Project Snowblind

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Project: Snowblind
Developer(s)	Crystal Dynamics
Publisher(s)	Eidos Interactive
Engine	Defiance
Release date(s)	February 22, 2005
Genre(s)	First-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: T (Teen)
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows
Media	DVD, CD-ROM, Steam

Project: Snowblind is a first-person shooter video game released for the Xbox, PC and PlayStation 2 on February 22, 2005. It was originally conceived as a multiplayer-focused third game in the Deus Ex series, Deus Ex: Clan Wars. But after the less than expected commercial performance of Deus Ex: Invisible War, it was decided to set the game in its own universe. Nevertheless, it remains a spiritual sequel to Deus Ex and retains many visible links to its progenitors.

In Project: Snowblind, the player assumes the identity of Nathan Frost, a member of the Liberty Coalition, either linked to or based on the UN Security Council. The first mission functions as a tutorial, with the player having just been dropped off at base and are receiving a speech when a rogue general, Yang Lo, attacks the base. At the end of the attack, it cuts to a cut scene where Nathan sees a wounded comrade and tries to rescue him. Unfortunately, he is just underneath the nose cone of a missile. It ends with a critically injured Nathan Frost being whisked away to become a "Scarecrow", i.e. rebuilt with various cybernetic augmentations and enhancements.

Contents 1 Augmentations 2 Public Response 3 Trivia 4 External links

[edit] Augmentations

Due to the rush to get Frost in the field and that the base where he is stationed is pulling out, Frost's augmentations could not all be activated and he gains them over the course of the game. The first power he gains is his "Vision" Aug, which is a harmony of night vision, x-ray vision, and infrared vision. Dark areas are brightened, enemies and mines give off a bright orange glow and can be seen through walls. This power is especially useful later in the game when Frost acquires the Rail Laser, which can fire through solid objects like walls. The second augmentation is the "Reflex Boost" Aug, which slows down time allowing the player to dodge bullets and make better decisions. An interesting quirk this power has is that the bullet casings of the Carbine, the default weapon of the game, make noises like wind chimes when they hit the ground. Nathan Frost gains his third power in the midst of battle, when Sergeant Chung activates his "Ballistic Shielding" Aug. Frost is covered in a white shimmering net like material, and Chung proceeds to shoot Frost with many laser bursts from his hand. No damage is done to Frost in the cutscene, showing that Frost is invincible while the shield is active. The shield eventually exhausts its meter, and it will decrease more quickly if Frost is shot. The fourth power, the "Cloak" Aug, renders Frost invisible for a short period of time. If he fires a Primary or Secondary weapon while cloaked, the cloak deactivates. Punches do not deactivate the cloak. The final augmentation is gained after killing General Yan Lo. This power is called "Electrical Storm." When activated, the HUD fills with blue-grey static as a huge electrical blast emanates from Frost's body, severely injuring or killing enemies in range as well as disabling electronics.

The game has many similarities to the Deus Ex series, especially Deus Ex: Invisible War, such as biomods.

Unlike Deus Ex and Deus Ex: Invisible War, Project: Snowblind allows the player to physically strike enemies without a melee weapon, that is, to punch them.

[edit] Public Response

The game has received criticism for its short length and multiplayer, as usually only a few servers are active at a time. However, most reviews tend to be positive, in the 80% range. It is also known for its lack of replay value, as the game has nothing to unlock once completed and has only one level of difficulty through the single-player mode. It was also a disappointment to some fans of the Deus Ex series because it lacked provisions for a stealthy playstyle.

[edit] Trivia

• The game's main character, Nathan Frost, shares his name with a programmer at Crystal Dynamics -- this is, however, a bizarre coincidence, as the character was named before Mr. Frost joined the studio.^{[citation needed]}
• The beginning of the game makes some nods to RoboCop. In this game, character of Nathan Frost is similar to that of RoboCop/Alex Murphy. Like Alex Murphy's life, Nathan Frost is a promising soldier that gets mortally wounded at beginning of the game only to pass away while doctors give him medical treatment, and gets revived as a cyborg.

[edit] External links

• Project: Snowblind at MobyGames
• GameTab reviews