Nintendo may have abandoned hardcore games to pursuit waggle wares, but not everyone has left dedicated gamers in the dust. High Voltage Software plans on tapping a group of gamers all but forgotten on the Wii with its straightforward first-person shooter The Conduit. What would normally receive little attention for being formulaic has become a high profile push on a console with little credibility for delivering compelling content. The game makes up for its predictable premise in sheer quality, promising fine-tuned motion-controls and online multiplayer.

When CIA field agent Ford gets recruited by an enigmatic agency known as The Trust, it probably didn't enter his mind that he'd be battling extraterrestrials in the nation's capitol. From the Washington Monument to the Library of Congress, you suit up as Agent Ford in an effort to beat back a hostile alien invasion in the heart of Washington. It's a simple boy-meets-alien story that involves more gunfire than you could ask for, a dash of melee action, and just enough waggle to keep things interesting.

The game intends to distinguish itself beyond its hardcore appeal with spot-on controls. Unlike the floaty, imprecise mechanics of other Wii first-person shooters, High Voltage is squarely aiming for the most accurate controls of any Wii shooter. The Wii Remote is tied to the camera, whereas the control stick on the nunchuk attachment allows you to move. It's identical to the control scheme used in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption among others, although the responsiveness is far better. Quick flicks of the wrist yield smooth turns of the view and a solid framerate ensures that the action keeps up with your pace.

Moving through the ruined streets of DC proved harrowing as alien aggressors rained bullets from otherworldly weapons. A default handgun keeps you from being defenseless; yet killing the bigger baddies requires far more firepower. The alien strike rifle loads up with biomass rounds that deal far more damage than your pistol. Of course, a jab forward with the Wii Remote triggers a potent melee attack as an alternative. Additionally, three different types of grenades afford a range of tactical options including flash, fragmentation, and wild new radiation. Once you've selected your desired type with the directional pad, a shake of the nunchuk lobs one off. Battling a massive boss with a physique similar to an antlion from Half-Life 2, those radiation grenades came in handy for breaking through its exoskeleton.

Keeping track of ammunition and grenade stock is done via the heads-up display, which in The Conduit is entirely customizable. It's an inventive new feature for console first-person shooters that allows you to move elements around the screen to your liking or remove them completely. High Voltage wants to afford you the freedom to clear up space on the screen for the action, particularly if you're not using a high-definition display. Following in the philosophy, split-screen multiplayer--both competitive and cooperative--is unlikely to make its way into the game.