Advent Rising

GamePro (US) (4.5 out of 5)

What a difference an involving story makes. This game makes you believe all the lip-service rhetoric about video games maturing into a genuine art form, because it puts its effort where its mouth is. Advent Rising isn't perfect, but it's innovative as hell, and the most emotive title to hit any platform in ages.

Game Chronicles (8.9 out of 10)

Admittedly, this is a solo, story-driven, action-adventure, so those looking for online action should look elsewhere, but for anyone else who is looking to immerse themselves in one of the most compelling stories, combined with intense supernatural action, and music and sound that makes me want to rethink our rating scale, look no further than Advent Rising.

4Players.de (86 out of 100)

OK, die Zeitlupe erinnert an Max Payne, die Kulisse und die Fahrzeuge an Halo und die Superkräfte sind aus Star Wars geklaut. Aber hat mich das gestört? Nein, denn ich hatte zu keinem Zeitpunkt das Gefühl, einen lieblosen Mix zu spielen. Stattdessen greifen die Elemente perfekt ineinander und erwecken das Gefühl, tatsächlich der Held zu sein, von dem die Geschichte erzählt. Glaubwürdige Charaktere in einem bombastischen Epos? Ich muss etliche Jahre zurückdenken, um ein Spiel zu finden, das ähnliche Begeisterungsstürme bei mir ausgelöst hat wie Advent Rising. Die Story schreitet unaufhaltsam voran, Freund und Feind wechseln die Fronten, immer wieder erwartet mich ein neuer Schauplatz. Ich stehe dazu, dass mir eine dermaßen beeindruckende Präsentation wichtiger ist, solange das Spiel nicht von eklatanten Mängeln gebremst wird. Und die gibt es zum Glück nicht.

Xbox World Australia (XWA) (82 out of 100)

Advent Rising has received more than its fair share of bad press and reviews, which in my opinion are mostly unjustified. I loved every minute of Advent Rising and haven't been sucked into a sci-fi game like this since the original Halo game. It looks gorgeous and its cinematic style and music score are second to none. Significant frame rate slow down is a problem throughout the entire game, but it wasn't enough of an issue to become overly frustrating or stop me playing.

GameZone (8.1 out of 10)

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then there are some developers out there that should feel awfully flattered. Not that what I am saying should be taken with a negative light, but more as an observation of gaming as a whole. Let's face it, there are tons of games out there both good and bad that owe something to another game, whether it was an idea a developer got from seeing a game or an actual visual, lifted and recreated. So when I say that Advent Rising wants to be Halo 2, that's not only a compliment to Halo 2, but to Advent Rising. It takes a lot of panache and vision to try and take on a game as large and well done as Halo 2, and while Advent Rising isn't quite as epic or grand in scale as Halo 2, it does have some things going for it.

Xboxdynasty (XD) (8.1 out of 10)

Ich habe mich so sehr auf das Spiel gefreut und war von den Bildern und den Videos vollends begeistert, dass ich jetzt eigentlich von dem Spiel total enttäuscht sein müsste. Doch das bin ich gar nicht, denn Advent Rising hat mich gepackt und nicht mehr losgelassen bis ich das Spiel durchgespielt hatte. Das Spiel bietet ein unglaubliches Spielerlebnis, wenn auch mit vielen Fehlern. Ich konnte dem Spiel fast alle Fehler verzeihen, doch sicherlich kann man von einem Spiel mehr erwarten. THQ und Majesco hätten sich lieber noch mal drei Monate Zeit lassen sollen und das Spiel ordentlich testen lassen sollen. Wir hoffen das THQ sich unseren Rat zu Herzen nimmt und bei einer möglichen Weiterführung dieses Produkts alte Fehler nicht wieder begeht. Wer das Spiel irgendwo mal günstig ergattern kann, dem kann ich das Spiel nur wärmstens empfehlen. Doch Aufgrund der vielen Fehler ist das Spiel den vollen Preis nicht Wert.

XBox Solution (XBS) (8 out of 10)

Advent Rising is not perfect but has a certain look and feel that makes you drawn into it despite the minor flaws of the design of the game. The game shows that they went all out to create this fantasy world and it looks great for the most part. Overall, the game offers plenty for those who love adventure and sci-fi games. It’s not a cakewalk to complete and offers some neat challenges. For some it may be a bit short but the cinematic scenes and the artwork are something to see.

Gamesmania.de (80 out of 100)

Selten hat ein Actionspiel eine so wendungsreiche Geschichte mit so interessanten Charakteren geboten. Und auch sonst stimmen die Zutaten: Die farbenfrohe, Unreal-getriebene Grafik ist in einem interessanten Stil gehalten und strotzt nur so vor Effekten. Das actionreiche Gameplay des 3rd-Person Titels profitiert von einem innovativen Auto Targeting, Jedi-ähnlichen Fähigkeiten unseres Helden sowie Halo-ähnlichen Sequenzen mit Buggies, Gleitern und Geschützen. Kommen wir also zur Kehrseite der Medaille und die betrifft vor allem die technischen Mängel auf der Xbox (Framerate, Bugs und Steuerung) – reicht die Story aus, um über diese Mängel hinwegzusehen?

Yahoo! Games ( )

Does Advent Rising live up to its hype? Not quite, though it's still an entertaining action/adventure title that most gamers will get their money's worth out of. Glyphyx bit off a little more than it could chew, as the bugs and hiccups show. Still, the developer dishes out a thrilling tale with varied gameplay that will keep you immersed through the end. It deserves a little slack for not being as polished as well-known franchises, and will no doubt improve if it fulfills its goal of becoming a trilogy.

Play Magazine (8 out of 10)

What Advent lacks in technology and developer prowess (it’s their first game) it more than makes up for in design, concept, gameplay and especially story. Given Halo time and money there’s no doubt in my mind that this team could produce a Halo quality epic. Master Chief is always Master Chief; Gideon becomes a god. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

VGcore (8 out of 10)

On the whole, Advent Rising is a good game that didn’t quite live up to its full potential. While it’s an exciting and fun experience, it doesn’t quite live up to the lofty expectations many had for it, and some of the features promised didn’t make it in, either. Despite its technical shortcomings, however, and its lackluster storyline, there’s still hope for the sequels to expand upon and tie-up the games loose ends. For the time being, Advent Rising is merely a good game that has hopefully set a course for a great trilogy to come.

TeamXbox (7.9 out of 10)

Advent Rising quite simply, is a very good action game that lacks the polish needed to be considered a “must-have” title. Aside from the many flaws, this is a game that has enough flair to keep you playing through to the end. It could have been longer, it could have been better, but in the end you’re left with an above average and satisfying gaming experience. GlyphX has laid a strong framework for what could be a very special trilogy, but only time (and sales) will tell if this tale continues in future installments. Hopefully we’ll see Advent Rising 2 on the Xbox 360.

TalkXbox (79 out of 100)

Advent Rising promised the world to gamers, but its only excellent feature is its audio. If it wasn’t chock full of glitches it would have been an enjoyable experience, but since it is full of bugs, it’s just maddening (at times). And with a moderately short single-player campaign, it’s just not worth a purchase. The amazing music helps sooth the pain when there’s a frame-rate drop, but when you get stuck in an invisible wall there’s nothing that can help the torment you’ll be experiencing. In a nutshell, Advent Rising is under-polished, under-developed, and just doesn’t play like a finished product. If you can get past that, rent this one. Hopefully in the sequel these problems will be fixed because this franchise does have excellent potential. Its art direction and audio are fantastic, but that’s about all here, due to its many glitches.

Game Vortex (78 out of 100)

The little technical flaws go beyond control and camera issues and include everything from sound going out to platforms activating themselves when they shouldn't. Despite these problems, Advent Rising still manages to put out an action-packed experience that's worth playing, if only for the story. Even then the tale is one that’s worth renting.

IC-Games (78 out of 100)

The game itself is very good, but is heavily let down by lots of little things, whether it would be the jerky aim in first person mode, the over enthusiastic "Flick-targeting" system, or the dodgy camera angles. These are enough to frustrate and ruin your gaming experience. It will annoy after a while, and make you turn the game off. However, it is a good game, and won’t annoy you instantly, only when it comes to those extreme combat situations when you don’t want the glitchy physics to come into effect.

IGN (7.8 out of 10)

It's been two years since Advent Rising was first announced. From the onset the game was extremely ambitious. It was to be the first installment in a three part sci-fi epic with story elements contributed by famed science fiction author Orson Scott Card. The gameplay would blend third-person shooting mechanics with god-like super powers and an original targeting system.

Game Informer Magazine (7.75 out of 10)

To be honest, this is one of the most difficult reviews I've ever had to write. Even after I'd seen Advent Rising through to its mind-blowing conclusion (Hint: stick around until after the credits), I really didn't know what score I was going to assign to the game. I can say this: rookie developer Glyphx Games has produced one of the most ambitious first games ever. To it's credit, the team has come very close to pulling it off.

Deeko (7.5 out of 10)

In the end, Advent Rising is a game that attempts to do a little too much than it can handle and it shows. However, the good outweighs the bad in almost every situation and it's easy to see where the problem areas are. Since this is a trilogy, we can only expect that these problems will be taken care of in later installments. If that is the case, the Advent trilogy will truly be one of the more remarkable and exciting video game series' released.

Digital Entertainment News (den) (7.5 out of 10)

With all of its technical glitches, it's a wonder how the QA guys got away with it (or even if there were any). Without these problems, Advent Rising would of easily been in the running for Game of the Year, giving both Sci-Fi junkies and action fans the reality of their most desired dreams. A wonderful story involving aliens, loss, and one man rising up to be a God, who wouldn't enjoy such a story? While the ending may leave gamers wanting more, it still has 2 sequels to follow. Whether or not those games will suffer the faults this one does, the world will have to wait and see.

Game Informer Magazine (7.5 out of 10)

Enemy and teammate AI is also suspect, and the animations are not as fluid as you would like them to be. Advent Rising has all the makings of a masterpiece, but it's also a huge disappointment.

Game XC (GXC) (7.5 out of 10)

If you're a fan of Orson Scott Card, and adore his writing, the game's story alone will warrant a purchase. If you're not a fan of sci-fi, or matter less, sci-fi action/shooters, this game falls more into the ranks of a solid rental. Advent Rising did indeed fail to "rise" to it's hype, but it still achieved some major accomplishments, as far as storytelling in video games. I, for one, will be waiting at the gates for the next arrival in the trilogy.

WomenGamers.com (7.25 out of 10)

Advent Rising has provided me with the hardest review I’ve ever had to write, mainly because of how many things I both loved and hated in it. On the one hand, the game is a lot of fun to play and really engrossing, while on the other it’s buggier than a cheap motel. I’m willing to partially forgive the game’s problems because it had a very small development team and a limited development calendar… as well as the fact that a lot of the graphical issues seem to stem from being too much for the Xbox’s hardware to handle (hopefully this will be fixed in the PC version, since a lot of computers have more powerful processors and such).

GamingTrend (431 out of 600)

Advent Rising is extremely ambitious. Unfortunately, it is this ambition that hurts the game so badly. The graphics engine never really received enough attention to smooth it out, nor did the sound system. The control system is ambitious and unique but just doesn't pan out either. I can only imagine that the controls and power of a PC would be better served to deliver the great story behind Advent Rising. This game is said to be the first in a trilogy – here is to hoping that there were enough sales behind the game to get to see where the game goes from here.

MS Xbox World (7 out of 10)

Advent rising is a “Broken” game which as I’ve already said is a shame because at the end of the day the game does have plenty of ambition if only it had all worked properly or had the necessary polish applied that it needs. The question one has to ask “Is the game fun?” Well yes the game is fun at the end of the day and despite its flaws this is what counts. I found some sections to be frustrating at times and some of the game play equally frustrating too but if you persevere then yes there are some fun moments to enjoy. I suggest that if you are unsure that you rent this game first and see if it’s your thing or not. For me this title sits just above average but could have been so much better had it addressed some of its short comings.

DreamStation.cc (6.5 out of 10)

The first installment of the Advent Rising trilogy has me optimistic. When the game is at its best it is a real blast. The superhuman powers can be combined with the shooting mechanics like never before. Unfortunately, the minor technical difficulties really add up and hinder an otherwise marvelous game. The game’s length and the fact that it has virtually no replay value are also major no-nos. Rent it, so when the hopefully killer second game comes out, you’ll be up to date.

1UP (6.5 out of 10)

Those who may write off Advent Rising as nothing more than an imitation to the Halo throne are really missing the point of its exercise. As a fire and flash sci-fi spectacle, Advent Rising proves, yet again, that the plasma rifle is stronger than the pen, and that mysterious alien civilizations are the stuff of geek dreams. This third-person action game combines the literary talent of sci-fi author Orson Scott Card with the creative vision and technical know-how of co-creators Donald and Geremy Mustard, two brothers who have devoted the prime years of their lives making videogames about the destruction and salvation of humanity. For the Brothers Mustard, Advent Rising is only the beginning of something much bigger; this game is but the first third of a trilogy, which, presumably, will see its next installment on next generation platforms.

Game Over Online (62 out of 100)

All of these gameplay mechanics are rounded off by Giddeon's acquisition of psychic powers. Yes, my friends, you too can grab a monster and hold him in the air as you fill him with lead (or plasma, or whatever) time and time again. This not only changes the entire balance of gameplay in the players favor to such a degree that all challenge disappears, but it becomes pretty repetitive and dull as well. Just using your powers and weapons leads to skill upgrades, and this only exacerbates the issue even further. Tack these traits onto a situation where the frame rate has dropped (and it does drop frequently) to about 9 fps, and what you've got is a total mess of a game that needed to bake for several more months, at least.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (6 out of 10)

If you have zero tolerance for stuttering frame rates and occasional fumbled controls then don't go near Advent Rising. It's a good science-fiction action game that suffers from technical problems. There's a nice surprise here for those that are forgiving enough to sample it, but you need to be aware it's clumsy in places. So pick up the glass and swill it down, but expect to dribble on your chin and stain your nice clean shirt.

GameDaily (6 out of 10)

After quite some time in development, one of Majesco's most ambitious licenses has finally arrived on store shelves. However, Advent Rising is not the second coming of gaming evolution as we know it. Rather, it's a game that works hard to be the next big thing, but it has some rather large stress cracks. It's got plenty of big ideas and executes most of them brilliantly, but the game's shortcomings - namely the frame rate and questionable dialogue - leave us wondering what really could have been with another year of development time. Definitely worth a rent, but hold off on a purchase.

Thunderbolt Games (6 out of 10)

Advent Rising reminds me of Breakdown (the Xbox game, not the Kurt Russell movie) in many ways. Both feature brilliant stories and interesting innovations, but are shackled by flawed gameplay mechanics. I can’t help but wonder if Advent wouldn’t have fared better as a movie; that way all the worst parts of the game (that is, all the game parts) would have been eliminated, leaving a truly wonderful plot, awesome music and top-notch acting. As it stands, it’s a flawed effort that may provide some fun for the truly thick-skinned, but most should just read a plot summary and wait for the next, and hopefully better, installment to come around.

Jolt (UK) (6 out of 10)

As we all know, the universe revolves around humanity, and should any event of great cosmological significance occur, you can bet that we’ll be at the centre of it. This hallmark of pulp sci-fi is itself at the core of Advent Rising – a moderately entertaining third-person shooter that borrows liberally from the universes of Halo and Star Wars.

Official Xbox Magazine (UK) (6 out of 10)

Advent Rising, if you take it as an 'interactive story', is perfectly entertaining. But taken as a proper videogame it's all just a bit naff. It feels broken, clumsy and amateurish, although it certainly has enough potential to chew over until the hopefully-much-improved second and third parts are released. Fingers crossed...

The Next Level (USA) ( )

Hopefully GlyphX will tweak some of the control issues for the forthcoming installments. If so, they may end up with a trilogy earning the merits of anyone's gaming collection. Overall, the plot and charisma of are just begging to be experienced. Complimented by a simple, universally accessible concept, Advent Rising is easy to enjoy and is full of potential and substance to stand on its own.

Entertainmentopia (C+)

All in all, the gameplay is pretty good, even amazing at parts. I loved the dual wielding and the multi targeting. Flick Targeting made the game much more pleasurable to play. The bullet-time wannabe dodging was amusing, but surprisingly fun to do. However, I still got the feeling that I was playing a Happy Meal version of Halo. Some of the cutscenes made playing with a boa constrictor more appealing, and the difficulty spikes made me shut if off more than once. That’s not going stop me from playing through again and look for those hidden icons, hidden paths, and hard-to-find secrets.

Game Freaks 365 (5.7 out of 10)

Overall, I felt that Advent Rising came out of nowhere, despite its long, delay-filled development; it really appeared out of nowhere on the release date calendar. It is the first game of a trilogy, and I'm really hoping that the next two games don't take as long and fix the many problems with this game.

GameSpot (5.7 out of 10)

There's nothing inherently wrong with ambition, but ambition is nothing without a solid framework to back it up. This is what is most notably missing from GlyphX Games' Advent Rising, a sci-fi themed action adventure game that seems to shoot high but falls hard. In development for a few years, Advent Rising tries to do an awful lot of things at once, attempting to combine a cinematic gameplay experience with an all-new sci-fi universe and some unique control and combat mechanics. Unfortunately, none of these elements comes together well at all. The presentation is a technical nightmare, the story is poorly told, and the modicum of uniqueness the gameplay has to offer is almost completely murdered by sloppy mechanics and a myriad of bugs.

Jeuxvideo.com (10 out of 20)

Glyphx terminera-t-il sa trilogie ? Allez savoir, en attendant, ce premier volet ne donne pas vraiment envie de voir arriver une suite. Sans saveur, le gameplay est alourdi par une prise en main l'inefficace et une prog.

GameSpy ( )

Is it better to aim for mediocrity and succeed, or shoot for the stars and end up failing? That's the question that occurs to me after playing Advent Rising, the creative new third-person action/adventure by GlyphX and Majesco. Advent Rising reaches for greatness by attempting to combine hardcore action with an epic plot and movie-like presentation. Sometimes it manages to pull itself together enough to work, but the experience is tarnished by more rough edges than my crumbling copy of the Official Nintendo Player's Guide.

Game Revolution (C-)

Like a luxury car with a rusted engine or a fudge sundae made with frozen yogurt, Advent Rising is a study in untapped potential. Although the core gameplay and concepts are really good, the package is marred by execution errors left and right. Way to reach for the stars, but boy, that's a long fall.

Netjak (4 out of 10)

Bad controls, bad story, and bad code add up to make this is a bad game. I can't even recommend renting it unless you're trying to use it to win the $1 million prize that Majesco is using to bribe people into playing this awful game. While I have to give them props for realizing that the game is so awful they need to pay you to play it, I fear that the lack of interest in the game is going to kill off similar prize money giveaways for any games that people actually like.

Gamezine (7 out of 20)

Avec un concept intéressant mais sans doute trop ambitieux, Advent Rising est gâché par une réalisation en deçà de ce que l’on peut trouver sur Xbox. A l’ère de la nouvelle génération, Advent Rising est déjà dépassé, avec des graphismes et des animations honteux. Voici une trilogie qui démarre bien mal…

Games TM (2 out of 10)

It's fair to say that playing Advent Rising is about as enjoyable as getting home from a hard day's work to discover you've been burgled. Massively staid, derivative and broken, it's hard to imagine exactly how the game could have been made any worse. As much as it may try not to such at times, there's simply no excuse for a game this dreadful to be released in 2005.