FireTeam

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Review: FireTeam

At its core, this Internet gameonly the three training missions can be played offlineis a squad-based spin on the angled-down shoot-em-up. Teamed with as many as three other players, youll battle it out against up to three other squads in crisp, 10-minute games of Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Gunball (basically rugby with guns), and BaseTag (a campaign to destroy the enemys bases).

As a Scout (speed), Gunner (firepower), or Commando (a balance of both), youll use mouse and keyboard to patrol one of about 30 sharply drawn levels while collecting power-ups (med patches to auto-turrets) and using the built-in facilities to restore health and ammo.

And youll communicate with your fellowsnot via macroed taunts or slapping the key- board with your free hand, but by using the included headset. It works with no apparent speed hit on a 56K modem and only the shortest of delays. What you say is what your teammates hear perhaps a second later.

This is the human heart of the game. Youll find yourself verbally coordinating assaults and defenses, coaxing newcomers into action, corralling the troops, sending back scouting reports, calling for help and trumpeting your victory once its over. (I treated my captive audience to a peculiarly tuneless rendition of Queens We Are the Champions.) The upshot is that youre playing less with the onscreen abstractions and more with real people, and the game becomes what you make it.

And while I dont mean to go all cosmic on you, once you grow accustomed to talking a good game, FireTeam ultimately moves beyond the physical screen and comes to hang in the air at some vague, intermediate point between you and your teammates. Its not just a battle; its a conversation. You get a better sense of people around you, and I dont just mean their stats (though theres plenty of that available on FireTeams Web sites as well).

I had very few problems, and the only thing I miss is a map editor (ones on the way). The game and headset installed and set up flawlessly, and games for newbies and more experienced players always seemed to be available in the B chat room. And, playing over a high-speed T1 connectionadmittedly, a far-from-typical linkthe game was a real joy. (A colleague reports it also worked well over his 56K modem.) The voices were clear enough that I began to recognize them, and the only comprehension problems occurred when several players cut across one another (or put the microphone too close to their mouths). The action was punchy, lag-free, and challenging. It was over not a moment too soon or a moment too late.

Then, after several successful sessions, the online lobby went down while I was waiting for a game to start. It came back within a couple of hours, and I got in a few good battles, but users subsequently reported problems starting and leaving games.

Its worth noting that they all did it politely, though. In fact, Ive rarely dealt with a nicer, more helpful bunch of people online (save the one who kicked me out of his squad without explanation). Maybe FireTeam just attracts a more sophisticated crowd.

Or maybe the social requirements of speech induce a little more online civility than Ive grown accustomed to seeingand now, to hearing.-- Peter Olafson / GamePro