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Prepare for a reality check. XIII is about to suck you into another world completely - that much-underrated sphere of the imagination. It's a risky business, but one that raises this first-person shooter off the scale. As you'll soon discover, the freshness extends far beyond the beautiful cel-shaded graphics.

Cel-shading is rarely used, particularly in this genre, but there's a good reason for using it in XIII. Everything is tied into this distinctive look, from the character's origins (a Belgian graphic novel) to his special 'sixth-sense' abilities. Although he's an amnesiac at the start of the game, it isn't long before the oddly named XIII discovers the skills that once made him the ultimate assassin. Simply by standing still for a few moments, he can start to sense the enemies around him. You not only hear the bad guys approaching, but actually see the tapping of their footsteps in the form of on-screen onomatopoeia, making it possible to anticipate their movements even when you can't see them. Try lurking around a corner, then jumping out behind your enemy as he passes by. You can either take him hostage, thwack him with a blunt object or slip by unnoticed. Stealth or slaughter, it's completely up to you.

Also tied into the sixth sense are the pop-up boxes that let you see events taking place in other parts of the level. This varies between watching enemies bump off civilians to friends having important conversations. Pop-up boxes also give you a better view when throwing grenades. Chuck one over a high wall and you can see if your shrapnel attack has been successful. That's not to mention all the pop-up animations for spectacularly gory kills.

Innovations like this make for great gameplay and even better storytelling - XIII has appealing characters and a gripping plot. Waking up on a beach at the start of the game, Steve Rowland - aka XIII - is accused of assassinating the President of the United States. His friend and mentor General Carrington has been imprisoned in the Arctic wastelands and a guild of conspirators known as the XX are after their heads.

It sounds straightforward enough, but as the game progresses, you start to doubt whether Stevie-boy is a real American hero after all. Remarkably, it's only the acting of David Duchovny (of X-Files fame) that lets the character down. It's lucky that XIII is the strong, silent type because his dialogue is flat and uninspired. With that exception, the voice acting is superb, especially the defiant Major Jones who has bad attitude in spades. And spades are just one of many household items you can use as a weapon. One of the best scenarios in the game is where XIII is institutionalised in a high-security lockup. The wardens try to batter you in the showers, but you can grab bottles and broomsticks and teach them the real meaning of prison brutality.

Ashtrays, chairs, pieces of glass and loads more items can be wielded to deadly effect. Obviously, there are plenty of real weapons to use as well. GoldenEye fans will be overjoyed that XIII's arsenal is almost identical, but there are two important differences. All firearms have a secondary fire mode and come accompanied with comical onomatopoeia like "Blam!" or "Baoom!!" Sadly, a major flaw with the multiplayer game is that the weapon set for each level is pre-configured and can't be changed. This is especially disappointing when one of the major appeals of the story mode is the huge arsenal and high-tech gadgets.

One of the best gadgets available in story mode is the grappling hook. This device can be attached to certain points in the level and comes with a remote control to ascend and descend. Hanging from the rope with one hand, you can whip out a rifle and rain lead on your foe below. A feature we've never seen in an FPS before is your ability to take hostages. Sneak up behind any daydreaming villain and grab them around the throat. You can then parade around and some enemies won't attack. Brilliantly, this is never mandatory for completing a mission. You're just as free to unholster your gun and start blazing away with the protection of a human shield.

Room to do things your own way transforms XIII from a linear experience into a single-player story with bags of replay value.

While the multiplayer levels are compact, there are enough hidden routes, crawlspaces, balconies and ramps to keep things interesting. Along with Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag, there's also a romping Sabotage mode. Similar to the multiplayer missions in Return To Castle Wolfenstein, one team must defend three strategic points while the other team have to destroy them. We can see the fast and frenetic gunplay being a welcome addition to Xbox Live, especially with eight players on the go. Failing that, you can always rely on the sophisticated AI bots for opposition. Downloadable content including new multiplayer maps are promises worth holding onto.

Few FPSs on Xbox deliver the single-player goods as well as XIll. Gripping story, appealing characters and unique melee weapons are all united perfectly by a graphical appeal and some astute gameplay innovations. You don't need a sixth sense to tell that Christmas 2003 just got a whole lot bigger.

1. Impromptu weapons
2. Likeable characters
3. Complex storyline
4. Excellent multiplayer AI bots

1. David Duchovny
2. Few multiplayer weapons

Power
The cel-shading is great. Manages to be vivid and colourful without losing detail or seeming childish.

Style
Lots of thought has gone into the storytelling, from the pop-ups and onomatopoeia to the flashbacks.

Immersion
Superbly executed missions allow you to play your way. Decision making adds replay value.

Lifespan
Enthralling single-player with 33 levels will take ages to complete. Multiplayer's slightly less enduring.

Overall Unique, stylish and captivating from beginning to end. You simply cannot afford to miss this superb FPS.