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FUSE
Platform: PlayStation 3
64

Fuse Review

A merely competent shooter that lacks personality

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Some people don’t know how to cook. They can follow a recipe, sure, but they don’t know how to improvise, how to make it their own. I, admittedly, am one of those people. I can chop up some ham, a little green pepper, and make an omelet, or pepper steak with pre-mixed seasonings, but I have not the slightest idea how to spice up a dry rub on ribs or how to make a from-scratch tomato sauce. Certain people are able to simply taste their creations and say, “Oh, this needs oregano”, or maneuver the coals on their grill to make sure their chicken is cooking at different temperature than their burgers. The rest of us religiously follow the directions listed on the back of the Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese box.

That’s how Fuse feels, like an over-processed, powdered cheese-and-water, out of the box Kraft dinner. In the end it all comes together well enough that it avoids being a bad game, but so rigorously tries to follow formula it avoids being a good one as well. The game has decent shooting mechanics and some snappy dialogue, but also suffers from a forced multiplayer focus and lack of creativity. What’s funny is that while Fuse is a brand new IP, it actually feels like it’s already a sequel to something. This feeling likely stems from the fact that the only thing actually new about Fuse is its name, everything else seems derivative of other tried-and-true shooting mechanics already explored ad nauseum.

Fuse game

Fuse is centered around Team Overstrike 9, a foursome that have names but are more easily remembered as British Girl, Steroid Guy, Red-Head, and Other Guy. There are spots here and there where the game briefly divides the squad up into neat little teams of two, but for the most part you will always have your entire team around you. This allows you to play with up to three of your friends at any time with seamless drop-in/drop-out co-op. If you are playing by yourself, you can switch between characters in a fairly simple fashion, allowing yourself the benefits of each. One way Insomniac has clearly distinguished these characters is by their Xenotech weapon, made from the alien substance Fuse - which is never actually explained - with each weapon having special abilities, ranging from creating black holes to giant shields. These abilities continue to show off Insomniac’s predilection for quirky firearms. Each of these Xenotech guns also have secondary features which help inform the player of the character’s role in combat, similar to the class functions of Borderlands. As you play the game you may find one specific type you like, or jump between all four as desired. I personally dug Naya (British Girl) who could shoot black holes with her Warp Gun and go invisible, allowing herself to go behind enemy lines.

Narratively, Fuse is a hot mess. While investigating the base of a corporation called Hyperion, Team Overstrike 9 find that the substance Fuse is being used to create weapons. The team tracks these criminal dealings all over the world to find out who is behind the plot to release these weapons into the Black Market. Including our four protagonists, there are about ten characters in Fuse, and I can actually tell you facts about half of them. Time and time again I would get to an end boss - who would talk like he was out of a 1970’s Bond movie - and have no idea why I was fighting them or how they related to the plot. For the most part, Insomniac seem to be aware how dispensable their characters are but every now and then they will try to get you emotionally invested to no avail. Even when the plot is understandable - it’s predictable, failing to ever change pace or tone.

Fuse game

While Fuse can be a single player experience, Insomniac makes it a punishing and frustrating time due to your teammates painfully stupid AI. The four characters are designed to work together to get the full benefits out of their abilities, combining their weapons for impressive combos; however times where you can work with the AI are limited at best. When your life is depleted, your character goes down ala Gears of War, crawling on the ground until someone can resurrect you. This proves especially problematic for the AI, as they will not often come to your aid until it is too late, or get themselves killed in places difficult for you to get to. Having to rescue your downed AI teammates before they bleed out is easily the most frustrating part of the game.

A lot of these issues can be alleviated if you play with a friend. Fuse really hits its stride when you have other people coordinating strategies and tactically moving around the map to hit the enemies’ weaknesses; if you have people working to craft a team that compliments each other Fuse can really become a good time. All of the abilities used in Fuse relate to a central skill tree that is leveled up through a well integrated XP system that’s clear and easy to use. As your character levels up, new upgrades on the skill tree can be unlocked. There are some incentives to working together hidden in the skill trees, also collecting Fuse credits littered throughout levels can purchase Team Perks. The underlying message is clear: Insomniac really wants you to convince a friend (or three) to play with you.

In addition to the Xenotech weapons, there are guns dropped by enemies that can be picked up. These weapons are the generic sniper rifle, shotgun, machine gun, semi-automatic, and others that have no special abilities but can factor into the type of character you are playing with. For instance, Isabel (Red-Head) has a medical beacon she can throw to heal everyone, thus grabbing a sniper rifle gives her a chance to stay out of the fray until she is needed as a medic. Through skill trees, weapons selections, and the tactics used, there is a rhythm to Fuse that can be addicting and rewarding.

But there are still issues that plague the experience, even when playing with friends. The level design leaves something to be desired, as pretty quickly you will be able to figure out what enemies are about to attack you based on the layout of the room. Also, the game only has a handful of enemy types, Insomniac are forced to artificially ramp up the difficulty by throwing wave after wave of enemies at you. It creates a very wash, rinse, repeat style of combat that grows tiresome after a couple hours into the eight-ish hour long campaign. These enemies continue to exemplify a cookie-cutter style used in Fuse.

Fuse game

This blasé attitude continues to the art-style, where Insomniac spin their wheels trying to imagine a not-too-distant future. Exteriors are given a contemporary design, with very industrial interiors, like something out of an Evil Lairs R’ Us catalog. Whether in India, Sheng Island, or even a space station, the interiors all look relatively alike. While the globetrotting in Fuse gives a nice breath of fresh air to the exterior, ranging from snowy mountain caps to an Indian Palace, the variety feels manufactured, like a reward for beating the last level. In the end, Fuse’s art does nothing to stand out.

The lack of nuance extends its reaches to all other corners of Fuse. The score feels like a dubstep remix of Hans Zimmer’s work on Inception, with blaring horn ringing throughout the games’ entirety. The sound design is noisy, unrefined and lacking any subtlety. Everyone sounds like they’re talking over their radio and every line delivery has a half-second lag to it, killing any punch the zippy Whedon-esque dialogue might have had. Between the score, the constant noise of gunfire, and lack of ambiance, Fuse often degrades into a painful and confusing aural experience.

Fuse game

After beating the campaign, players can continue their co-op experience in Echelon, a spin on the popular Horde Mode. It’s not much unlike the campaign with wave after wave of enemies pouring into a semi-natural arena for players to survive. Occasionally, Echelon mode will change things up, having players defend a Fuse Cell, or reach a weapons cache before it is emptied. It is not all that deep, but players can earn XP for their characters and collect Fuse credit to gain Team Perks. Echelon is definite challenge - especially compared to the campaign - and almost worthless without a human partner, but is a decent way to pass a couple hours.

That is almost how one can sum up Fuse - a decent way to pass the time. As far as shooters and multiplayer go, Fuse is a small fish in a giant ocean, with plenty of games that can provide the same experience with better quality. However, on its own Fuse will stand up fine, especially if you’re just looking for a new way to spend time with a few friends and aren’t looking for a powerful story or gameplay variety. Insomniac has not made a bad game, but one that simply lacks personality, that lacks spice. They may know how to cook, but they aren’t proving that to anyone by making the video game equivalent to a frozen pizza.

Our ratings for Fuse on PlayStation 3 out of 100 (Ratings FAQ)
Presentation
65
Fuse's design is serviceable, but lacks any creativity or excitement. The looks are repetitive, not only level to level, but of the shooter genre in general.
Gameplay
72
There are some highlights to the game play, including the skill tree and well structured interface. However, a lack of creativity betrays what works, and even the good ideas seem boring after a couple hours.
Single Player
50
Terrible teammate AI plagues any enjoyment one might get out of the single player experience. Restarting levels due to the dumb decisions your CPU cronies make is unforgivably frustrating.
Multiplayer
71
With a couple of friends Fuse can be a really good time. Using the characters to compliment each other can be fun and rewarding.
Performance
70
Fuse runs totally fine, with no bugs or hiccups. However, with unimpressive graphics and animations, it is not blowing anyone away.
Overall
64
Fuse is mediocrity at its finest. A run-of-the-mill experience that fails to deliver anything exciting, and struggles to separate itself from the many shooters that came before it.
Comments
Fuse
Fuse box art Platform:
PlayStation 3
Our Review of Fuse
64%
Adequate
The Verdict:
Game Ranking
Fuse is ranked #1503 out of 1953 total reviewed games. It is ranked #118 out of 158 games reviewed in 2013.
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Xbox 360
1503. Fuse
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Screenshots

Fuse
12 images added Jun 2, 2013 15:07
Videos
Fuse - Official Announcement Trailer
Posted: Oct 9, 2012 22:34
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