilized
-the abrupt, Halo-esque ending (hints at a sequel?)

Official Nintendo Magazine UK 76

-varied, enjoyable weaponry
-darting, nippy plot pacing.
-repetitive
-dodgy grenade mechanic.
-Nowhere near classic status, but is a welcome companion to Metroid Prime: Corruption.

IGN 8.6

Closing COmments

It's not revolutionary, but the Conduit is a great first-person shooter designed just for Wii owners. While the game does not turn the genre upside-down, it is innovative in certain areas -- for example, it features the most customizable, precise and enjoyable controls of any console shooter created, hands down. Meanwhile, the technology powering the experience is leaps and bounds ahead of most third- party offerings for Nintendo's system. Combined, you've got a game that controls flawlessly and looks great. If you're okay with a few presentational cliches -- a story involving aliens that seems played out -- and a shooting experience that rarely strays from straightforward running and gunning, you're probably going to love the end product. If, on the other hand, you own another system, nothing The Conduit offers, fantastic controls aside, will seem extraordinary. Supposing you are a single console owner, though, High Voltage's shooter not only delivers a fun single-player quest, but an engaging online mode that will keep you fragging complete with WiiSpeak support for months to come.

GamePro 3.5/5

Faulty controls and an utterly confusing story hamper down what could've been an otherwise fantastic title, but even with its shortcomings, The Conduit serves as a fun, interesting take on the FPS genre for the Wii.

GamesRadar 8

You'll love

* A Wii game with challenging difficulty
* Incredible roster of online options
* Customizable everything

You'll hate

* The bland environments online and off
* Talented voice cast squandered on ho-hum plot

Gametrailers 7.8

The Conduit deserves credit for getting the most important stuff right. In spite of the disappointing single-player campaign, it delivers as a shooter on the strength of its multiplayer component. The Wii finally has a competitive FPS worthy of spending time with. All it needs now are some willing fighters to help it thrive.

1up C+

Online may come off a little crude by modern standards, but its raw, run-and-shoot action taps a nostalgic sense from back in the early days of playing PC shooters online. In the heat of this action, The Conduit comes closest to realizing its aspirations to become the first epic shooter for the Wii. By comparison, the best moments in single-player only highlight the missed potential for The Conduit to be more than the rather ordinary game it turned out to be.

DEALS

Toys"R"Us is having a deal until June 27th, 2009 where if you buy from a select group of games, including The Conduit, you get 60% off one of the following:

Xbox 360
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Prince of Persia
WWE: Legends of WrestleMania
Street Fighter IV
Bionic Commando

Wii
Animal Crossing: City Folk
Rayman Raving Rabids: TV Party

THANKS

Wikipedia for text
IGN, Gametrailers and Digital Chumps for video
High Voltage Software for screenshots and header
grandjedi6 for Nintendo Power review summary
doomed1 for suggestions for improvement
Cow Mengde for two screenshots

GAF FRIEND CODES

Check out The Conduit Multiplayer Meet-up Thread!

 

[markatisu]

You sir are awesome!

Have this completely paid off at Gamestop, have my Wii Speak installed. Cannot wait!

 

[abstract alien]

*cracks knuckles*

 

[Emotions]

Xbox and Sony fanboys will infest the thread with the Halo protect hive and it will derail into Wii has no good 3rd party games debate again.
I would have liked to discuss and hear constructive opinions about it instead of a full of trolls thread.

Thread title should have been different , IMO.

 

[Cow Mengde]

No offense, TC, but you could have picked MUCH better looking screens than that.

Xbox and Sony fanboys will infest the thread with the Halo protect Hive and it will derail into Wii has no good 3rd party games debate again.

Thread title should have been different , IMO.

Yeah, that too.

 

[Wollan]

Greatest thread title.

I'm kinda interested in picking this up. It definitely seems like the Wii FPS de facto standard and benchmark title. I also hear everything about the control aspect is fully customizable so we can test the Wii controller to the max (from a pointer perspective).

Good job on the op.

 

[A Human Becoming]

Thread title should have been different , IMO.

I had trouble coming up with a thread title. I considered going simple with "The Official Conduit thread of The Conduit" or "The Official Conduit thread of believing in High Voltage". I thought the title was witty, but if it does cause problems it can be changed.

No offense, TC, but you could have picked MUCH better looking screens than that.

TC? I used screenshots directly from High Voltage. I figured HV would want them used to represent the game.

 

[Wario64]

You got some balls

 

[strikeselect]

This will not end well.

 

[markatisu]

I had trouble coming up with a thread title. I considered going simple with "The Official Conduit thread of The Conduit" or "The Official Conduit thread of believing in High Voltage". I thought the title was witty, but if it does cause problems it can be changed.

You could have use The Official Conduit thread of 2 update videos" or whatever we were using for months before because mods would not change the title

TC? I used screenshots directly from High Voltage. I figured they would be the ones they want to represent the game.

I do not think good screenshots exist, almost all The Conduit ones are pretty bad compared to in motion video.

 

[Dabookerman]

That thread title is a bad idea.

 

[schuelma]

Yeah excellent choice with the thread title. Sure to discourage off topic discussions on how the Conduit measures up to hi def FPS's.

Well done

 

[Ysiadmihi]

...guess I'll have to find another place to discuss this game.

 

[GhostSeed]

:lol @ the thread title.

I didn't even know about special edition version.

 

[[Nintex]]

Should've put in a 56k/Wii internet browser warning with those gifs.

Also there's a seperate thread for NeoGAF friendcodes.

 

[ChoklitReign]

The soundtrack was composed in part by Rick Nielsen, the lead guitarist in the rock band Cheap Trick.

Multiplayer in The Conduit features 13 competitive multiplayer modes for online play

I am so getting this.

 

[ghst]

Yeah excellent choice with the thread title. Sure to discourage off topic discussions on how the Conduit measures up to hi def FPS's.

i take it you don't mean halo then.

 

[ZealousD]

Don't expect The Conduit to compete with other first person shooters on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Instead, anticipate a fun Wii game that more effort has put into it then other third-party Wii titles.

This is probably the saddest couple of sentences I've ever seen in an OP.

Spoiler

I have a Wii and third parties comprise just over half of my Wii library

 

[Dabookerman]

Should've put in a 56k/Wii internet browser warning with those gifs.

I never did get that. Wouldn't it make more sense to put a 256mb Ram warning instead. I mean slow internet won't fuck up your computer, but shitty ram will ;p

 

[A Human Becoming]

Should've put in a 56k/Wii internet browser warning with those gifs.

Also there's a seperate thread for NeoGAF friendcodes.

I tried to make them as small as possible, except for the last one.

There is a separate thread, but someone recommended I list them here anyways.

 

[Of All Trades]

Xbox and Sony fanboys will infest the thread with the Halo protect hive and it will derail into Wii has no good 3rd party games debate again.
I would have liked to discuss and hear constructive opinions about it instead of a full of trolls thread.

Actually if history has shown us anything, the majority of trolling will be Nintendo psychofans posting made-up trolls (or ones from other message boards I guess) and then railing against them. Then they'll talk about sales-age because they need something to do while waiting for The Conduit to come out. Then they'll attack review sites that don't score the game high enough, saying that the reviews don't like up with positive impressions (ignoring the known issue of previews being untrustworthy), or that there's a media bias, or some other paranoid conspiracy.

In the end all the sane people who would like to discuss the game (both positively and negatively) will be driven off by people accusing them of "not getting it" or being "hardlycores" or "incapable of having fun/joy/FEELINGS".

 

[Dabookerman]

Does this game have matchmaking?

Then they'll attack review sites that don't score the game high enough, saying that the reviews don't like up with positive impressions (ignoring the known issue of previews being untrustworthy), or that there's a media bias, or some other paranoid conspiracy.

THEY JUST DIDN'T GET IT!

 

[Cow Mengde]

TC? I used screenshots directly from High Voltage. I figured they would be the ones they want to represent the game.

TC = Topic Creator

High Voltage never released any bullshots so all the ones from IGN will do.

Here's a better gun image. I love giant laser beams. I always did have a soft spot for the laser in Contra...

Also, I'm surprised no one gif the head shot footage from a few days ago.

 

[gregor7777]

You guys really think Halo fans are going to come up in here and shit up the thread because of the title? I doubt it.

Nice OP. I'll be getting this. I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised, gven I don't have too much optimism about the online.

 

[markatisu]

Nice OP. I'll be getting this. I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised, gven I don't have too much optimism about the online.

Are you kidding, if anything the online is the most solid aspect of the game (outside of controls).

 

[laserbeam]

Does this game have matchmaking?



THEY JUST DIDN'T GET IT!

When seeking an online match, the player can choose playlists with randomly-selected players from locally or around the world, or with players who have exchanged friend codes. Voice chat for the online multiplayer will be included through implementation of the Wii Speak peripheral, and is available only between players who have traded friend codes.

While in a Free for All match, players will be able to hear the six other players closest to them on a level. The developer stated that the decision was made in order to cut down on the substantial amount of noise created by 12 players speaking at once.

 

[gregor7777]

Are you kidding, if anything the online is the most solid aspect of the game (outside of controls).

I'm more concerned with the platform truth be told. Haven't played any online Wii games yet but I've heard talk about 40 digit nonsensical screen names and whatnot which makes me apprehensive.

Will it have party systems and the like? Invites of some kind?

I'm glad it has voice chat. I'll have to look up this Wii speak thing.

 

[A Human Becoming]

TC = Topic Creator

High Voltage never released any bullshots so all the ones from IGN will do.

Here's a better gun image. I love giant laser beams. I always did have a soft spot for the laser in Contra...



[IMG]
[/QUOTE]

Edited your two images in. If you think there are any other better ones, just PM me links. I already thanked you in the OP.

 

[RichardAM]

ICallItFutile
Member
(Today, 09:34 PM)
Reply | Quote

 

[Arde5643]

I'm more concerned with the platform truth be told. Haven't played any online Wii games yet but I've heard talk about 40 digit nonsensical screen names and whatnot which makes me apprehensive.

Will it have party systems and the like? Invites of some kind?

I'm glad it has voice chat. I'll have to look up this Wii speak thing.

The way you'll be adding in friends codes in here is pretty much like how you would do it for XBL or PSN.

Find a friend, add them in, and the friends codes is automatically saved.


Hopefully Ninty will start using this method for online venues.

 

[markatisu]

I'm more concerned with the platform truth be told. Haven't played any online Wii games yet but I've heard talk about 40 digit nonsensical screen names and whatnot which makes me apprehensive.

Will it have party systems and the like? Invites of some kind?

I'm glad it has voice chat. I'll have to look up this Wii speak thing.

The Conduit uses system codes which are 16 digit codes. I am not sure if you can invite people or not (though you can in earlier WFC games like Guitar Hero, Mario Kart and Smash Bros) because I have not seen the WFC menu.

But if you just want to play random people there is that option and there is a specific thread to add GAF system codes to play with the rest of us.

 

[Cow Mengde]

Edited your two images in. If you think there are any other better ones, just PM me links. I already thanked you in the OP.

I just posted them for fun and to contribute.

Have this completely paid off at Gamestop, have my Wii Speak installed. Cannot wait!

You can buy Wii Speak separately, right? How much does it cost?

 

[Ysiadmihi]

I'm more concerned with the platform truth be told. Haven't played any online Wii games yet but I've heard talk about 40 digit nonsensical screen names and whatnot which makes me apprehensive.

No friend codes for this game. And you don't need friend codes to play online Wii games with strangers. I played tons of World at War on Wii without registering more than 3 friend codes.

Edit: Oh it does use friend codes for friends? I heard otherwise

 

[TheExodu5]

Awesome thread title. :lol

 

[markatisu]

You can buy Wii Speak separately, right? How much does it cost?

$24

Edit: Oh it does use friend codes for friends? I heard otherwise

No it uses the Wii system code if you want to specifically add people and not just add them from matchmaking

 

[Barrett2]

I like the Masonry symbol in the story gif. That combined with squid on White House = awesome.

 

[BrodiemanTTR]

Should have been "Official The Conduit Thread of Scott Summers Jedi Training."

 

[PusherT]

Conduit Mutiplayer looks sweet got my Gamestop LE paid in full, my Wii code is 6684-6000-3933-1319. This will be the conduit meet up FC thread too right. That Deatomizer gun is pretty sick in this game.

 

[[Nintex]]

that LE is also available in Europe

 

[Arde5643]

Conduit Mutiplayer looks sweet got my Gamestop LE paid in full, my Wii code is 6684-6000-3933-1319. This will be the conduit meet up FC thread too right. That Deatomizer gun is pretty sick in this game.

Go here for the Conduit FC thread: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=364687

 

[CTLance]

Heh, that thread title is ballsy, and tongue-in-cheek. I appreciate the little Reggie jab, even if it means the thread might suffer for it.

I sure hope Play.com doesn't let me down. I want that damn game.

 

[GrotesqueBeauty]

Do you think Ray-Ban paid off the lead character designer?

 

[laserbeam]

Multiplayer Footage Pt. 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kiIzPmkJoU

Multiplayer Footage Pt. 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlzgG0B9p2I

 

[EazyB]

Love the thread title :lol

Game hasn't really grabbed my attention but hope it begins a trend of compelling shooters on the Wii.

 

[Darklord]

I just can't see this selling a ton. I hope I'm wrong though.

 

[Disguises]

I think the friend code system works like mario kart: Yes, you do have a seperate friend code, but if you register people under your wii address book then u can send an invite for them to accept which automatically registers each other? So no typing out any extra numbers on top of the Wii system codes. Nintendo could have made this a bit less confusing though tbh.

 

[J-Rock]

WTF at thread title. Damn you to hell Reggie.

 

[Mkliner]

I just can't see this selling a ton. I hope I'm wrong though.

It depends on the marketing

 

[Annoying Old Party Man]

Nice thread title :lol


By the way, Play has some cool speakers as an offer with the game.

 

[Fuu]

What a title. :lol