The Crossing

The Crossing is a shooter, in which the world is seen from first-person perspective. This time, the teams from Arkane Studios (Dark Messiah of Might and Magic) and Valve Corporation (Half-Life) came up with an idea that distinguishes their title from the large number of other FPS titles. We are dealing with a combination of a single-player game with multiplayer gameplay (with the possibility of smooth transition from one mode to another, at almost any time).

The action takes place in Paris, or rather in two versions of Paris at the same time. The first of them is similar to our reality, but the city (and the whole France) is struggling with huge problems - the governmental power practically does not exist, riots are the order of the day, chaos and anarchy are spreading everywhere. The second Paris comes from a parallel reality and, of course, it looks quite different - it is very prosperous, ruled with the iron fist of... The Templar Order, which in this reality was not only not dissolved, but even grew in strength and took over power in the country. These two versions of the French capital exist in The Crossing at the same time (they intermingle), and the vast majority of the inhabitants of both worlds are not aware of this. Only a few (the players) get to move between the planes, whether using special items (unique artifacts) or simply being in the right place at the right time. The idea of such a split of reality is strictly fantasy, but apart from that, we do not encounter any elements that could surprise an inhabitant of the modern world. We do not experience the presence of magic, monsters (whether mythical or experimental), fantasy weapons, and the like. When it comes to fighting, we have a combination of classic FPS formula (i.e. the use of firearms) with the need to operate with melee weapons. There are also improvised combat tools and gadgets such as a steel rope that can pull us instantly onto the roof of a building.

The game's title comes not only from the two settings, i.e. intermingling worlds, but also from the unprecedented combination of single and multiplayer modes. Namely, there are two types of players in the game: those who play the main story mode (called Elites, because their characters are "packed", perfectly armored and armed) and specialists in team multiplayer duels (known as Skirmishers). Generally speaking, both groups may not get in each other's way, as is the case with most FPS games. The players in the campaign mode settle their own matters according to the game's plot, and their opponents are characters led by AI. The Skirmishers, on the other hand, simply roll out team-online battles in classic modes (capture the flag, etc.), such as in Counter-Strike. The uniqueness of The Crossing lies in the fact that both groups can meet many times during the game. At some point, the game may require a player in story mode to visit a multiplayer map. Skirmishers then receive information about the appearance of new characters on the battlefield, the forces are reorganized and the battle starts anew. Many times everyone has to try to prevent an Elite player from achieving the goal set in the story. The second way for both types of warriors to face each other is possible thanks to the special options available to the Skirmishers. They can take over (like agent Smith did in Matrix) the figures of soldiers from the story mode (normally controlled by AI). This unusual approach to the subject of A.I. and the influence of live players on the plot (usually single player) makes the game much more interesting.

Last updated on 10 December 2007