El Matador, by Plastic Reality Technologies and Cenega publishing, is a
visually stunning, involving game that places the player in the role of a
special DEA agent assigned to South America. Combining wonderful graphics, a
large variety of weapons and regions, and a fully interactive environment El
Matador looks to be an excellent addition to the first-person shooter genre.
The story of El Matador is told through twenty six levels that include a
hospital, a church, a DA’s office, a cemetery and more. The environment is fully
interactive. Players can take shots at the candles set on the altar in the
church level and watch them rock realistically with the impacts and clatter to
the floor. Killed characters flop to the floor with very believable rag-doll
physics. What I saw of the physics engine makes it look like the world of El
Matador is going to be very interactive.
The goal of the developers is to make El Matador as engaged as possible. The
3rd person overview angle of the controls might be a little unusual for a first
person shooter, but the dynamic world definitely helps immerse the player in the
game. Players are able to zoom in during firefights, which changes the view to a
first-person perspective for a short time. The transition is handled very well.
Combat in El Matador is done with a variety of weapons. Twenty five modern
weapons will be included in the game. Players begin each mission with a specific
set of equipment. During the course of the mission, and depending on the
surroundings, they can find additional weapons to use. For example, inside a
broken down slum players might find older weapons while during a fight inside
the offices of a powerful DA the players will find more modern weapons.
Enemies in the game will be equipped with weapons of their own. In the course
of your adventures you will also run into “boss” characters who will have even
more diverse options available. The developer was very excited to talk about how
one boss will have a metal hook in the place of a hand and another will use
katanas. Remember that sometimes stealth is the better part of valor. Sneaking
and hiding will be useful in El Matador to avoid fights you cannot hope to win.
The world of the war on drugs is a very ambiguous war. Ethical and moral
decisions abound. At what point does the hunter become worse than his prey? And
how far should one be willing to go to bring down the drug lords? Players will
be faced with moral issues over the course of the game as well as treachery from
within. The storyline is supposed to advance in a believable fashion. Watch your
back in El Matador. Your “friends” might not always have your best interests at
heart.
The developers stated that their main goal was to create an immersive
experience for the players. The realistic physics engine, wonderful graphics,
and engaging storyline certainly hold great promise that they have succeeded.
Grab your sunscreen and get ready for a trip to South America. The war on drugs
is about to open another front in your PC.
