Singularity (video game)

Last updated
Singularity
Singularity cover.jpg
Developer(s) Raven Software
Publisher(s) Activision
Director(s) Dan Vondrak
Writer(s)
Composer(s)
Engine Unreal Engine 3
Platform(s) PlayStation 3
Windows
Xbox 360
Release
Genre(s) First-person shooter, survival horror
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Singularity is a 2010 first-person shooter survival horror video game developed by Raven Software and published by Activision and released for Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is built on Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3.

Contents

Gameplay

Singularity is a first-person shooter with horror elements. A main gameplay device is an artifact known as the Time Manipulation Device (TMD). The TMD is powered by an E-99 core, and can manipulate time. The TMD can move an object backwards or forwards in time, attract something and hold it indefinitely, or send a pulse of energy that can stun or kill enemies. The TMD can only affect living beings or objects that have been in contact with E-99. Some living beings, like the Spetsnaz troops who are covered in heavy armor designed to repel E-99, are immune as well.

The TMD can be used in conjunction with special power stations scattered across the island that greatly amplify its power, allowing it to affect objects much larger than it can normally control such as collapsed bridges or shipwrecks.

Multiplayer

There are two multiplayer modes available. Both modes have the players fighting as either the soldiers or creatures, with each side having their own classes and abilities. One mode, simply called "Creatures vs. Soldiers", is a simple team deathmatch style game, [4] while the other mode, called "Extermination", has the soldiers trying to take control of various beacons on the map, with the creatures tasked with defending said beacons to prevent eradication. Once the time runs out, or the soldiers capture all the beacons, the players switch roles.

Plot

The game begins when an electromagnetic surge from an uninhabited island called Katorga-12, once held by the Soviet Union, damages an American spy satellite. A group of U.S. Recon Marines, which includes protagonist Captain Nathaniel Renko, goes to investigate. Another surge disables the unit's helicopter, and it crashlands on Katorga-12. Following the crash, Renko begins to phase between the present and 1955, the date of a catastrophic accident on the island. He arrives in 1955 just in time to save a scientist named Nikolai Demichev from dying in a fire.

Back in the present, Renko discovers that Demichev has taken over the world. He is captured by Demichev's soldiers, but is rescued by Kathryn, a member of a resistance group called Mir-12. Based on a journal the group found on Katorga-12, Mir-12 believes that Renko can put an end to Demichev's reign using the Time Manipulation Device (TMD) developed by Victor Barisov. Barisov was killed by Demichev in the past, so Renko uses the TMD to save Barisov.

They decide to change history by returning to 1955 and blowing up Katorga-12 with an E-99 bomb, the material responsible for the catastrophe in 1955. While attempting to retrieve the bomb, Renko and Kathryn both go missing. A bomb is used to destroy the island, and as a result, Demichev's research facility.  

Back in the present, Renko finds Demichev holding Barisov at gunpoint. Demichev reveals that he rebuilt the facility after it was destroyed, so that history remained unchanged. Barisov realizes that it was Demichev's rescue that changed history, so he asks Renko to go back and stop his past self from saving Demichev. Demichev, in turn offers Renko a place in his empire in exchange for the TMD. He points out that Barisov's plan has failed before – the mysterious man who told Renko not to save Demichev in 1955 was Renko himself.

At this point, the player has a choice. If Renko shoots Demichev, he goes back in time to stop himself from saving Demichev in the first place. In order to do so, he decides to kill his past self. In the epilogue, the game starts again from the very beginning, and Renko is sitting inside the helicopter that is searching the area. However, the mission is soon aborted and declared to be a false alert. They fly past a giant statue of Barisov. It is implied that he recovered the TMD and used it to conquer the world himself. If Renko instead shoots Barisov, he and Demichev rule the world together. After some time, Demichev begins to fear Renko's growing power, and a new cold war develops between the lands ruled by Renko and those ruled by Demichev. If Renko shoots both Demichev and Barisov, Renko allows the world to fall into chaos. Later, he rises up as a new world leader, using the TMD to assert his power.

A post-credits scene shows a wounded Kathryn, pulled into 1955 by a time distortion, writing the Mir-12 journal which will later be used to track down Renko.

Development

Singularity's concept was based on Brian and Steve Raffel's memories of the Cold War era and exploration of old abandoned buildings, including a World War II military base in the vicinity of Madison, Wisconsin. [5] Some aspects of the game, especially the 1950s sections were inspired by pulp sci-fi movies. [6]

According to Keith Fuller from Raven Software the game had a troubled development and was almost cancelled by publisher Activision. [7] The number of development teams at Raven was reduced to one after more layoffs in October 2010, after delays with Singularity; as many as 40 staff were released. Following the layoffs, Raven has been focused on assisting with the Call of Duty series ever since. [8] [9] [10]

Reception

Singularity received "generally favorable reviews" on all platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [11] [12] [13] Activision was disappointed with Singularity's sales, which came out under 400,000. [33]

Destructoid praised the Xbox 360 version, stating that "Singularity is a game that manages to feel like its own thing despite being pieced together from previous FPS games, and if you want a great Summer shooter full of violent toys and silly super powers, then you won't get much better than this. Quite possibly the best new FPS of the year so far." [14] IGN was not so enthusiastic, and said that while "the gunplay is solid and there are a few memorable set pieces", the game is "ultimately limited by a lack of imagination where a neat time-manipulation idea is handcuffed to a by-the-numbers first-person shooter". [25] Some reviewers criticized the game for similarities to other games, such as BioShock . [34] In Japan, where the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were ported and published by Square Enix on September 22, 2010,[ citation needed ] Famitsu gave both console versions each a score of 29 out of 40, [35] [36] while Famitsu Xbox 360 gave its Xbox 360 version a score of one eight, one seven, and two eights for a total of 31 out of 40. [36]

The A.V. Club gave the Xbox 360 version a B+ and said that "for a game released to little fanfare, one that's innovative only in an additive sense, Singularity is worth playing for its canny incorporation of the best ideas from the last decade of first-person shooters, and for providing a suitably chilling atmosphere in which to enjoy them." [37] The Escapist similarly gave it four stars out of five and called it "a solid and entertaining effort that you'll probably enjoy more than you think you will." [32] The Daily Telegraph gave it seven out of ten and said of the game, "With its varied combat, ridiculous story and outlandish weapons it's a fun and engaging title and it's a real pity that that Activision haven't given it the attention it deserves. If you're willing to overlook its shortcomings and enjoy old school running-and-gunning, Singularity is an immensely satisfying romp." [31] Metro UK similarly gave it seven out of ten and said it was "A little undercooked, but this is still an enjoyable attempt to create a more cerebral shooter in the vein of BioShock and Half-Life 2 ." [38] Edge gave the game a score of six out of ten and said, "For all Raven's efforts with temporal gimmicks, this is a game which is stuck in the FPS past – but, perversely, in its gun-metal and gore, in its most archaic respects, Raven proves it can just about stand the test of time." [39]

Related Research Articles

<i>Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII</i> 2006 video game

Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII is a flight combat video game for Microsoft Windows, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii. It was developed by Ubisoft Bucharest during the second fiscal quarter of 2006 for both the North American and European regions. The game features 46 different World War II fighter planes and allows the player or players to take part in several World War II events as a fictional squadron. Online support allows 16 players to take part in head-to-head and co-operative battles.

<i>Madden NFL 07</i> 2006 American football video game

Madden NFL 07 is an American football video game based on the NFL that was published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is the first in the video game series to debut for the PlayStation 3 and Wii consoles as launch titles and the last Madden game to be released on the Game Boy Advance. Former Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander is on the cover.

<i>The Saboteur</i> 2009 video game set in WWII Paris

The Saboteur is an action-adventure video game developed by Pandemic Studios and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in December 2009. A mobile version of the game was developed and released by Hands-On Mobile for BlackBerry on January 21, 2010, for iOS on March 24, 2010. The game is set in German-occupied France during World War II, and follows Sean Devlin, an Irish race car driver and mechanic, who joins the French Resistance to liberate Paris after his best friend is killed by Nazi forces.

<i>Top Spin 3</i> 2008 video game

Top Spin 3 is the third title in the Top Spin series of video games. The game was developed by PAM Development and published by 2K. New game elements include real-time weather effects, more options of professional tennis players, an in-depth character creation tool and new unparalleled gameplay mechanics. It also features impressive advancements in an audio/visual sense with improved Dolby Digital surround sound and "Evolutionary" visuals. Top Spin 4 was released as a sequel about three years later.

<i>Dark Void</i> 2010 video game

Dark Void is a 2010 third-person shooter game developed by Airtight Games and published by Capcom. In the game, players must face an alien threat that humanity had previously banished. It was released for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360 in January 2010. It received mixed reviews from critics.

<i>Lost Planet 2</i> 2010 third-person shooter video game

Lost Planet 2 is a third-person shooter video game developed and published by Capcom and Beeline Interactive, Inc. The game is the sequel to Lost Planet: Extreme Condition, taking place ten years after the events of the first game, on the same planet. The game was developed for BlackBerry, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. Originally set to be released in early 2010, Capcom delayed the game's consoles release to May 11, 2010 in North America and Europe, May 13 in Australia and May 20 for Japan, while the BlackBerry version was released worldwide on April 28 and the Microsoft Windows version was released in October that year. The title sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide.

<i>UEFA Euro 2008</i> (video game) 2008 video game

UEFA Euro 2008 is the official video game of the Euro 2008 football tournament, published by EA Sports. It was developed collaboratively by EA Canada and HB Studios and was released in Europe and North America on 18 April 2008 and 19 May 2008 respectively. The commentary was provided by Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend.

<i>Beijing 2008</i> (video game) 2008 sports video game

Beijing 2008 is the official Olympic video game of the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing. Developed by Eurocom and published by Sega, the game was the second video game based on the 2008 Summer Olympics to be released, the first being the fantasy-based Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games which appeared in late 2007; however, Beijing 2008 is a realistic sports simulation.

<i>Stormrise</i> 2009 video game

Stormrise is a real-time tactics video game developed by Creative Assembly's Australian studio and published by Sega for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world.

<i>Wolfenstein</i> (2009 video game) 2009 video game

Wolfenstein is a 2009 first-person shooter video game developed by Raven Software and published by Activision, part of the Wolfenstein video game series. It serves as a loose sequel to the 2001 entry Return to Castle Wolfenstein, and uses an enhanced version of id Software's id Tech 4. The game was released in August 2009 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

<i>Wanted: Weapons of Fate</i> 2008 video game

Wanted: Weapons of Fate is a third-person shooter video game, first developed and published by I-play in 2008, before being developed by Grin and published by Warner Bros. Interactive and distributed by Universal Studios in 2009, based on the film of the same name. It was released for mobile phones, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

<i>NCAA Basketball 09</i> 2008 video game

NCAA Basketball 09 is the 2008 installment in the NCAA Basketball series. It was released on November 17, 2008 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, and Xbox 360. Miami Heat player Kevin Love is featured on the cover. A special edition called NCAA Basketball 09: March Madness Edition was released only for Xbox 360 on March 11, 2009.

<i>Droplitz</i> 2009 video game

Droplitz is a puzzle video game developed by Blitz Arcade and published by Atlus USA. It was released for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, Microsoft Windows and iOS in June 2009. A sequel called Droplitz Delight was released for Windows Phone in May 2012.

<i>The Bigs 2</i> 2009 video game

The Bigs 2 is a baseball sports video game developed by Blue Castle Games and published by 2K for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, and PlayStation Portable. The game serves as the direct sequel to The Bigs. The first trailer for the game revealed players like Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, Roberto Clemente, and Reggie Jackson and a number of other Hall of Famers. Milwaukee Brewers All-Star first baseman Prince Fielder is the cover athlete chosen by 2K Sports. For the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii editions of the game, the English play-by-play announcer is Damon Bruce while the Japanese announcer is Kasey Ryne Mazak. It was released in 2009.

<i>Blur</i> (video game) 2010 racing video game

Blur is a 2010 arcade-style racing video game for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It was developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Activision. Blur features a racing style that incorporates real world cars and locales with arcade style handling and vehicular combat. The game is a spiritual successor to the Project Gotham Racing series. Blur was the penultimate game developed by Bizarre Creations before they were shut down by Activision on February 18, 2011.

<i>Red Faction: Armageddon</i> 2011 video game

Red Faction: Armageddon is a third-person shooter video game developed by Volition and published by THQ in association with the TV network Syfy. It is the fourth and final installment in the Red Faction series, and was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in various countries around the world between June 7 and June 10, 2011.

<i>Top Spin 4</i> 2011 video game

Top Spin 4 is a tennis video game developed by 2K Czech and published by 2K released on the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. The game features licensed professional players, venues and equipment. The game was released on March 15, 2011 in America, and was released on March 18 in the PAL region. The PS3 version supports the PlayStation Move and is also compatible in 3D. The Xbox 360 version does not support the Kinect but is 3D compatible.

<i>Thor: God of Thunder</i> 2011 video game

Thor: God of Thunder is an action hack and slash video game based on the Marvel Studios film Thor. The game was developed by Liquid Entertainment and co-written by Matt Fraction. Thor: God of Thunder marks Thor's first standalone appearance in a video game and features the voices of Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston and Jaimie Alexander, who reprise their roles from the film. The game was released in 2011 for Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360 and Nintendo 3DS. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game can be played in 3D on 3DTVs and on 2DTVs via TriOviz Inificolor 3D glasses. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were met with unfavorable reviews, while the Wii, DS, and 3DS versions were met with mixed reviews.

<i>Outland</i> (video game) 2011 video game

Outland is a platform game developed by Housemarque and published by Ubisoft. The game combines two-dimensional platforming with a polarity system similar to Treasure's Ikaruga and Silhouette Mirage. Outland was released on April 27, 2011 for Xbox 360. The PlayStation 3 version, which was supposed to be released the day before, was delayed because of the 2011 PlayStation Network outage then later released in June 2011. A Microsoft Windows version was released on September 29, 2014, followed by the Mac OS X version on December 21 of the same year, and the Linux version on February 25, 2015. The game was removed from sale on Steam and the Humble Store in December 2018; it was made available on Steam again in October 2020, before being removed again in April 2024.

<i>Fuse</i> (video game) 2013 video game

Fuse is a four-player cooperative third-person shooter video game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game was announced as Overstrike before it was rebranded in August 2012. It was released on May 28, 2013 in North America, May 30, 2013 in Australia and on May 31, 2013 in Europe. Fuse was both a critical and commercial failure for Electronic Arts.

References

  1. ↑ "Singularity". GamesIndustry . June 25, 2010. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  2. ↑ Magrino, Tom (April 19, 2010). "Singularity warps to June 29". GameSpot . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 22, 2010. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  3. ↑ Parker, Laura (June 28, 2010). "AU Shippin' Out June 28-July 2: Super Mario Galaxy 2, Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4". GameSpot . Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Singularity video game review". 12 July 2010. Archived from the original on 2018-05-20. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
  5. ↑ Bakedgoods (June 15, 2010). "E3 2010 Interview: Raven Software's project lead chats about Singularity". N4G. Archived from the original on 2010-06-18. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  6. ↑ Carless, Simon (July 8, 2010). "Interview: Raven's Vondrak Talks Challenges, Opportunities In Singularity". GameSetWatch . UBM plc . Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  7. ↑ Fuller, Keith (March 3, 2014). "The Confessional: It took two years to cancel Singularity, and ten months to fix it". Polygon . Vox Media. Archived from the original on May 20, 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Report: Layoffs Hit Raven Software, Focusing on DLC". 11 October 2010. Archived from the original on 2020-10-30. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  9. ↑ "Raven Software Loses More Staff". www.1up.com. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  10. ↑ "Singularity Game Developer Hit with Layoffs". 11 October 2010. Archived from the original on 28 December 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  11. 1 2 "Singularity for PC Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 24, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  12. 1 2 "Singularity for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on August 16, 2010. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  13. 1 2 "Singularity for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on August 17, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
  14. 1 2 Sterling, Jim (July 11, 2010). "Review: Singularity (X360)". Destructoid . Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on July 13, 2010. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  15. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (June 25, 2010). "Singularity (Xbox 360)". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on July 6, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  16. 1 2 3 Reiner, Andrew (August 2010). "Singularity: Falling down a rabbit hole with recognizable lining". Game Informer . No. 208. GameStop. p. 108. Archived from the original on February 24, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  17. ↑ Cabral, Matt (July 6, 2010). "Singularity (X360)". GamePro . GamePro Media. Archived from the original on March 20, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  18. 1 2 3 Kuulei N. (July 19, 2010). "Singularity Review". Game Revolution . CraveOnline. Archived from the original on October 12, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  19. ↑ VanOrd, Kevin (June 30, 2010). "Singularity Review (PC)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 20, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  20. 1 2 VanOrd, Kevin (June 28, 2010). "Singularity Review (PS3, X360)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Singularity Review (PS3)". GameTrailers . Viacom. July 6, 2010. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  22. 1 2 3 Bakehorn, Cliff (July 1, 2010). "Singularity review". GameZone. Archived from the original on April 23, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  23. 1 2 Gerstmann, Jeff (July 8, 2010). "Singularity Review (PS3, X360)". Giant Bomb . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on October 8, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
  24. ↑ Brudvig, Erik (June 29, 2010). "Singularity Review (PC)". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on May 20, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  25. 1 2 3 Brudvig, Erik (June 28, 2010). "Singularity Review (PS3, X360)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on May 20, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  26. 1 2 Kolan, Patrick (June 29, 2010). "Singularity AU Review (PS3, X360)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  27. ↑ Kietzmann, Ludwig (June 28, 2010). "Review: Singularity (X360)". Engadget (Joystiq). Oath Inc. Archived from the original on April 11, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  28. ↑ "Singularity". Official Xbox Magazine . Future US. September 2010. p. 84.
  29. ↑ Francis, Tom (September 2010). "Singularity review". PC Gamer UK . Future plc. p. 79. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Review: Singularity". PlayStation: The Official Magazine . No. 37. Future plc. October 2010. p. 81.
  31. 1 2 Horton, Philip (July 12, 2010). "Singularity video game review (X360)". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on May 20, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  32. 1 2 Funk, John (July 15, 2010). "Review: Singularity (X360)". The Escapist . Defy Media. Archived from the original on May 20, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  33. ↑ Parfitt, Ben (August 6, 2010). "Singularity and Blur 'fell short'". MCV . NewBay Media. Archived from the original on September 20, 2010. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  34. ↑ Strick, Robert (February 4, 2011). "Review: Singularity". PopGeeks. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  35. ↑ "シンギュラリティ (PS3)". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Archived from the original on May 20, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  36. 1 2 "シンギュラリティ (X360)". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Archived from the original on May 20, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  37. ↑ Williams, Christian (July 19, 2010). "Singularity (X360)". The A.V. Club . The Onion. Archived from the original on February 13, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  38. ↑ Hargreaves, Roger (June 28, 2010). "Games review: Singularity tries to be the thinking man's shooter (X360)". Metro UK . DMG Media. Archived from the original on November 2, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  39. ↑ Edge staff (July 5, 2010). "Review: Singularity". Edge . Future plc. Archived from the original on July 10, 2010. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.