As capable inputs go, the Wii remote hasn’t proved to be the equivalent of a PC’s mouse, and shooters designed expressly for the console are almost nonexistent. High Voltage Software, previously known for its licensed titles and ports, decided to make a Wii game that could push the genre’s boundaries. From a technical standpoint, the experiment is a success, but strip away some neat tech tricks, and The Conduit doesn’t have much juice.
As you run down an alien conspiracy through a paper-walled reconstruction of Washington D.C., you’ll see things rare to the Wii, like great-looking water effects and depth of field. You’ll also see endless corridors; to achieve a quality action experience, High Voltage seemingly had to limit level design to the most rudimentary elements. Occasional large spaces are connected by long cattle chutes that limit your exploration and enemy movement. Aim forward, and you’ll usually hit the mark.
To provide the illusion of exploration, there’s a gadget called the all-seeing eye. The orb/flashlight reveals hidden doors and messages, ghost mines, and nodes that control special locks. It’s a neat way to combine keycards, secrets, and other little standard shooter elements into one package. But an alarm sounds every time you really need to use it, so the little exploration it might have set in motion is typically moot.