Hybrid – Review

g-hybrid200Hybrid

(5th Cell/Microsoft Studios for XBLA)
By Mike Delano

The story behind Hybrid makes it seems like a game destined for failure. The developers at 5th Cell, known mainly for the Scribblenauts series on Nintendo DS, are trying their hand at an online multiplayer-only shooter, aimed squarely at the hardcore Xbox Live audience? And they’re doing it with a brand new, non-military shooter IP? Say what?! Incredibly, though, it works, and works well.

The game takes place in a futuristic world where opposing factions are competing for resources, blasting away at each other from cover in a third-person viewpoint. The sleek presentation recalls the multiplayer that never was in 2010’s Vanquish, and the gameplay has a hook: Instead of running around a battlefield, your character uses a jetpack to boost from cover point to cover point, making for an interesting, more deliberate experience. The weapons feel good and varied, unlocks occur at a fairly good clip as you engage in TDM and objective-based matches, and the augmented firepower you receive after just one kill (a blessing for those of us who are rarely on a killstreak) is a nice perk. Hybrid is the type of game you just can’t resist jumping into when you see it on your dashboard, even if you were planning on playing something else.
(www.microsoft.com/games)