Video game review by ERIK LEIJON

Darkwatch (Xbox, PS2/Capcom, High Moon Studios) is a shopping list of every crazy fantasy we never thought we’d see.

Vampire gunslinger? Check.

Shooting zombies on horseback? Check.

Blood vision? Slightly more abstract, but check.

High Moon Studios’ (formerly known as Sammy Studios) first effort is a dream come true for people who like Manson and Morricone, though everyone else might find this game lacks the sophistication expected from late-gen first-person shooters. But it does have blood vision, the vampire equivalent of infrared vision.

The most apparent problem is the enemy AI, which apparently remembers fondly the days when facing hordes of enemies constituted a challenge. Simply put, the AI is dumb; the enemies are quick but lack the ability to do something other than run up to you. Once you get the obvious movement patterns down, you’ll be knocking them off with little effort. Some fights will have you taking on dozens of enemies at once, but they’ll literally run like ducks in a row.

Although the enemies drag down the single player experience, Darkwatch looks like a late-gen game in every other sense. The graphics rival anything we’ve seen on the Xbox, save for Doom 3 (Activision), and the sound effects and music (which channels old Westerns and modern metal) capture the ridiculous premise. The different types of guns also match the genre-bending theme; everything from an old fashioned revolver (complete with “fanning the hammer” action) to a crossbow armed with explosive arrows is at your disposal. I also liked the rail shooter stages, where you multitask shooting skeletons and riding on horseback.

As for the multiplayer mode, it’s a mixed bag as well. On one hand, Darkwatch is blessed with the coolest jumping physics of any FPS—you can fly across the screen and landing properly is a cinch. Sadly, the modes of play are so horribly unoriginal that seasoned gamers probably won’t find it too compelling. Other than the standard modes, Darkwatch offers Soul Hunter, where opposing players have to collect blood clouds, which are strewn across the level, to fill their blood bars. What was impressive was the variety of multiplayer stages, which look like real-life paintball stages (complete with hollow houses).

On Xbox, Darkwatch is Live-enabled for up to 16 players. The PS2 version has no online play, but instead features a co-op mode. While the subject matter and zombie horse make Darkwatch a good rental, it’s doubtful it will emerge as a premier FPS amid the glut of titles currently available.

Montreal Game Summit

The keynote speakers have been announced for the 2005 Montreal International Game Summit, which will be held at the Mount Royal Centre on November 2–3.

Addressing the conference will be Neil Young, VP and general manager of EA Los Angeles; gaming legend and president of Junction Point Studios Warren Spector, who developed such classic titles as the Ultima series, Wing Commander and Deus Ex; and Eric Zimmerman, the co-founder and CEO of gameLab.

Coming to speak about his latest success, Hideki Konno of Nintendo will talk about Nintendogs and what his company learned from the game’s popularity.

Grant Collier of Infinity Ward will also give a post-mortem of Call of Duty 2, and Ubisoft’s Clint Hocking (creative director on Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory) will talk about game design.

For a complete list on who will be presenting at this year’s summit, or information on how to attend, consult the official Web site www.montrealgamesummit.com. Those looking to get into the industry should note they are in need of volunteers to help out.

Now playing: NHL 2k6 (2k Games), NHL 2006 (EA Sports) Wishlist: We Love Katamari (Namco)