Happy Friday! Area 51 demo on Marketplace

There are few things better than an unexpected Friday demo. We were delighted to see a demo for BlackSite: Area 51 sitting quietly on Marketplace this morning. After a few minutes we had the demo downloaded and took it for a spin. Upon firing up the demo, you will be quickly greeted by some impressive Unreal Engine 3 visuals. The character models are top notch, and the lighting effects (particularly the wet, reflective surfaces) look fantastic. Not only does it look great, but most of the environment is destructible. The gameplay is sort of a streamlined version of Rainbow Six Vegas, with one button squad commands (you start with two team members) and tactical firefights. You won't be issuing any complicated commands, it's all basic things like "go there" or "open that door," so it's not overwhelming. The demo is very short, you basically make your way through three firefights and that's it. The closing screens of the demo promise more tactical gameplay, lots of vehicles, levels based in US cities, and a robust multiplayer component.

All in all the demo is sweet but just a little too short. Hopefully, we'll see a multiplayer demo before the game hits retail this year.