While games that blur the line between genres are rare, games that blur the line between fantasy and reality are more so.

When a game does this, it becomes something more than just a way to pass time, it becomes an experience, and Breakdown is the greatest experience I have ever had in all my years of gaming.

That’s right Xbox owners, in many regards it even surpasses Halo.

Even though I’m surprised by just how much praise I have for this game, Breakdown isn’t flawless. What sets it apart from other games, though, is that for everything Breakdown does "wrong", it does ten things right and makes every minute of it an experience you’ll never forget.

The quality of this game is simply remarkable. The storyline and plot are so good that you’d think they were penned in a best selling novel. Something is always happening, from an action-packed start to a heart-pounding finish. Playing as Derrick Cole, you wake up on a hospital bed with amnesia, and have to fight to survive if you want to learn anything about your past. What starts as a daring escape from the military, however, turns into a sci-fi thriller that has more plot twists and story turns than you can possibly imagine. And Breakdown looks good doing it, too.

Every cutscene is movie quality, and helps to further immerse you in Breakdown’s world, which is truly a visual treat. Character models are lifelike in every detail, and the lip sync is surprisingly good for a game that came from Japan. Weapons look great, from the 9mm handgun to the MP5, and even the bigger toys you find later on. The special effects, however, are the cream of Breakdown’s crop. Without giving away too much about the game’s rich storyline, the screen will occasionally blur, and sometimes it will even flicker with static. Lighting is nice, and while not on par with Splinter Cell or Deus Ex: Invisible War, it more than gets the job done, especially during some of the more eerie scenes late in the game. The game world itself looks gorgeous as well, with the only potential snare being that early in the game you spend a good deal of time wandering through the identical halls of an office building.

Music, voice acting, and sound effects in Breakdown, however, are a totally different story. This is as close as a game has gotten to flawless sound since, well, Halo. The voice acting is top notch and adds a great deal of realism to the game, as listening to military squads bicker back and forth over the radio will quickly reveal. The music is perfect. When the action heats up, the music picks up the pace, and appropriately calms down when the mood switches to a more serious one. While plenty of other games have done this before, it’s the actual music that’s so noteworthy. It’s really, really good. Really. You could be knee deep in pissed off army men or just getting a soda, and the game will sound great. The sound effects couldn’t be better either. Gunfire and shattering glass, punches, rockets firing… It all blends into an amazing audio experience as everything is honed to enhance the game, even Derrick’s breathing. He’ll actually breathe heavier when he’s running instead of standing still.

While all of this adds to the immersion factor, what takes it to the next level is the gameplay.

I said earlier that Breakdown was the greatest experience I’ve ever had in gaming, and the reason is because Breakdown is easily the most immersive, realistic game you’ll ever play, bar none.

Before the Tom Clancy fans out there have a heart attack, though, you have to realize that Breakdown’s gameplay, in every conceivable way, makes you feel like you’re actually in the shoes of Derrick Cole. Everything from body awareness to the lack of an ammunition counter helps you to feel like you’re actually there. Derrick isn’t wearing some special kind of helmet, so you won’t have radar, a grenade tally, or health bars for your allies. You have to actually pick up magazines for your MP5 and interact with the environment.

And talk about interaction. Whether you’re buying a can of juice (yes, you can actually put a coin into a vending machine), pressing a switch, or climbing a ladder, the game never leaves the first person perspective. And it’s a good thing.

It’s unbelievable just how satisfying it is to fight enemies hand-to-hand in first person, and not surprisingly the makers of Tekken and Soul Calibur saw fit to throw in a good number of punch-and-kick combos. This is definitely Breakdown’s strong point, and it’s so fun that you’ll often times throw down the gun in favor of the visceral experience of cleaning out a room with just your bare, freakishly glowing hands.

On the topic of gunplay and combat, though, some people may frown on Breakdown’s auto targeting when you use guns. After all, traditional First Person Shooters allow aiming with a targeting reticle, but Breakdown doesn’t. While this is another factor that adds to the realism of Derrick’s adventure (obviously, if you used a gun without a scope in real life, you wouldn’t have a light blue circle directing your aim), it would hinder the gameplay without the auto targeting.

Another potential downside to Breakdown is that it’s not a game for those without dedication. Breakdown is a hardcore game meant for hardcore gamers, and at times it can be obscenely difficult, especially as the game progresses. While this can keep you coming back for more, some players may lose patience, as the repeated dying is the only thing that can possibly pull you out of Breakdown’s amazing world. Granted, this could be a blessing in disguise, because once you start playing, it’s damned hard to stop. Derrick’s adventure will hook you until the end, as Breakdown easily has more jaw-dropping moments than every other game released this year combined.

Throw in four difficulties, multiple branches in the storyline, two different endings, extra content in the form concept art, a full soundtrack, and Breakdown’s original preview trailer, and you have the makings for one hell of a great game. Buy this game, even if you have to sell three to get the cash for it. Breakdown sets itself up for a great sequel with one of the endings, and you’ll want to stay fresh on the storyline when Namco makes this Game of the Year nominee even better.

Pros:

• A storyline that’s as good as any novel you’ll ever pick up. Amazing.
  
• Visuals and sound are both stunning.
  
• First person fighting? Can I get a "hell yeah"?
  

  Cons:
  

  • At times, Breakdown can be extraordinarily hard.
    
  • As good as the story and gameplay are, it feels too short. Fifteen hours at the most.