Ecks vs. Sever is one of the earliest first-person shooter

First-person shooter

First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...

s for the Game Boy Advance

Game Boy Advance

The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...

 and was developed by Crawfish Interactive. Based on an early script of the film Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever

Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever

Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever is a 2002 American action film starring Antonio Banderas and Lucy Liu. Liu and Banderas play opposing secret agents who are supposedly enemies, but team up during the movie. The film was universally panned by critics, who generally regarded it as having no redeeming...

, it is the first video game developed and released before the film it is based on had begun production. It is followed by the sequel Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, which having been released after the film, follows it more closely than the first game.

Gameplay

At the beginning of the game, players choose which character, Ecks or Sever, they wish to control. Both characters' plots intertwine and are given different level designs for each of their missions.

Gameplay is similar to other early FPSs

First-person shooter

First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...

 such as Doom in that all of the graphics for enemies and weapons are 2D sprites in a 3D setting.

Critical response

Ecks vs. Sever received positive reviews. IGN

IGN

IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...

 gave the game an "outstanding" 9.0/10 and an Editor's Choice award, calling it "the best GBA

Game Boy Advance

The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...

 first person shooter to date" and "one of the best four player games made yet for the Game Boy Advance." The game received far more critical praise than the film on which it was loosely based, which is generally considered to be among the worst films ever made.

PlayStation 2 game

A PlayStation 2

PlayStation 2

The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...

 game was in development by Zombie Studios

Zombie Studios

Zombie Studios is an American independent video game developer of console, PC, mobile and web-based games. It was formed in 1994 by Joanna Alexander and Mark Long, formerly of the Sarnoff Research Center. Alexander and Long founded Zombie after they completed the design of a virtual reality game...

slated for release on November 2002 but was eventually canceled.