Radical is the first word in the three word designation of LucasArts' soldier of the future: the Radical Tactics Expert, or RTX. It is one of these operatives, "E.Z." Wheeler, who is the star of RTX: Red Rock, a rare, non-Star Wars offering from the house that George built. This game screams franchise. From the amount of characterization that is pumped into the protagonist to the accompanying Dark Horse comic book that contains E.Z.'s military history as a prologue to the game, its obvious that LucasArts had big plans for the RTX name as a series.

Unfortunately, the game also screams mediocrity, in the particular pitch of delayed development. RTX: Red Rocks displays little that is original, and the overall game experience is just barely on the better side of boring. Had RTX come out a few years ago, it would have been cutting edge enough to warrant gamer's interest. Now, it is nothing more then a choppy third person action game that, while heavy on story depth, is very weak on actual game play.

E.Z. Wheeler is relaxing on a virtual vacation when he gets The Call. The government needs him again, even though the last mission he was on, during which he rescued the surprisingly foxy vice president, cost him half an arm and an eye ball. Not to worry though, because the ever practical military fixed him up with a bionic eye and arm. Which of course, have useful features for doing things like fixing a toaster, opening a can of tuna and of course killing aliens.

The aliens in need of killing are known as L.E.Ds (Light Emitting Demons) -- a mysterious race that just showed up and started shooting earthlings. Earth managed to repel the invaders, but right after the victory communication with the Martian colony is cut off. It is believed that the LEDs took over Mars in order to establish a beach head from which they can attack Earth again. So guess who gets sent to Red Rock? That's right, the new, improved E.Z. Wheeler. (For those of you who thought the Red Rock in the title referred to the outdoor concert amphitheater in Colorado, you're going to be disappointed.)

Probably the most original feature of the game is E.Z.'s sidekick. IRIS (Independent Removable Information System) is basically the ultimate PDA, so advanced that each one comes with its own customizable personality. E.Z., being the macho man that he is, programmed his to behave like a strong willed, jealous woman with a voice like a stripper. Wouldn't you? IRIS can hook you up with all sorts of useful information, like maps, and do other handy things like activating a space stations power source. The catch is that IRIS has to be plugged into terminals to work, so her valuable assistance is not always available. Why is this necessary in the 22nd century? Why cant IRIS just talk in your head? I don't know, but it makes for an interesting facet of gameplay. Additionally, later in the game IRIS can be used to operate various servobots for a wide variety of tasks, such as moving cargo or aerial observation.

The strength of the LucasArts team shows through in a few bright spots. The cinematics are terrific, with some of the most fluid human animation I've ever seen. And little details, like the fact that IRIS, being a simulation, appears less real then the human characters in the game. I also loved that E.Z. had an alternate civilian arm and eye replacement in addition to the erector set looking model he wears into battle. Little things like this really give the story a depth not usually found in stand alone video games. However, most of the other facets of the game are sub par by today's standards. The graphics during the levels are average, and the camera work is at times very bad. Certain discrepancies, like the fact that Wheeler can jump large distances due to Mars' lower gravity, but has to haul himself over small ledges, keep popping up. And for a game that is essentially a shooter, the action is unexciting and uninspiring. So much so, that it makes you wonder if LucasArts was intentionally going for a retro look to the game, and perhaps succeeded in the wrong areas.

The gameplay revolves around Wheeler's cybernetic enhancements. The arm can utilize various accoutrements like a plasma torch and grappling hook, and the eye can see through four spectrums; infrared, bioscan, electroscan, and navicsan. The first three can give you important information about your environment, while the latter is actually just a way of accessing maps and mission objectives. One of the game's major flaws is the difficulty of activating the scan modes, and switching through them. While this is not an impossible task, to do so quickly is a nuisance, and there is no easy way to activate exactly which scan mode you want instantly. This is important when you consider that many of the LED's can only be seen in infrared. Additionally, none of the arm features are available from the start of the game, and the fact that the US military would send E.Z. into combat without such useful gadgets seems rather odd.

Neither of these cybernetic options would be any use for the actual meat and potatoes work of an RTX agent however. For that, you need what every good soldier needs, a gun. Here as well, RTX: Red Rock does little to go beyond average. While you can upgrade Wheeler's arsenal by scavenging weapons from dead enemies or supply depots, the upgrades do little but offer increased firepower, though one does allow the ever popular sniping option. The one other trick up Wheeler's sleeve is the use of Martian Stones, mysterious rocks that have special powers like invisibility and healing.

Overall RTX: Red Rock appears to be a game that started with a great deal of potential that was unfortunately lost along the lengthy road of product development. Hopefully, LucasArts will keep the energy they put into the back story of Red Rocks and make a sequel that utilizes the potential the first one displayed. This game may be worth a rental, especially if the idea of hopping along the Martian landscape appeals to you. Otherwise, this is one government mission that is not worth cutting your virtual vacation short.