Why Conduit 2 Will Succeed (by Carl B.)

April 11, 2011, by Carl B. - Many months before its release, High Voltage Software started aggressively promoting their first person shooter project, The Conduit, heralding it as the Wii's killer app and the title that will set the bar for first person shooters on Wii. They developed a superb graphics engine, Quantum 3, which allowed for visual effects that very few – if any – Wii games used at the time. High Voltage was adamant on their promise to set the bar, as they created a fully customizable control scheme that has been the standard for Wii shooters ever since. While The Conduit was a technical marvel that supported a fantastic multiplayer component, the single player campaign was less than desirable. High Voltage has a track record of listening to their fans, and with Conduit 2, they've promised that they have fixed the problems with the first game. With the game releasing in just a week, it certainly looks like High Voltage has upped the ante once again.

Increase in Scope

The first Conduit was terribly limited in scope. The game was set entirely in Washington D.C., and while many familiar locations were re-created very accurately, most of the game took place indoors. The best level in the game, called Streets, took place outside and really showed off the engine's advanced particle effects. It was also a breath of fresh air – literally – to be able to venture outside of twisting hallways. Thankfully, High Voltage has addressed this issue further than anyone would have expected. Instead of linear level progression, Conduit 2 features a hub world where players can upgrade their equipment and select what mission to take on next. Missions take place all throughout the world, from a destroyed Washington D.C. to Siberian Mountains. Every level has branching paths and tons of hidden objects to find, not to mention that very few will take place in narrow hallways.

Improved Multiplayer
The Conduit had a great multiplayer mode, but it was eventually spoiled by hackers and glitchers that used rapid-fire rocket launchers. After a lengthy approval process, Nintendo has allowed High Voltage to distribute patches for the online portion of the game, just in case players are able to exploit glitches once again. There are also several new game modes, perks, and instead of voting on a weapon set to use in the current match players will be able to set their own load-outs. Wii Speak has been ditched for the Headbanger Headset, so the lag during voice chat of the first game will be solved.

Boss Battles

There were a few levels in the first Conduit that had players fighting against bulky Drudge and giant, four-legged Drudge monsters. These "boss battles" were very anti-climatic and were pretty easy. With that in mind, boss battles in Conduit 2 were a point of emphasis. Several different, often gargantuan bosses are in the game. One boss we already know about is the Leviathan, and players will be encountering it in the very first level of the game.

Art Style

Character models and lighting effects were fantastic in the first Conduit, but the overall art style of the title was rather bland. With Conduit 2, High Voltage is going all out with the science-fiction setting. Players will visit locales such as Atlantis, and every one will look different from the last. The art style in Conduit 2 certainly doesn't rival that of Metroid Prime, but it's a nice step up from the previous game.

Conduit 2 releases exclusively for the Wii on April 19, 2011. Check back at iNintendo for full coverage of High Voltage and Sega's latest shooter for Nintendo's home console closer to the game's release.