Insomniac Games made a name for itself conjuring ingenious and bombastic weaponry in past PlayStation efforts, such as the rib-tickling Ratchet & Clank series and the Resistance titles on PS3, so its no surprise that this company-wide design mantra has been carried over for its first multiplatform maiden voyage.
Nifty guns and gadgets aside, Fuse also happens to be a rather generic co-op blaster that dunks you into the boots of a team of elite operatives called Overstrike 9, tasking you with retrieving powerful alien technology stolen by a rogue paramilitary group. Much like the shallow game design, thats really about as deep as Fuses tale gets, which is puzzling considering Insomniacs penchant for weaving a solid yarn. Narrative woes aside Fuse is still a relatively sound experience thats best served with friends because it encourages you to capitalise on strategic team ups that put each characters abilities - cloaking, shields, freezing and crossbow to proper use.
Unfortunately when flown solo Fuses painfully poor AI-controlled teammates practically cripple the intended experience by refusing to play ball at the best of times. And in an inexplicable move, one of Fuses more captivating mechanics - body swapping - is off the table whenever youre floored in battle, leaving you to rely on the games AI for revival. Generally, it doesnt. Still, theres fun to be had in Insomniacs latest if you can find yourself a few friends willing to take the time to master its kick-ass weaponry and reasonable tactical prowess.