History VideoGame / BoilingPointRoadToHell

''Xenus: Boiling Point'' (known as ''Boiling Point: Road to Hell'' outside of Russia) is an [[WideOpenSandbox Open-ended]] FirstPersonShooter developed by the Ukrainian game studio Deep Shadows and published by Creator/{{Atari}}. It was perhaps the [[TropeMaker first of its genre]], [[OlderThanTheyThink predating]] both ''[[VideoGame/{{STALKER}} Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl]]'' and ''VideoGame/FarCry2''. In fact Deep Shadows was comprised of defectors from GSC Gameworld (the developers of ''S.T.A.L.K.E.R.'') who were disillusioned with that game as it was in DevelopmentHell at that point. It's a rather polarizing game, mostly because the game was released with [[ObviousBeta literally hundreds of bugs]], though almost all of them were eventually fixed by patches.

* Unnecessary Combat Roll: Enemies roll fairly frequently in combat. Given how the [=RPG=] elements make the gunplay a bit clunkier than a straight FPS, it actually can be somewhat effective at times at dodging your gunfire.

* ATeamFiring: Most [=NPC=]s are hilariously poor shots, especially low-level cartel grunts and bandits. It's perfectly possible to win a fight by standing perfectly still in the middle of an open field picking people off while everyone sprays inaccurate machine gun fire in your direction for five straight minutes.

%%* StatGrinding

The game has two [[SpiritualSuccessor spiritual successors]], ''White Gold: War in Paradise'' and ''VideoGame/ThePrecursors''. ''White Gold'' was released on Steam as ''Xenus II: White Gold'' in December 2016.

* GenreShift: Most of the game is set in a {{Troperiffic}} WideOpenSandbox BananaRepublic. You deal with the drug lords, the rebels, the army and the CIA. The final act: Stop the BigBad in his volcano lair from using his giant mind control device.

* ObviousBeta: ''Don't'' play this without Patch 2.0. To give you an idea, one of the many fixes reported in the patch changelog is "[=NPCs=] now avoid obstacles when moving". There's also "The police station can no longer be destroyed by shooting it with a crossbow." and the always-fun "Fixed bug which would occasionally cause player's entire inventory to disappear."

* SpiritualSuccessor: It isn't clear if ''White Gold'' is this or actually a {{Prequel}} to this game.

''Xenus: Boiling Point'' (known as ''Boiling Point: Road to Hell'' outside of Russia) is an [[WideOpenSandbox Open-ended]] FirstPersonShooter developed by the Ukrainian game studio Deep Shadows and published by Creator/{{Atari}}. It was perhaps the [[TropeMaker first of its genre]], [[OlderThanTheyThink predating]] both ''[[VideoGame/{{STALKER}} Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl]]'' and ''VideoGame/FarCry2''. In fact Deep Shadows was comprised of defectors from GSC Gameworld (the developers of ''S.T.A.L.K.E.R.'') who were disillusioned with that game as it was in DevelopmentHell at that point. Extremely polarizing game, mostly because the game was released with [[ObviousBeta literally hundreds of bugs]], though almost all of them were eventually fixed by patches.

* GatlingGood: The only gatling guns in this game are static AA guns and the front cannons of gunships. A handheld model would have been nice though.

''Xenus: Boiling Point'' (known as ''Boiling Point: Road to Hell'' outside of Russia) is an [[WideOpenSandbox Open-ended]] FirstPersonShooter developed by the Ukrainian game studio Deep Shadows and published by Creator/{{Atari}}. It was perhaps the [[TropeMaker first of its genre]], [[OlderThanTheyThink predating]] both ''[[VideoGame/{{STALKER}} Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl]]'' and ''VideoGame/FarCry2''. Extremely polarizing game, mostly because the game was released with [[ObviousBeta literally hundreds of bugs]], though almost all of them were eventually fixed by patches.

* MoneySpider: The animals can be [[VendorTrash picked up and sold]] for meat or hides.

''Xenus: Boiling Point'' (known as ''Boiling Point: Road to Hell'' outside of Russia) is an [[WideOpenSandbox Open-ended]] FirstPersonShooter developed by the Ukrainian game studio Deep Shadows. It was perhaps the [[TropeMaker first of its genre]], [[OlderThanTheyThink predating]] both ''[[VideoGame/{{STALKER}} Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl]]'' and ''VideoGame/FarCry2''. Extremely polarizing game, mostly because the game was released with [[ObviousBeta literally hundreds of bugs]], though almost all of them were eventually fixed by patches.

The game plays like VideoGame/DeusEx as a WideOpenSandbox, having a [[StatGrinding skill system]], a [[StealthBasedGame stealth system]], and a lot of time spent talking to people.

The plot follows one Saul Myers (whose [[ComicBookFantasyCasting character model is based]] on Creator/ArnoldVosloo though the resemblance in actual game graphics is... [[OffModel somewhat questionable]]), a [[RetiredBadass veteran of the French Foreign Legion]] living abroad in Paris. Myers' daughter, [[DamselInDistress Lisa]], is a [[IntrepidReporter globetrotting journalist]]. Lisa runs afoul of and is kidnapped by persons unknown while working in the [[BananaRepublic fictional, troubled South American nation of Realia]]. News of this is quickly relayed to Myers, who hastily departs for Realia, where he must tangle with local politics and the criminal underworld while trying to track down his missing daughter.

* AllianceMeter: While the game has 7 factions, the 3 key ones are the Government, the Rebels, and the Mafia, with the Government controlling one city, the Rebels controlling the other, and the Mafia controlling large swaths of farmland in between. All 3 are hostile towards each other, and attacking one faction will improve your reputation with the other two. What this means is that you'll usually end up picking one faction to be your primary enemy for the game, and juggling missions to keep the other two factions on your good side.
* ATeamFiring: Most [=NPC=]s are hilariously poor shots, especially low-level cartel grunts and bandits. It's perfectly possible to win a fight by standing perfectly still in the middle of an open field picking people off while everyone sprays inaccurate machine gun fire in your direction for five straight minutes.

* ChekhovsGunman / TheDogWasTheMastermind: In the bar near the very beginning of the game, you can have an extended conversation with a wealthy philosopher. He has unique dialogue and more lines than the usual NPC, but there's otherwise nothing to suggest he's related to the main plot. [[spoiler:It turns out he's the BigBad]]. Indeed, it's very easy to miss speaking to him entirely since he's surrounded by non-important signpost-dialogue [=NPCs=], which makes TheReveal much less dramatic.

* GatlingGood: The only gatling guns in this game are static AA guns and the front cannons of gunships. A hand held model would have been nice though.

* GreyAndGreyMorality: There are no good guys in this game, although the Mafia and Bandit factions are somewhat more dickish then the WellIntentionedExtremist Government or Rebel factions. The Native American faction is interesting in that while it's considered a single faction, the faction missions are provided by three different groups: two are fairly peaceful "we just want to be left alone" groups whose missions are either peaceful or self-defensive in nature, while the other is led by a crazed, murderous "kill the White Man" cannibal who sends you out to massacre pretty much anyone he doesn't like (including tourists and fruit merchants).

** The CIA contact in the rebel capitol is 'hiding' in plain view in a house with a big, prominently-displayed American flag, and thinks he's concealed his identity quite well, but asking around reveals that ''everyone in the town'' knows he's a CIA agent. They let him continue to think he's fooling everyone because they don't want to hurt his feelings.

* KillerRabbit: Those helpless old Grannies sitting by the side of the road will often pull out frag grenades and start tossing them at you if you start mowing down civilians in the middle of town.
* MarketBasedTitle: In its' motherland, the game is known as ''Xenus: The Boiling Point''.

* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: In the game's English dub, most of the characters are voiced by American voice actors who make absolutely no attempt at all to fake a Spanish/Latin American accent. It's really quite jarring, since they all address you as 'gringo' despite otherwise speaking perfect English with a US accent.
* ObviousBeta: ''Don't'' play this without Patch 2.0.
** To give you an idea, one of the many fixes reported in the patch changelog is '[=NPCs=] now avoid obstacles when moving'.
** There's also 'The police station can no longer be destroyed by shooting it with a crossbow.'
** And the always-fun 'Fixed bug which would occasionally cause player's entire inventory to disappear.'
* ProfessionalKiller: Alberto Banco.

* RetiredBadass: Saul Myers.

* RPGElements

* StatGrinding

* TalkingDownTheSuicidal: One of the RandomEncounters is a man about to jump off a high bridge to kill himself. You can talk him down by telling him that ''you're'' planning on committing suicide, which results in [[InsaneTrollLogic a heated argument over who gets the right to kill themselves first]], at which point you both say 'to hell with it' and [[IntoxicationEnsues go get smashed at the local bar]] by way of apology.

* WhatTheHellHero: If you're really evil your reputation with the civilians will drop, they will be upset, they will show you, little old ladies will start throwing hand grenades at you.

* WildCard: Saul can easily end up like this depending on what sidequests he does for the seven factions, and it's completely possible and likely common he'll end up raiding one faction's base one mission after performing a task for that same faction, and the next mission he'll be back to doing tasks for that very same faction like nothing happened. {{Justified}} in story in that [[NotInThisForYourRevolution the factions' struggles are second-hand to him]] as long as he rescues his daughter, and he'll side with whoever's most convenient (or gives him the most money) to get her back.

''Xenus: Boiling Point'' (known as Boiling Point: Road to Hell outside of Russia) is an [[WideOpenSandbox Open-ended]] FirstPersonShooter developed by the Ukrainian game studio Deep Shadows. It was perhaps the [[TropeMaker first of its genre]], [[OlderThanTheyThink predating]] both ''[[VideoGame/{{STALKER}} Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl]]'' and ''VideoGame/FarCry2''. Extremely polarizing game, mostly because the game was released with [[ObviousBeta literally hundreds of bugs]], though almost all of them were eventually fixed by patches.

'''Xenus: Boiling Point''' (known as Boiling Point: Road to Hell outside of Russia) is an [[WideOpenSandbox Open-ended]] FirstPersonShooter developed by the Ukrainian game studio Deep Shadows. It was perhaps the [[TropeMaker first of its genre]], [[OlderThanTheyThink predating]] both ''[[VideoGame/{{STALKER}} Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl]]'' and ''VideoGame/FarCry2''. Extremely polarizing game, mostly because the game was released with [[ObviousBeta literally hundreds of bugs]], though almost all of them were eventually fixed by patches.

[[WideOpenSandbox Open-ended]] FirstPersonShooter developed by the Ukrainian game studio Deep Shadows. It was perhaps the [[TropeMaker first of its genre]], [[OlderThanTheyThink predating]] both ''[[VideoGame/{{STALKER}} Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl]]'' and ''VideoGame/FarCry2''. Extremely polarizing game, mostly because the game was released with [[ObviousBeta literally hundreds of bugs]], though almost all of them were eventually fixed by patches.