SiN Reloaded: PS5 Review

Developed by Nightdive Studios
Published by Atari
Platform: PS5

The concept of the FPS genre really got a shot in the arm with the likes of Quake and Doom.

That was the start of many people's obsession with these kinds of games, and in fairness to SiN Reloaded, perhaps those titles somewhat overshadowed Ritual Entertainment's foray into the world of point and kill.

The remasters of SiN and the Wages of SiN (bundled together for this package from 1998) offer much vicarious enjoyment to those just wanting to relive that point and press kill streak. Though in truth, once again a title like this is all about the fleeting pleasures, rather than the continual hours of gaming.

It's a very simple premise, simply step into the boots of security consultant Colonel John R. Blade as he battles the bio-engineered mutant army of CEO Dr. Elexis Sinclaire across a near-future dystopian city. The plot's not really the point here and it follows the usual mantra of avoiding the marauding hordes as they charge toward you.

Perhaps it's the simplicity here that's appealing and certainly once the game's somewhat overblown opening titles and premise have finished, it's upto you to hurtle around rooms delivering carnage among the kills - rocket science it ain't. But bloody good fun it kind of is.

Enemies are suitably dumb and take a few attempts to kill, but when you start off the game pointing a massive gun from a helicopter at those enemies as they circle on a roof as you spin by, subtle it ain't in many ways.

Essentially given a spit and polish for the 21st century, SiN Reloaded and its sequel offer fleeting pleasures and continue to mine the kind of frustrations any Quake or Doom player would have with enemies being blocked, being ambushed or simply unsure of where to go to next - credit needs to be given to the developers for not washing it over with current sentimentalities.

Occasionally the graphics wobble and you may dismiss that as a part of the retro charm, but SiN Reloaded feels like coin-op style entertainment at its peak - it does what it says on the tin and nothing more.