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"Life On The Frontlines"

Well color me pink, this game is FUN! There were so many reasons not to expect much from Battle Engine Aquila but Atari have managed to pull a rabbit from out of their hat with this release. As it's pre-release advertising campaign was virtually non-existent, many gamers were totally unaware of Aquila's existence. When this happens, it's usually a sign that there is something seriously wrong with the game, and the company is trying to cut it's loses by not pushing it too hard. How wrong we were! Battle Engine Aquilla is really an excellent game that successfully combines a unique blend of vehicular combat and stunning graphics to create one of the most exciting FPS Xbox experiences thus far!

Upon starting a new game, the player will find themselves behind the wheels (?) of the latest multi-purpose assault vehicle, the Battle Engine Aquila. While at first the Aquila may seem to be nothing more than a giant, four legged walking tank, there is much more lurking under the hood. When the action gets too hot for you on the ground, you can take to the skies in order to dish out death from above. It's a very original concept that works well within the confines of the intelligently written SF story that serves as a backdrop to the conflict. Control of the Aquila will seem like second nature to anyone who has spent time playing a first person shooter on a home system. One analog stick controls your movement while the other controls the camera and the way your guns are facing. All this is great as during the heat of battle the last thing you want to worry about are the controls!

For want of a better description, playing Aquila is like being a small part of someone else's RTS. Instead of having total and utter control over the army, your role in the battle is that of a lowly pilot. As in real life, success in your mission can only be achieved by following the orders handed down to you from above. Though they may tell you what to do, they do leave the how you do it up to the player's discretion. As long as the objectives are met, and the enemy is successfully repelled, everyone can go home happy. Should you approach the enemy head-on in tank form, or, should you take to the skies and sneak up behind them? This style of free form gameplay gives the player a lot of choices, something that is sorely missing from most games these days. To say that it's a refreshing change of pace is indeed an understatement...

All this free forming goodness would be for naught however if the battlefield wasn't believable enough to sustain the player's interest. Thankfully then the developers at Atari have gone to great lengths to ensure that everything on the battlefield remains fluid and believable. Bombers sweep in with fighter escorts, tanks roll across foothills and ground troops clash with one another... I cant think of another 3d shooter that has ever managed to pull off this level of realism on the battlefield. More incredible though is how virtually everything is reactive to your actions. Scripted battles take place all around you if you choose not to interfere and concentrate on your orders. If you do decide to get involved in a fire fight though you can, and the enemy AI will react instinctively and realistically to you as a threat. With your direct involvement in a clash, your troops will now rally around you, assisting in the battle. It's impressive stuff that is sure to take your breath away!

Aquila is a graphically stunning game with some rich textures and colors in use throughout. Even with hundreds of units filling the screen, the action never slows down as the frame rate somehow manages to stay smooth during the heaviest of battles. If I had to find a sore point in it all, I would have to comment on the distinct lack of mission environments. Is the world of Aquila made up of a series of archipelagos? Almost every mission seems to take place on a similar style of island terrain. The addition of some city campaigns, or a nice swamp or two would have made for a welcome break from the vast oceans and rolling hills that are present. Perhaps we could see these things in the highly unlikely event of a sequel?

Most games these days can be completed in a day or two so it's a good thing then that Aquila isn't like most games. While the game may start off easy enough, before too long the difficulty level amps up to almost genocidal like proportions. It may get difficult, but grit your teeth and fight through it and you'll be sure to enjoy the experience for many hours. Of course, if you do happen to breeze your way through the regular campaigns, then be sure to go back and check out the EVO battles. These are simply evolved variations of the existing scenarios, only now with the difficulty placed somewhere well above the top of the scale. With 7 campaigns and 3-4 battlefields to each, you should find yourself occupied for quite sometime to come. Replayability is once more re-enforced as the addition of a series of bonuses guarantees that the player will return to the battlefield for just one more go at unlocking the next movie or sketch.

With all this glory there is usually a downside and Battle Engine Aquila is no different. The only serious complaint I could level at Battle Engine Aquila is that sometimes orders may seem a little too vague. As the battle wages on and the enemy attacks come in thick and fast, it's all too easy to miss some important instructions from HQ. When this happens (and it will), my advice to you is to shoot them all and let god sort them out... rarely will this strategy lead you astray. If that is as bad as it gets, then the rest of the package must be pretty sweet!

Aquila is perhaps one of the best games of last year that no one played. With almost zero advertising and pre release hype, Aquila flew in under the radar of many gamers. This is such a shame as everyone is really missing out on one of the most unique FPS experiences around. Next time Atari, try to have a little more faith in your own product!

Pros
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* The controls are a breeze to pick up
* Huge battles with hundreds of allied and enemy craft on screen at any given time
* Well designed vehicles that look both alien and yet strangely familiar
* Awesomely reactive enemy AI
* Neither short or easy, Aquila is a decent challenge for most gamers
* Good reasons to go back and play it all again with the addition of EVO mode
* Nice selection of unlockable bonuses

Cons
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* Lack of terrain types
* Orders are sometimes easy to miss while in heat of battle

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/26/03, Updated 10/14/03