Quick game review since I just beat it.
Singluarity
The game was a decent cheap, B-tier type of game that was marred with several problems.
Gameplay
The game's main attraction is the TMD, the Time Manipulation Device. During the course of the game you upgrade it's abilities from opening time rifts to using the device to pick up objects and fling at foes. Most of the abilities aren't satisfying in the slightest. The only thing that actually offers a good bit of satisfaction is the Impulse ability, which pushes enemies back sometimes causing them to lose their limbs. You can just stick to regular guns as the abilities don't seem to do any more damage quicker than just shooting someone in the face with a shotgun.
There are a few "fun guns" in this game like the Seeker, which allows the user to steer the bullet to the target to create an explosive blast. Everything else is basically standard fare, shotgun, revolver, sniper rilfe and minigun.
You can upgrade the weapons and abilities, but for the most part the upgrades are fairly trivial. Each weapon comes with three upgradeable options, reload speed, damage and clip size, each upgradeable twice. It's a safe attempt at "customization" though. The abilities have a bit more variety, ranging from the usual health upgrade to something a bit more unique like gaining energy when killing foes. Again, these customization options are pointless and feel like they were used as a bulletpoint for the back of the box.
The levels aren't vastly different from each other. Which, I suppose, links each environment. There are few chest high walls, but a lot of them can be degraded using the TMD which was kinda cool.
I'm probably most disappointed in the gameplay because this game from Raven.
Story
The game is very clearly influenced by Bioshock and Half-life, but doesn't quite reach the standards set by either game. The game tries too hard to immersive, but fails due to it's bad pacing and un-interesting story. Scattered throughout the game are voice recorders that give a bit of backstory into what happened on that doomed island, Katorga. Unfortunately, most of them don't build up the world that Bioshock did. I'm not entirely sure if it was because you had to be within earshot, thus stopping the action to hear something not directly related to the plot, or because the recordings weren't personal.
The game also had a few hidden messages you used the TMD to decifier that were, again, absolutely pointless. And, honestly, didn't lend anything extra to unraveling the story.
The game also tries to throw a character at you that it tried to make tragic, but you met them all of three times and their death was ultimately pointless. There was also a chase sequence that just felt like it was forcing you down a series of hallways trying to take down random enemies along the way. There was no tension, no feeling that I needed to save this person. It almost felt like an on-rails shooter, pointing me where I needed to go and killing who I needed to kill.
The ending was another of these last minute decisions that determines what ending you get that doesn't satisfy in any way. There are three endings, a good, bad, and "Your Own" ending. So basically a neutral ending. The game ends with a wimper, and you'll immediately forget what the last few hours were spent on.
Visuals
The game is three years old at this point, and it doesn't hold up all that well. It's not very impressive, but it's not offensive. There are very few options in the game to customize it. I had to force AA through my video card's settings. I would have liked a bit more dynamic lighting engine.
Bottomline
The game was pretty mediocre overall and very forgettable, but not offensive. If you're looking to burn a few hours, then this game fills that void well. Don't expect to be blown away by an immersive, thought-provoking narrative. I'd say the game is worth $5-10 easily.
I give this game 4 bananas out of 6 apricots.
