Terrain deforming is the latest craze in the gaming industry...well, not really. It’s actually just a really cool feature that sits at the center of Day 1 Studios’ third-person shooter, Fracture. Not only will the ground melt, spike and deform in ways that gamers have never seen before in the history of interactive entertainment – all of these physically impossible features can also be done with up to 12 players online.



Back in 2007 Blend Games covered Fracture when it was featured at E3, and it changed the way gamers seen interactive terrain deformation. It was one of the few games announced that year which seemed to step beyond the boundary of just running-and-gunning. Many of the tactical solutions found in Fracture revolve around using physics-based terrain and objects. It’s quite possible to be a completely lethal force without ever moving an inch or firing a gun. Really.

The story is quite simple; America has split into two groups who are battling each other with technocratic supremacy (and global warming) hanging in the balance. It’s an East vs. West sort of thing. The Atlantic Alliance (East) believes in using cybernetic solutions to fix the world, while the Republic of Pacifica (West) believes in adapting human genome to the changes of the world. Regardless of the reasons, both factions are armed with an earth shattering arsenal that consists of deforming terrain to the disadvantage of their antagonists. But realistically, players just want a bad guy to shoot at. So no worries, as players will have to stop a rebel within the Republic of Pacifica who has gone psycho...but in a smart, militaristic sort of way.

The real treat of Fracture comes in the form of the unique set of terrain deforming weapons. There’s not just the application of raising and lowering the ground, but also the manipulation of physics regarding the terrain. Players can acquire grenades that create a vortex of wind or a weapon that can launch an accumulation of debris/ground that works as a wrecking ball...just to name a few. But hands down, despite the samey looking shooting mechanics, the Day 1 Studios has taken great care with implementing a wide array of functionality with the Havok engine. So the play-through experience – especially when considering the multiplayer – is going to be highly original each time.

Speaking of multiplayer...the game has a variety of modes, ranging from capture the flag to the standard free-for-all. Up to 12 players can duke it out with all the insane tectonical weaponry. In the same way, this makes for some of the craziest multiplayer bouts I’ve ever seen. Tunnels, hallways and pillars are instant deathtraps; players can raise floors under archways to create instant crushers. Likewise, ground over lava can be abased so other players can be stranded over the smoldering hot liquid. The game is as much about shooting, running and dodging as it is utilizing a strategy to deconstruct/reconstruct the environment to the player’s advantage.

Fracture is shaping up to be a very interesting game, to say the least. The story looks to be fleshed out and the gameplay could prove to be game-of-the-year worthy if the AI and weapon balance comes together with butter-smooth quality. Fracture is set for release on October 12th for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Stay tuned in with Blend Games for more news and info on the latest games.

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