Poor old Blacksite. Although its hard to find anything particularly bad to say about the game - and anyone who prefers a more realistic backdrop than the fantastical worlds of many recent shooters will feel at home with its dusty Nevada locales - following in the wake of Halo 3 and BioShock this alien blaster feels familiar and clichéd, even though it makes attempts to tweak traditional team-based gunplay.
Unlike many blasters where you can catch your breath as computer-controlled comrades hold the bad guys at bay, being a chickenshit leader in Blacksite has a negative effect on your colleagues morale, making them too scared to shoot straight and unwilling to wade into the carnage. Single-button commands to issue orders also makes the game feel friendlier than many team-blasters, while the destructible environments and chunky military vehicles also make it a thrill to play.
But, despite its charms, Blacksite still follows shooting conventions that have been trotted out countless times over the years. And although it handles team dynamics as well as - and often better - than its rivals, its a long way from redefining first person shooters as the publishers would have you believe.