XIII PlayStation 2
XIII Image
Metascore
73 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 37 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 24 Ratings

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  • Summary: The President of the United States of America has been assassinated. You wake up on a desolate strip of New England beach. The near-fatal impact of a bullet has left your head pounding, and your memory erased. What's more, the number "XIII" has been mysteriously tattooed on your chest, while your pocket holds a key to a New York City bank box. Head swimming in amnesia, you struggle to your feet only to encounter more assailants intent on finishing the job. To your shock, you handle the hitmen with the killing skills of a professional - before heading to the bank in search of any shred of information about your lost identity and your involvement in the President's murder. What lies ahead is a deadly quest not only into your shadowy past, but America's darkest corridors of power. [Ubi Soft]… Collapse

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 37
  3. Negative: 0 out of 37
  1. GamePro
    100
    A truly dazzling, inspired game that mixes a riveting story with a stylish look and absorbing gameplay.
  2. Next Level Gaming
    85
    First and foremost, you're going to get your hands on some cracker-jack weaponry, both firearm and silent. Each weapon has a standard and secondary fire, which depending on the weapon is pretty cool.
  3. Armchair Empire
    74
    This was, overall, a well put together game but the AI is one of the things that could have been much better instead of the simple just standing around and shooting things.
  4. GameShark
    74
    There's no denying that the game's presentation overall is pretty cool and that once you get past the game's minor design and gameplay issues it can be a lot of fun.

See all 37 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. DudeH.
    10
    I thought this game was one of the best PS2 games made. I found the gameplay to be fun, and the visuals engaging enough to make me want to see what was next. The reason I give it a 10 is because it also had great online play.… Expand
  2. StevenG.
    10
    My favourite game of all time.
  3. BrianB.
    8
    It has a really cool look to it. The gameplay is fairly average for a FPS. It was fun, and had a good story, but I was actually more impressed with the Bond-esque bonus games like deathmatch and capture the flag. At a $7 used price, I'd recommend it in a second!… Expand
  4. drlowdon
    7
    XIII is first person shooter based on a series of French graphic novels in which the player takes control of a well trained individual suffering from amnesia and being chased by both government agencies and a shadowy organisation (Think of the plot of the Bourne Identity and you're pretty much there).

    The games comic book inspiration is in evidence throughout which, despite being well received critically, was largely ignored by the game buying public. With hindsight the reason for this seems to be the games cel-shaded graphics. At a time when other games where striving for realism XIII dared to be different and it is ironic the games visual style stands up better than the majority of FPS titles released at the time. XIII makes further use of its comic book origins by cleverly visualising its sound effects. Patrolling enemies for example will produce a 'TAP, TAP, TAP' visual and by watching whether the TAPs are getting smaller or larger it is possible to tell whether they are moving away or towards you. When shooting enemies from range you will also often be 'treated' a comic book inset showing a close up of whether or not you have killed them.

    Although it now obviously pales in comparison to the more recent influx of FPS games the actual gunplay itself remains solid and a wide range of weapons are available allowing for a good mixture of long and close range combat. The artificial intelligence of the enemies and your numerous part time compatriots is however severely lacking on occasions. One particular section sees you attempting to rescue a high ranking military official. Upon releasing him from his cage he will simply sprint down an enemy infested corridor demanding that you 'cover him'. Should he die at any point, which will most likely happen numerous times, you are forced to restart the section. Once the section is complete he hands you a weapon to aid your progress causing you to ask why he didn't use it to defend himself and save you have an hour of restarts.

    In the end however, providing you can ignore the slightly dated AI and controls, most will see XIII as a unique and enjoyable FPS experience.    … Expand

See all 12 User Reviews