Unbias review enclosed.
Before you read on it must be noted that I own around 33 or so game systems going back to the 2600 to the PS3. I play almost every genre of games and consider myself a good judge of quality titles despite the era from which the originated. I believe it is better to have substance over amazing graphics. I consider the timeless joy of Tetris better than graphically amazing games that have big marketing but fall flat in a week or two. Such is the case of most games in the current generation. A lot of hype, like Prince of Persia, then on to the discount bin. The same goes with Assassins Creed and many other titles that look amazing play well, but have no true substance. That does not make the Wii and automatic winner but it does shed some light on where my review comes from.
Story/Concept: The Conduit is not the most original storylines that one would encounter, however it is unique to the world of FPS games on the Wii. It offers a few twist but is mostly a catalyst for an excuse to run and gun. Let's face it not FPS has a believable storyline and they are all excuses to blow stuff up, with the exception of most Call of Duty games which borrow from actual history.
Graphics: As for the Wii this is certainly some of the best visuals you may ever see outside of Metroid Prime Corruption. Most of levels are excellently rendered and provide an adequate atmosphere for "shooting." The online level design is outstanding with all of the elements that would making no frills shooting entertaining for people who just like to kill other players. Most of the animations for the aliens go off without a hitch. Minus a frame or two the aliens look believable and spectacularly conceptualized for the Wii. Environments carry certain elements of flair and add to the overall experience. From the beginning of the game you see the level of polish High Voltage has added to the title. The HUD are excellently done and dont detract away from the experience. This is High Voltages best looking title to date.
Sound: The title music is excellent and has a homely feel that I hope will carry over into a sequel. While the Dolby holds up in most areas I was hoping for a more over-the-top sound effects for big monsters, which I didn't exactly experience through my pioneer home theatre system. Nevertheless they were executed well. The shooting effects are nicely done and every alien weapon has its own pitch. The online matches have a good voice over and the voice acting of the one player experience is good.
Gameplay: This is where The Conduit shines. The gameplay is top-notch and provides and excellent one player experience. The shooting feels like a good old-fashioned gunfight with enemies mounting against you in almost impossible scenarios. You have the ability to toy with the difficulty if you find it too easy or if things get to difficult. Headshots are scored in the final analysis of every mission along with your accuracy. There are small puzzles to break the standard run and gun and the inclusion of the ASE is an excellent choice. The ASE acts as your guide and puzzle solver. This offers you and option of finding extra clues to complete side mission: basically getting extraneous information about the game. The online mode offers you match setups on Nintendo's Wi-Fi connection system. This makes matches easy to get into with little wait time. This is the best online FPS experience available to Wii owners and give you another excuse to shoot something. The online systems has rankings and tries to find similar players with your rank. A multitude of modes are offered for online play, too many to describe here.
Controls: Simply the best options available on the Wii for control. It makes you think the Wii was built for FPS games. It even best the former top FPS control scheme offered by Metroid. You can customize just about everything from the HUD to the melee button.
Replay Value: With replay being a top concern on my list. I thought I would play the one player game extensively to give it a proper evaluation. The one player adventure is short anywhere from 6-9 hours more if you increase the difficulty and try to find all of the hidden items. It can be played through with the same amount of vigor and enjoyment. I didn't seem bored at all the second time through, with added difficulty. I like the option of changing the controls and online uniforms. Online speaks for itself. You can waste days shooting everyone and getting shot.
Story/Concept: 7
Graphics: 10
Sound: 9
Gameplay: 9
Controls: 10
Replay Value: 9
Overall Score: 54/60 = 90%/A-