For the most part, the other reviewers summed up what this game is: underrated. Jericho may not be a brilliant masterpiece, remembered for years to come, but it is definitely a shining star in a genre that tends to become repetitive and dull.
The story is probably the best part of this game. You begin as Captain Devin Ross, leader of the Jericho squad. The mission of Jericho is to eliminate paranormal threats with their own supernatural abilities. Accompanying you is 6 other team members, each with their own unique capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses. You're called out into the desert, to the ruins of an ancient Sumerian city, to confront a powerful creature older than time itself. Pretty cool, huh?
I won't give too much away, but you end up progressing through missions with the ability to switch between members of Jericho, taking advantage of everyone's powers and weapons. Some characters, such as Jones, aren't the most useful in combat, but are used during certain scenes where you need to cut off enemy lines or barricades. While Black may be the most used character for achievements, each one has their own individual traits that are useful in certain situations. The characters interact well with each other, with many scenes peppered with some great dialogue. A few may be forgettable, but almost all are supported by a great cast.
Combat and controls are smooth, right at home with any other FPS. RT to shoot, RB/LB to use powers, A to interact, D-pad to control squad. There are no run or jump features, but they're not really missed in this title. The paths are very linear, and usually found by following the enemies. Speaking of which, are pretty badass. Each stage has exclusive enemies, many of which have been humans horribly disfigured and re-purposed by the Firstborn. Towards the end of the game there are a few enemies that are rather difficult to take down, and require team tactics to kill. Other than that, most enemies are disappointingly simple and easy to telegraph.
The game itself is very short, and can be completed in a few hours. Most of the achievements are obtained by beating the game on Hard, sometimes without getting incapped. Other than that, it's just a simple matter of farming levels for kills and you're done before you know it. Most of my issues with this game stem from the simple fact that I find it to be too short, an additional stage could have easily been added in without making the game too lengthy or overbearing, and the ideas are almost limitless on what that stage could have been.
A short review, but there's not a whole lot to say. A great shooter with an incredible story, brought down only by its length and a few uninteresting characters. A sequel would be amazing.
4/5
4.0