Kill.switch
Encyclopedia
Kill.Switch is a third-person shooter
video game developed by Namco
in 2003 for PlayStation 2
, Xbox
and Microsoft Windows
. A Game Boy Advance
adaptation was released in 2004
. The GBA game was created independently of Namco, due to a licensing deal with Destination Software
.
As a relatively straightforward third-person shooter, the most distinguishing characteristic of Kill Switch is its cover system
, a mechanic that has the player character taking cover behind objects and around corners in a manner similar to Namco's own Time Crisis
series of light gun shooter
s as well as Koei's third-person shooter WinBack
and Konami
's stealth game Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
. However, Kill Switch was the first third-person shooter to feature the cover system as its core game mechanic, and introduced the blind fire mechanic to the cover system.
were considered engaging. It was compared to the Time Crisis
series. The Xbox version of the game was said to contain enhanced graphics over the PS2 version. GameSpot awarded the Xbox version a 6.9 out of 10.
The GBA version of the game was similarly received, with IGN calling it a "solid portable action title" and awarding it a 7.5 out of 10.
as its core game mechanic, and for introducing the blind fire mechanic to the cover system. Several shooters took inspiration from Kill Switch and implemented similar cover systems. In the design of Gears of War
, lead developer Cliff Bleszinski
of Epic Games
credits Kill Switch's cover system as one of the influences they put into the game's design, as Kill Switch's lead designer was employed by Epic Games and was involved in the development of Gears of War.
Naughty Dog
's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, which began development in 2005 and was released in 2007, also took inspiration from Kill Switch, which Uncharted's lead designers Evan Wells and Amy Hennig credited as inspiration for the game's cover system. Other examples of shooters that featured Kill Switch-inspired cover systems include the 2005 third-person shooter CT Special Forces: Fire for Effect
, and the 2006 games Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas
, a first person shooter released in the same month as Gears of War, and Killzone: Liberation
, a third-person action game released a month before Gears of War.
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
video game developed by Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
in 2003 for PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
and Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. A Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
adaptation was released in 2004
2004 in video gaming
-Events:*January 20 — Wireds Vaporware Awards gives its first "Lifetime Achievement Award" to recurring winner Duke Nukem Forever.*March 4 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Peter Molyneux into the AIAS Hall of Fame*March 22-26 — Game...
. The GBA game was created independently of Namco, due to a licensing deal with Destination Software
Destination Software
Destination Software, Inc. was a developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software. The company is currently developing products for Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Wii, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and PSP portable entertainment system. Headquartered in Sewell, N.J.,...
.
As a relatively straightforward third-person shooter, the most distinguishing characteristic of Kill Switch is its cover system
Cover system
A cover system is how a video game lets a virtual avatar avoid dangers usually in a three-dimensional world. This method is a digital adaptation of the real-life military tactic of taking cover to dodge enemy gunfire or explosives. Similar gameplay elements can be traced back to as early as 1986,...
, a mechanic that has the player character taking cover behind objects and around corners in a manner similar to Namco's own Time Crisis
Time Crisis (series)
Time Crisis is a first-person light gun shooter series of arcade video games by Namco. The first installment of the series was released in the arcades in 1995 and later ported to the PlayStation consoles.-Overview:...
series of light gun shooter
Light gun shooter
Light gun shooter, also called light gun game or simply gun game, is a shooter video game genre in which the primary design element is aiming and shooting with a gun-shaped controller. Light gun shooters revolve around the protagonist shooting targets, either antagonists or inanimate objects...
s as well as Koei's third-person shooter WinBack
WinBack
Winback is a third-person shooter video game developed by Koei's Omega Force studio for the Nintendo 64 in 1999 and PlayStation 2 in 2001...
and Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
's stealth game Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
is a stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima, developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2001....
. However, Kill Switch was the first third-person shooter to feature the cover system as its core game mechanic, and introduced the blind fire mechanic to the cover system.
Story
The game is a remotely controlled super-soldier, Nick Bishop. For most of the game the soldier is remotely controlled by a man known only as "Controller." Controller is apparently using a direct neural connection to Bishop. Bishop's suppressed memories occasionally break through, causing Controller headaches. The memories feature a woman and the phrase, "Say my name." Controller, under orders from a man named Archer, uses Bishop in a series of combat missions designed to convince two nations or groups known as the North and the West to go to war. Archer plans on war profiteering in the resulting war, in part by selling copies of the technology that controls Bishop. Moments before Bishop launches a warhead equipped with a biological agent, a woman known as "Duchess" takes over Bishop, in the process causing a surge that kills Controller. Duchess uses Bishop to attack the base Controller is operating from and eventually restore Bishop's memories. It is revealed that the woman from Bishop's memories was his new wife. She was killed by Archer when Archer captured Bishop. Archer wanted the technology in Bishop for resale. Freed, Bishop makes a final assault on Archer. Afterwords, Archer is killed and Bishop walks away.Reception
Kill Switch was regarded as having a thin plot and simplistic level design, but the gameplay mechanics such as the cover systemCover system
A cover system is how a video game lets a virtual avatar avoid dangers usually in a three-dimensional world. This method is a digital adaptation of the real-life military tactic of taking cover to dodge enemy gunfire or explosives. Similar gameplay elements can be traced back to as early as 1986,...
were considered engaging. It was compared to the Time Crisis
Time Crisis
Time Crisis is a light gun shooter arcade game produced by Namco in 1995 and released in early 1996. It was later ported for the PlayStation in 1997, bundled with the G-Con 45 controller.-Gameplay:...
series. The Xbox version of the game was said to contain enhanced graphics over the PS2 version. GameSpot awarded the Xbox version a 6.9 out of 10.
The GBA version of the game was similarly received, with IGN calling it a "solid portable action title" and awarding it a 7.5 out of 10.
Legacy
Kill Switch is best remembered for being the first third-person shooter to feature the cover systemCover system
A cover system is how a video game lets a virtual avatar avoid dangers usually in a three-dimensional world. This method is a digital adaptation of the real-life military tactic of taking cover to dodge enemy gunfire or explosives. Similar gameplay elements can be traced back to as early as 1986,...
as its core game mechanic, and for introducing the blind fire mechanic to the cover system. Several shooters took inspiration from Kill Switch and implemented similar cover systems. In the design of Gears of War
Gears of War
Gears of War is a military science fiction third-person shooter video game developed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios...
, lead developer Cliff Bleszinski
Cliff Bleszinski
Clifford Michael "Cliff" Bleszinski is the design director for the game development company Epic Games in Cary, North Carolina. He is most famous for his continuing hand in the development of the Unreal franchise, especially 1999's Unreal Tournament, and the Gears of War franchise...
of Epic Games
Epic Games
Epic Games, Inc., also known as Epic and formerly Epic MegaGames, is an American video game development company based in Cary, North Carolina. Its most recent success has been the Gears of War series of games, although it is also known for its Unreal Engine technology. It is the parent company of...
credits Kill Switch's cover system as one of the influences they put into the game's design, as Kill Switch's lead designer was employed by Epic Games and was involved in the development of Gears of War.
Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin in 1986 as an independent developer, the studio was acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2001...
's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, which began development in 2005 and was released in 2007, also took inspiration from Kill Switch, which Uncharted's lead designers Evan Wells and Amy Hennig credited as inspiration for the game's cover system. Other examples of shooters that featured Kill Switch-inspired cover systems include the 2005 third-person shooter CT Special Forces: Fire for Effect
Nemesis Strike
Nemesis Strike, also known as CT Special Forces: Fire for Effect is a third-person shooter video game by Asobo Studio for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Players play as a counter-terrorism agency...
, and the 2006 games Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas is the fifth game in the Rainbow Six series of video games. It was released for the Xbox 360 on November 21, 2006 and Windows on December 12, 2006. The PlayStation Portable version was released on June 12, 2007, while the PlayStation 3 version was released on June...
, a first person shooter released in the same month as Gears of War, and Killzone: Liberation
Killzone: Liberation
Received IGN's award for Best PSP Offline Multiplayer Game of 2006 .-External links:**...
, a third-person action game released a month before Gears of War.