Masterful. Triumphant. Totally unexpected. Mind blown.

Did you enjoy Riddick: Escape from Butchers Bay? If yes, read no further, just go and play what feels like its spiritual successor. If not, seriously, go and buy and play http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Riddick:_Escape_from_Butcher_Bay because it is a masterpiece (and not the sequel, it was rubbish). Then go and buy and play WNO. This feels as amazing as Riddick did back in the day.

I think this is my new favourite scripted first person shooter. Its gameplay is as good as any other game I can think of in the genre, with crunchy melee combat, satisfying weapons and firefights, fun and varied enemies and AI and decent stealth mechanics. Additionally, I normally skip cutscenes, they are generally the bane of games, but these are amazing as as such deserve special mention for not only not sucking, but being as good to watch as any AAA movie (this reminded me of a cross between Oceans 11 and Inglourious Basterds). In fact given how badly cutscenes normally suck, this is kind of incredible, its really setting the bar for all other developers. Amazing characters who seem human (wonderful art+technology for the eyes as well, well done!), excellent writing, superb direction, fitting memorable must have more music, excellent timing and artistic flair. And heres the thing, pretty much everything about this game is great. I really dont understand it, how it can be so good.

The only thing I dont really like is that there is no first person body (which is a pet peeve of mine). I also wouldnt mind it if shadows and lighting were truly dynamic. And I dont like checkpoints, I like quicksaving. Apart from that, this is simply an astoundingly good game.

Edit: Also, while I like the stealth, its a bit perplexing why enemies dont react to bodies in front of them and we can move bodies. Then again I think this would be less fun to move bodies (nothign wrong with it, it, its just not a lot of fun), so I dont really take much issue with it.