There's nothing original under the sun', or so the saying goes. These days that's how the action side of the gaming industry seems to be going. With practically every big release built from the same shiny Unreal 3 engine and looking damn similar as a result, it's hardly surprising that some games have just opted to forgo original thought completely. After establishing its hackneyed premise, Blacksite borrows from the best and does it well, robbing style, story and sequences from just about every other shooter made in the last few years. From aliens bursting from the ground and walls to long driving and gunning sequences, there's little here that wasn't in another game, meaning you'll be entertained but almost never surprised. Not that it's a bad game, a few bugs and glitches aside, it's a highly enjoyable FPS with a decent campaign and some fun multiplayer modes. It is however short, and with a story that bears little replay value. One unusual factor in Blacksite is the obvious political angle; with it beginning in a hopeless search through Iraqi bunkers for WMDs and running a scathing indictment of US military policy, while telling a tired alien conspiracy story and making snide jokes about the Bush administration. There's also an unusual amount of character morality apparent, with some very dubious allies and decisions throughout, that come as a rare surprise in a largely cliché-filled game. [Graeme Strachan]