In 'Black,' You Call the Shots

Sure, we've seen first-person shooters before but none with this level of sheer mayhem. Let's face it; nothing is as adrenaline-pumping as running with guns blasting, buildings crumbling and enemies succumbing in your path of destruction. "Black" is not only visceral, it's raw to the bone. We would expect no less from the developer, whose venerable "Burnout" series clearly shows it knows what "destruction" means.

"Black" is told through flashbacks showing what has happened to your character in the past four days. You play a secret-ops soldier whose mission is to take out an arms-dealing terrorist group known as the Seventh Wave. Spread over eight missions, players engage the enemy across the Eastern European countryside. Though there is a storyline (and we commend the developers for attempting one), the stars of the game are the weapons and the level of destruction.

Each of the weapons in "Black" has been meticulously rendered with incredible detail. The key is knowing which weapon to use in any situation. If you like to approach enemies and shoot them, then the combat shotgun may be your choice. If you like to shoot from a distance, then the AK-47 may be more your speed. Other weapons include an M-16, MP5 and, my favorite, the long-range sniper rifle.

Visually, "Black" is eye candy. The PS2 and Xbox versions look equally impressive. Rich textures and realistic lighting effects provide a nice cinematic feel.

Also exciting is the excellent use of sound. The guns sound phenomenal -- rattling loudly like the real thing. Fully utilizing Dolby Digital, you will hear bullets whiz by your head and enemies sneaking up behind you.

Our biggest gripe with "Black" is no multiplayer gameplay. Deathmatch, Capture the Flag -- something! The game is short enough as it is (about six hours start to finish), and having a multiplayer component would've given it some replayability.

-- Tom Ham

Black Mature, PS2 and Xbox ($39.99) Electronic Arts/Criterion