White Gold: War in Paradise Preview

[GameBanshee News]

Deep Shadows' FPS/RPG hybrid White Gold: War in Paradise is the subject of PC Gamer's latest hands-on preview.

There's more here than just a polished Boiling Point, though. A light RPG system, for a start. By gaining levels you're able to pick a perk from a list of about 30, each of which personalises your character. Some are straight combat boosts, others give what are almost trade skills, enabling you to skin animals and sell the hides. Thievery skills do things such as improve your lockpicking - which works on a resource system, picks having a chance to break each time you use one. Thievery skills will reduce that chance. One skill even makes you more resistant to booze.

But the real core of White Gold's appeal is its distinct take on a freeform world - a few notches more serious than most games of the type. While the visually similar Just Cause is happy to let you go on a rampage, White Gold creates a far more convincing world. You can talk to anyone you meet, as long as there's not a war going on. Even a GTA-clone perennial like stealing a car can have depth. Some cars are simply locked, requiring a key. They have petrol. They have tyres that can be shot out. There's a high level of destructibility in general. You share these islands with seven factions, all of whom can be charmed or alienated by your actions, and you're left to get on with it however you choose, and to live with the consequences.