Coded Arms Review (no fat)

Game Description

Coded Arms is a history making FPS with a science fiction touch. With just enough flair to make it a viable entrance into the FPS market for Konami, the history making aspect of the game is not because it is an outstanding game but just because it is the first FPS game to hit the PSP.

A creative design with a random level generator ensures a fun romp for players as they blast away at the hordes of enemies coming their way.

Coded Arms Storyline

A virtual training program meant to prepare soldiers for real life combat has gotten out of hand. The ever evolving virtual reality program has spawned numerous baddies that are ever ready to blast any trespassers to smithereens.

Apparently, the only person that can blast some sanity into the chaos is a fame driven hacker, You. Jacking into the system, however, you end up thinking if you had bitten off more than you can actually chew.

The story at first glance is brilliant and has a movie-like touch to it, you being a young hacker and retrieving information for fame, money and outright brashness. However the whole idea fails to unfold, and is very disappointing with the legs it could have had.

Coded Arms Gameplay

The way the game plays is pretty straight, it is a level romp of shooting this and that with not much beef to the story. The weird controls are blessed with a so-so auto aim feature, that once players get used to will make for some heart stopping gaming-in multiplayer mode.

The online features of Coded Arms emerge somewhat to a nice gaming experience, bringing much needed light to a bland single player. A usual assortment of Deathmatch and the like are available, with specialized options to set allowing players weapons only from what they had in single player mode. That is a bit of a cruel option to turn on for players who get uninterested in the single player mode quickly, but is quite an easy way to win a bet against an inexperienced player.

For friendship reasons, you may want to warn a fellow player before you turn that option on. And for PSP warranty reasons, you may want to remember that all game saving is manual. Depending on auto save will most likely shorten the life of your PSP (technical frustrations bringing out the incredible Hulk in gamers worldwide.)

Coded Arms First Impressions

The first impression of Coded Arms would be how gorgeous it is onscreen. Once players get passed drooling over the graphics they will wonder what the heck they are supposed to be doing.

RPG-heads upon arrival of the first level will think that a nearby enemy cast ‘confuse’ on them, explaining the awkward movement. Even while the controller configuration is highly customizable, it still lacks the touch for a FPS on consoles and PC. Possibly a small add-on utility for the PSP will correct the problem of one analog stick, but that is wishful thinking more than anything else.

The weapon selection is plentiful, with over 30+ upgrades in all. There will be no shortage of anything since destroying enemies is almost an automatic gift. That could be frustrating for more serious players but with such a nice virtual world with a multitude of enemies, it is a nice game play addition.

The random level generator is a nice idea, but when you don’t have much to generate from… it is like solving an all red Rubix Cube. As good as the graphics are the level design suffers from a non-experienced developer and a lack of imagination.

Coded Arms Graphics

A lot of the press and players are in awe with the overall graphics quality of Coded Arms, but in reality it really isn’t that groundbreaking. The graphics are great, but it is the design of the game that stands out. It has an original (and not so original in some cases) feel to it, it really seems as if you are in a virtual world.

Along with the over praise of the visuals is the non mention of the usual slowdowns in such a ‘graphically superior’ PSP game. One of the earlier titles in the PSP’s existence Coded Arms is cursed with the frame rate issues that plague many games on the system, but thankfully, not to an unbearable extent.

Coded Arms Sound

The music is pretty good, the sound effects are top notch. You’re not going to hear anything like DJ Shadow but will be treated to something along the lines of what seems like local techno. The sound effects are what push the game, blowing away one of your friends has that pleasing effect to it.

Coded Arms Summing up

It started out as a good idea, but came from the wrong company. Their innovation is appreciated but falls short in the basic and necessary forms of a FPS. Besides being cheated out of what could have been a pretty good story gamers have to wonder why the AI is so timid, or why a random level generator is so lazy, and why all the random levels feel the same.

Even with the single player frustrations, multiplayer is a pretty good way to spend your time. After a few minutes of playing the single player, and then a couple of hours of playing multiplayer you will soon understand what you truly spent your money on.

All in all, Coded Arms marks the best multiplayer FPS on the PSP…mainly because there isn’t another FPS on PSP to give it a run for its money.

Coded Arms cost

Coded Arms retails for $34.99US at the time of writing.