Ecks vs. Sever is a first-person shooter based on an early draft of the script of the 2002 film, Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, starring Antonio Banderas (as Jeremiah Ecks), and Lucy Liu (as Sever), and was released before the film had even begun production (which is very unusual). The game was developed by Crawfish Interactive and published by BAM! Entertainment in 2001. A second Ecks vs. Sever game, called Ballistic, was released in 2002.

This first game in the series is played as a series of flashbacks, made during an interrogation of both characters. In-between each level, a text transcript of the cross-examination is shown, and then the game jumps backwards in time by four weeks, to the incident itself, which you then play out. You, of course, can play as either Ecks or Sever, and their missions take place in the same environments, although at different locations and times. Both characters cross paths at various points in the story.

The controls are fairly simple: the ‘A’ button shoots; the ‘B’ button opens doors and windows, and also activates usable items, like buttons; Select cycles through available weapons; the shoulder (L and R) buttons allow you to sidestep left or right, and you can also duck by pressing them at the same time. There is no jump required (you can, however, climb up crates and boxes that are half-height).

Both characters have twelve campaign missions each, and the objectives are explained before starting them. Weapons, ammo, and health packs are dropped by defeated enemies. You can also pick up armour, which gives you an extra layer of protection.

The action is fast, precise and challenging, and you have to be relatively careful if you want to survive each level. The weapons are varied and effective, and you’re given a range of shotguns and automatic rifles, plus a sniper rifle and a grenade launcher.

Multiplayer mode in Ecks vs. Sever is also very good. There are three modes of play: Deathmatch, Assassination, and Bomb Kit, each of which can be played over a number of levels, including some that are unlocked using passwords given to you in the campaign missions. You can also set up games that are timed, or require a certain number of frags to win, and there are also a number of different characters to play.

Overall, I’d have to say that Ecks vs. Sever is up there with the best first-person shooters on the Game Boy Advance. In spite of it being based on a film that is mostly derided, it turns out to be an excellent game.

More: Ecks vs. Sever on Wikipedia