For a second, I wondered why the new Terminator game was subtitled The Redemption when the T3 movie had the tag Rise of the Machines. Then I came to my senses. There already was a Rise of the Machines game, also published by Atari. And it was . . . well, let's leave terminated cyborgs lie and hope Atari also came to its senses this time around. After all, there is a new developer on this title: Paradigm Entertainment. This alternate take is a whole other machine, from its substantial endoskeleton to its faithfully reproduced appearance. Put any preconceived notions aside and prepare yourself for what looks to be a satisfying ride.

The game follows the terminator that killed future resistance leader John Conner after it is reprogrammed by Conner's wife and second-in-command, Kate Brewster. The year is 2032, and the first of four acts covers the terminator's attempt to secure a time travel device and make it back to 2003. This act serves as an intense introduction to the multiple types of gameplay you will enjoy over the course of the adventure. The terminator stars out on foot but will hijack a truck, ride a helicopter, and commandeer a super-advanced tank on the way to its goal. Once it's in the past, it will find and protect John and Kate from a more advanced and far deadlier cyborg that hopes to wipe them out before they can even begin to pose a threat.

Ranged combat, both on foot and in/atop vehicles, utilizes one trigger for the primary weapon and one for any secondary weapons. Since this is an all-out action showcase, there are no time limits (though there were in earlier builds) and no ammo clips to pick up. You can lean on the main fire button to your heart's content without worrying about running out of rounds. Auto-aim also gently helps you make the most of your potential for carnage. Just guide your crosshairs over the enemy you want to destroy and you'll see how true a cyborg's aim can be. Melee attacks are suitably brutal and more are unlocked as you progress and upgrade. These include dismembering robots and using them as shields as well as pulling out their power cells and tossing them like grenades. Terminators never play nice.

At the end of each of the fourteen levels, there's an opportunity to use any "terabytes" (data storage units) earned to upgrade the terminator's stats. Levels can be played over to gain any terabytes you may have missed - generally by beating the level more effectively. In addition to unlocking new attacks and increasing the benefit of life-restoring charge zones, upgrades can be applied to the terminator's special scan mode, which bathes the screen in red "termivision" and increases the damage done to enemies. Damage and duration can be increased and the length of time it takes to charge up can be decreased. It's up to you what upgrades are applied first, but you'll want to choose wisely, since there is so much to contend with.

Those who've seen the movie are probably wondering how the famous crane truck scene is handled in Redemption. The good news is that the chase is broken up into a couple of parts - one where you go after the crane truck and one where it comes after you. One segment has John Conner drive Kate's veterinarian truck while the terminator mans the guns; another has the cyborg on the roof of the getaway truck trying to get in. The main enemies of the game, the self-aware artificial intelligence Skynet and its agent, the TX, try to overwhelm you with force and numbers at each step of the way, and you will find that the crane truck is just one of many chase scenes that will see the terminator use a variety of vehicles and methods to accomplish its mission. In modern-day Los Angeles, you can jump from a motorcycle into a moving police car or ambulance, and in the future you can take over tons (literally) of high-tech machines. There is some flexibility as to what vehicle you can use in some places, to keep things fresh.

Action fans have flocked to the Terminator movies in three different decades now, and Redemption looks like a big success in bringing a lot of that excitement to the consoles. Fans should appreciate the mix of frantic vehicle hopping, laser blasting, and hand-to-hand fighting; the cinematics; the two-player co-op shooting stages; and the third act, which explores an alternate future where John Conner died before he could rise to his leadership role. Sometimes you can't change the future, but that doesn't mean you can't improve upon the past.

Download the Terminator 3: The Redemption trailer (Windows Media, 2:02, 320x240, 8.03 MB )

Download the Terminator 3: The Redemption trailer (QuickTime, 2:02, 640x480, 27.9 MB )

· · · Nick Vlamakis