ros: Good story, memorable characters, decent music, good battle system, multiple protagonists, very satisfying
Cons: Graphics aren't spectacular, slow start, random battle systems are outmoded, connector-maps are tedious
Other thoughts: Sure, the graphics aren't great, random battles are irritating, and having to go through the same pointless maps over and over again to travel the map sucks. But this game will thoroughly please any Suikoden fan. The protagonists are really very likable characters, and even the antagonists can be sympathized with - there is more to (most of) them than "LOOK AT ME I'M EVIL!" You will again be recruiting hoards of characters for your own castle and army, and may need to use a walkthrough to get them all (there is a very satisfying special ending if you do.) The game starts slowly but stick with it - it quickly picks up and becomes one of the most memorable PS2 experiences. Graphics certainly are nothing to write home about. They are not well equipped to display action of characters in detail nor are they able to show character's face expression to something you can interpret or at the very least make the expression believable. A character running also doesn't feel like running. mounted attacks are awesome. Especially combo of Fubar and Hugo can deal unbelievable amount of damage. Trinity system was a very interesting and fresh concept. The story is good. Side quests are very interesting. It is possibly longer than Final Fantasy X.
Wednesday, November 1, 2000
Halo 3: ODST | 10
Two years ago Halo 3 dropped onto store shelves. It's impact was gargantuan, and continued the Halo series' status as a gaming phenomenon. Well today is the drop date for the new Halo title, ODST (or Orbital Drop Shock Trooper). But without the Cortana, the Flood, and most notably absent, the Master Chief, can this game be considered a true Halo title?
The answer is quite simply: yes. Halo: ODST packs the same punch that the previous games in the series did while making enough changes to make it feel like a game worthy of being a standalone title.
The story starts off with a crew of ODST's dropping into New Mombasa (a city widely featured throughout the Halo mythos) in order to take out a Covenant ship. Well, things go terribly wrong and you wake up six hours later in the dark of night. You'll spend most of your time as the Rookie, the newest member of the ODST squad, as you try to find out what exactly happened six hours earlier. Throughout the game, you'll find clues which then cue flashbacks in which you'll play as other members of your squad. The overarching sense of mystery that shrouds the events in ODST makes for quite an engaging experience that will make you want to keep on playing.
Halo: ODST has a far more human story than the other games in the series because, after all, the story involves people instead of a ten-foot tall cyborg, his ten-foot tall alien buddy, and their A.I. sidekick. The story really stresses that, as awesome as these guys are, they aren't superhuman like the chief, and their tale is far more riveting, and personal than any other story we've seen in a Halo game.
Another great example of ODST's more down to earth story is Sadie's Story, a series of audiologs the player can find throughout New Mombasa that recount the tale of a New Mombasa resident, and her struggle with the Covenant invasion.
While the plot may not be as sprawling, or epic as what you saw in the previous Halo titles, it's comprehensible, clever, and more relatable.
While it sticks close to the Halo 3 formula in terms of core gameplay, ODST does feature a number of changes, tweaks, and new content.
First, and most importantly, the campaign is actually interesting. You won't play it simply because you feel obligated to as in Halo 3. This is thanks in large part to superb mission structure. The core game will feature you in the open world - yes, open world, as in go where you want - city of New Mombasa, then as you find clues (as mentioned earlier) you'll be transported to more linear levels.
It's the combination of this open-endedness coupled with the more concise, more linear segments in which you enter the shoes of another ODST that makes for some excellent pacing. You'll want to play through the campaign, and thanks to the fact that new things are constantly thrown at you, you'll have a hell of a time exploring New Mombasa.
In terms of general gameplay tweaks, there are a few worth mentioning. For one thing, your character is no Master Chief. That means you don't jump as high, you're not able to use all the same kind of ordinance, and you have no regenerating shield. But, fortunately the game is rather forgiving, there are health stations aplenty, and, although you'll have to be smarter about engaging large groups of enemies, fighting the Covenant isn't too difficult.
ODST also feature some new (but not radically so) equipment. The most important is your new visor, which lacks a radar, but allows you access for a GPS display of New Mombasa, and most importantly, helps illuminate your surroundings as the majority of the game takes place at night. There are also two tweaked weapons. The first is your standard weapon, which is essentially a silenced SMG with a scope. The second is a pistol also outfitted with a silencer and a scope. Obviously, we've seen both of these weapons before across the Halo games, but they are much more powerful, and much more useful this time around.
Halo: ODST's core gameplay is very, very close to that of Halo 3, and you can definitely tell that this is an expansion-pack style game, but the developers have done just enough to make it a little more than that.
The new multiplayer feature in ODST is Firefight, and it's really awesome. The game mode features ten all new maps specifically designed for the new gametype, and they're all very well designed, although some are better than others. Firefight tasks you and up to three other teammates with simply holding out against waves of Covenant for as long as you can. But don't go thinking it'll be a walk in the park - gameplay changing Skulls (similar to the ones you can find in the other Halo titles)will be added as your team progresses through waves.
Firefight ends up being just as well designed as all the other multiplayer game types Halo has to offer, but just like every other Halo game, some maps are better than others.
The one part of the ODST package that I really don't like is that of the inclusion of Halo 3's multiplayer component (all DLC maps included), with the addition of three new maps. It's not that I don't like Halo 3 multiplayer, in fact, quite the contrary, I think it's amazing, and the three new maps are great, but for anyone who spent $30 total on the DLC maps as they came out will feel kind of ripped off. If you lived under a rock for the past two years, or never bought any of the DLC you'll be delighted with this multiplayer disc. If you did shell out the 30 bucks on the map packs, you'll feel pretty ripped off, and it makes me wish that there was a different version of the game available that had took out the second disk in return for a lower price point.
Halo: ODST's new Firefight game mode is addicting, and the new campaign is easily the best Halo campaign since the original. On top of that, if you never played Halo 3, you'll absolutely love the second disk which features the game's full multiplayer component, plus three new maps. If you didn't spend $30 on Halo 3's various map packs, you'll enjoy this disk too because it features all 10 post-release maps. But if you did spend $30, expect to be disappointed, even if Halo 3's multiplayer is awesome as ever.
ODST runs on the same Halo 3 engine, but graphical improvements have been made. For one, we see much better cut-scene animations, and also the urban art style has been greatly improved, which is fortunate because you'll spend all your time in the cityscape of New Mombasa. Halo 3's engine is beginning to show some age, but the game's graphics are still good even today.
The sound department is just as awesome as ever, too. The soundtrack features many of the classic Halo tracks we know and love, but it's the new music that steals the show, these new tracks are very moody, and well delivered. Also, sound effects are still excellent, and the sound design as a whole is truly masterful. Also, in keeping with the more human plot, the voice-overs are all exceptionally well done, featuring the voice talents of sci-fi favorites Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Alan Tudyk, and Tricia Helfer.
All of the Halo games had excellent production values, and ODST is no exception.
Halo: ODST's campaign will run you about six to eight hours, but there is plenty of exploration to be done if you want to hunt down all the Sadie's Story audio files. Firefight might not be everyone's cup of tea but it's well worth checking out, not to mention there's a strong possibility of becoming addicted to it as I have. In terms of the general multiplayer component featured on the second disk, the value you'll get out of it will greatly vary. If you're new to Halo 3's multiplayer, you'll probably get really into it as most people did, but for everyone else, it depends on how sick you've gotten of Halo 3's online component. Some people might still happily play for many months to come, but others might have grown tired of it by now. The campaign and Firefight offer a decent enough value as is, but the amount of hours you'll get out of your ODST experience will greatly vary based on how much you'll play the second disk's multiplayer.
Halo: ODST is the best Halo game since the original. It's campaign is awesome, and the new Firefight provides a fresh multiplayer gametype for your Halo experience. And aside from little thing here and there, the game only has one real flaw which is the second disk's multiplayer component. Some will feel ripped off, some will be tired of the Halo 3 multiplayer already, but some will be sinking in ridiculous amounts of time. That being said, Halo: ODST provides a terrific experience that fans of the Halo games need to check out, and those who haven't yet played Halo 3 really should not miss out on no matter what. Prepare to drop.
The answer is quite simply: yes. Halo: ODST packs the same punch that the previous games in the series did while making enough changes to make it feel like a game worthy of being a standalone title.
The story starts off with a crew of ODST's dropping into New Mombasa (a city widely featured throughout the Halo mythos) in order to take out a Covenant ship. Well, things go terribly wrong and you wake up six hours later in the dark of night. You'll spend most of your time as the Rookie, the newest member of the ODST squad, as you try to find out what exactly happened six hours earlier. Throughout the game, you'll find clues which then cue flashbacks in which you'll play as other members of your squad. The overarching sense of mystery that shrouds the events in ODST makes for quite an engaging experience that will make you want to keep on playing.
Halo: ODST has a far more human story than the other games in the series because, after all, the story involves people instead of a ten-foot tall cyborg, his ten-foot tall alien buddy, and their A.I. sidekick. The story really stresses that, as awesome as these guys are, they aren't superhuman like the chief, and their tale is far more riveting, and personal than any other story we've seen in a Halo game.
Another great example of ODST's more down to earth story is Sadie's Story, a series of audiologs the player can find throughout New Mombasa that recount the tale of a New Mombasa resident, and her struggle with the Covenant invasion.
While the plot may not be as sprawling, or epic as what you saw in the previous Halo titles, it's comprehensible, clever, and more relatable.
While it sticks close to the Halo 3 formula in terms of core gameplay, ODST does feature a number of changes, tweaks, and new content.
First, and most importantly, the campaign is actually interesting. You won't play it simply because you feel obligated to as in Halo 3. This is thanks in large part to superb mission structure. The core game will feature you in the open world - yes, open world, as in go where you want - city of New Mombasa, then as you find clues (as mentioned earlier) you'll be transported to more linear levels.
It's the combination of this open-endedness coupled with the more concise, more linear segments in which you enter the shoes of another ODST that makes for some excellent pacing. You'll want to play through the campaign, and thanks to the fact that new things are constantly thrown at you, you'll have a hell of a time exploring New Mombasa.
In terms of general gameplay tweaks, there are a few worth mentioning. For one thing, your character is no Master Chief. That means you don't jump as high, you're not able to use all the same kind of ordinance, and you have no regenerating shield. But, fortunately the game is rather forgiving, there are health stations aplenty, and, although you'll have to be smarter about engaging large groups of enemies, fighting the Covenant isn't too difficult.
ODST also feature some new (but not radically so) equipment. The most important is your new visor, which lacks a radar, but allows you access for a GPS display of New Mombasa, and most importantly, helps illuminate your surroundings as the majority of the game takes place at night. There are also two tweaked weapons. The first is your standard weapon, which is essentially a silenced SMG with a scope. The second is a pistol also outfitted with a silencer and a scope. Obviously, we've seen both of these weapons before across the Halo games, but they are much more powerful, and much more useful this time around.
Halo: ODST's core gameplay is very, very close to that of Halo 3, and you can definitely tell that this is an expansion-pack style game, but the developers have done just enough to make it a little more than that.
The new multiplayer feature in ODST is Firefight, and it's really awesome. The game mode features ten all new maps specifically designed for the new gametype, and they're all very well designed, although some are better than others. Firefight tasks you and up to three other teammates with simply holding out against waves of Covenant for as long as you can. But don't go thinking it'll be a walk in the park - gameplay changing Skulls (similar to the ones you can find in the other Halo titles)will be added as your team progresses through waves.
Firefight ends up being just as well designed as all the other multiplayer game types Halo has to offer, but just like every other Halo game, some maps are better than others.
The one part of the ODST package that I really don't like is that of the inclusion of Halo 3's multiplayer component (all DLC maps included), with the addition of three new maps. It's not that I don't like Halo 3 multiplayer, in fact, quite the contrary, I think it's amazing, and the three new maps are great, but for anyone who spent $30 total on the DLC maps as they came out will feel kind of ripped off. If you lived under a rock for the past two years, or never bought any of the DLC you'll be delighted with this multiplayer disc. If you did shell out the 30 bucks on the map packs, you'll feel pretty ripped off, and it makes me wish that there was a different version of the game available that had took out the second disk in return for a lower price point.
Halo: ODST's new Firefight game mode is addicting, and the new campaign is easily the best Halo campaign since the original. On top of that, if you never played Halo 3, you'll absolutely love the second disk which features the game's full multiplayer component, plus three new maps. If you didn't spend $30 on Halo 3's various map packs, you'll enjoy this disk too because it features all 10 post-release maps. But if you did spend $30, expect to be disappointed, even if Halo 3's multiplayer is awesome as ever.
ODST runs on the same Halo 3 engine, but graphical improvements have been made. For one, we see much better cut-scene animations, and also the urban art style has been greatly improved, which is fortunate because you'll spend all your time in the cityscape of New Mombasa. Halo 3's engine is beginning to show some age, but the game's graphics are still good even today.
The sound department is just as awesome as ever, too. The soundtrack features many of the classic Halo tracks we know and love, but it's the new music that steals the show, these new tracks are very moody, and well delivered. Also, sound effects are still excellent, and the sound design as a whole is truly masterful. Also, in keeping with the more human plot, the voice-overs are all exceptionally well done, featuring the voice talents of sci-fi favorites Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Alan Tudyk, and Tricia Helfer.
All of the Halo games had excellent production values, and ODST is no exception.
Halo: ODST's campaign will run you about six to eight hours, but there is plenty of exploration to be done if you want to hunt down all the Sadie's Story audio files. Firefight might not be everyone's cup of tea but it's well worth checking out, not to mention there's a strong possibility of becoming addicted to it as I have. In terms of the general multiplayer component featured on the second disk, the value you'll get out of it will greatly vary. If you're new to Halo 3's multiplayer, you'll probably get really into it as most people did, but for everyone else, it depends on how sick you've gotten of Halo 3's online component. Some people might still happily play for many months to come, but others might have grown tired of it by now. The campaign and Firefight offer a decent enough value as is, but the amount of hours you'll get out of your ODST experience will greatly vary based on how much you'll play the second disk's multiplayer.
Halo: ODST is the best Halo game since the original. It's campaign is awesome, and the new Firefight provides a fresh multiplayer gametype for your Halo experience. And aside from little thing here and there, the game only has one real flaw which is the second disk's multiplayer component. Some will feel ripped off, some will be tired of the Halo 3 multiplayer already, but some will be sinking in ridiculous amounts of time. That being said, Halo: ODST provides a terrific experience that fans of the Halo games need to check out, and those who haven't yet played Halo 3 really should not miss out on no matter what. Prepare to drop.
Tuesday, October 31, 2000
The Witcher Enhanced Edition | 9.0
I was somewhat skeptical originally because the last to forays I made into PC RPGs were quite disappointing(NWN and Titan Quest). I waited until the enhanced version came out and the reviews were so good plus I had some free time before I started my masters program that I finally decided to go for it.
The first night I wasn't sure because my ego made me choose the harder difficulty and that made some of the battles VERY hard when you don't understand how to use alchemy. However the second day when I began to get the hang of the system and the story became more interesting I played 9 hours straight into the 3rd chapter. If you have a decent system with an 8 series or newer Nvidia or 3800 up ATI the graphics are stunning. A few particular areas in the game sometimes I will simply stop and watch what is going on.
I actually enjoyed the frequent swearing as its fairly novel in a PC game and fits this fantasy world. The option to collect sex cards did not interest me hugely though sometimes the situation which arise due to choices your character makes in the game are slightly humorous if a bit juvenile.
The only way to compare the story in PC games is to think of Baldurs Gate which had a story interesting enough to follow on its own merits. This game actually inspired me to read the books which has never happened from a computer game before. The books are good, far better than average but not equal to the best fantasy out there like Red Seas Under Red Skies and The Bonehunters (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Book 6) or The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles, Day 1).
The only downfall for me was I really enjoyed the party system of Baldurs Gate which does not fit the Witcher world. I did not really think about that lack until the second time playing from the beginning looking for the quests I missed the first time thru.
Great value for the money if you enjoy RPG or adventure gaming! I'm going to support this developer as much as possible(buying 2 copies of the game for friends, reviews etc)and if they can come out with something even close to as good as this game I'll be very impressed! 1600x1200 maximum settings (all monitor could handle)
Core 2 Quad Q9550
8 GB of DDR2 RAM
Radeon HD 5970 Black Edition
Windows 7
The first night I wasn't sure because my ego made me choose the harder difficulty and that made some of the battles VERY hard when you don't understand how to use alchemy. However the second day when I began to get the hang of the system and the story became more interesting I played 9 hours straight into the 3rd chapter. If you have a decent system with an 8 series or newer Nvidia or 3800 up ATI the graphics are stunning. A few particular areas in the game sometimes I will simply stop and watch what is going on.
I actually enjoyed the frequent swearing as its fairly novel in a PC game and fits this fantasy world. The option to collect sex cards did not interest me hugely though sometimes the situation which arise due to choices your character makes in the game are slightly humorous if a bit juvenile.
The only way to compare the story in PC games is to think of Baldurs Gate which had a story interesting enough to follow on its own merits. This game actually inspired me to read the books which has never happened from a computer game before. The books are good, far better than average but not equal to the best fantasy out there like Red Seas Under Red Skies and The Bonehunters (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Book 6) or The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles, Day 1).
The only downfall for me was I really enjoyed the party system of Baldurs Gate which does not fit the Witcher world. I did not really think about that lack until the second time playing from the beginning looking for the quests I missed the first time thru.
Great value for the money if you enjoy RPG or adventure gaming! I'm going to support this developer as much as possible(buying 2 copies of the game for friends, reviews etc)and if they can come out with something even close to as good as this game I'll be very impressed! 1600x1200 maximum settings (all monitor could handle)
Core 2 Quad Q9550
8 GB of DDR2 RAM
Radeon HD 5970 Black Edition
Windows 7
Monday, October 30, 2000
Halo 3 | 10
So as you've heard everyone else say, HALO 3 starts right where HALO 2 left off. Master Chief is embroiled in the conflict to end all conflicts aiming to be the savior of the universe.
First off, the story is... just a continuation/conclusion of the HALO saga. Don't really want to say anything here because this is a review, not a walk through.
When you first start out, you might be a tad bit disappointed with the graphics as I was. After the first 15 to 20 minutes, however, you really begin to appreciate the visuals. There is SO MUCH STUFF that is rendered on the screen at any given time (eons more than GoW), and all of it is really very detailed. The only stuff that disappoints is the character models... very generic and last gen.
The sound is... wow. It's a huge part of the atmosphere of this fantastic finale. While you are playing through for the first time, my bet is that you won't really notice it all that much, but take the time and listen. You have to appreciate the fact that you are not only getting a great game, but an entire orchestral musical score made specifically for it as well.
The game play is classic HALO style run and gun. Nothing really all too new or fancy except the new "deployables." These X button wonders are really a lot of fun to play around with and there are found in a good variety. During my play through on heroic (PLEASE DON'T START THE GAME ANY LOWER THAN THAT!!!), I need to use them quite often. They were pretty much essential for me.
*BUT* Who buys HALO just for the campaign? The proof is in the pudding... oh, excuse me, I mean the proof is in the multi-player! That's where the gold is. It's a (much) bigger, better, and shinier version of HALO 2's amazing frag fest, and it certainly is no slouch. Lotsss of maps, weapons, vehicles, and death! Did I mention the "Forge?" Well, I wouldn't want to write another 5 paragraphs (and you wouldn't want me to either I bet).
So stop reading my (fantastic) review, and go out, or in, really, and PLAY!
First off, the story is... just a continuation/conclusion of the HALO saga. Don't really want to say anything here because this is a review, not a walk through.
When you first start out, you might be a tad bit disappointed with the graphics as I was. After the first 15 to 20 minutes, however, you really begin to appreciate the visuals. There is SO MUCH STUFF that is rendered on the screen at any given time (eons more than GoW), and all of it is really very detailed. The only stuff that disappoints is the character models... very generic and last gen.
The sound is... wow. It's a huge part of the atmosphere of this fantastic finale. While you are playing through for the first time, my bet is that you won't really notice it all that much, but take the time and listen. You have to appreciate the fact that you are not only getting a great game, but an entire orchestral musical score made specifically for it as well.
The game play is classic HALO style run and gun. Nothing really all too new or fancy except the new "deployables." These X button wonders are really a lot of fun to play around with and there are found in a good variety. During my play through on heroic (PLEASE DON'T START THE GAME ANY LOWER THAN THAT!!!), I need to use them quite often. They were pretty much essential for me.
*BUT* Who buys HALO just for the campaign? The proof is in the pudding... oh, excuse me, I mean the proof is in the multi-player! That's where the gold is. It's a (much) bigger, better, and shinier version of HALO 2's amazing frag fest, and it certainly is no slouch. Lotsss of maps, weapons, vehicles, and death! Did I mention the "Forge?" Well, I wouldn't want to write another 5 paragraphs (and you wouldn't want me to either I bet).
So stop reading my (fantastic) review, and go out, or in, really, and PLAY!
Sunday, October 29, 2000
Spellforce Universe | 8.0
As a big fan of rts games and rpgs, this was a pleasant combination of both. It did a great job of balancing the heros abilities with the rest or your units. And for the price you can't go wrong with this game. It was an easy clean install and after the initial install the game played perfectly. The only complaint I have is with the first spellforce, there is now way to do a skirmish with just the computer so after you finish the campaign there is only online multiplayer and there really isn't any of that. However, skirmish mode has been added to spellforce 2 which is fine since I only played the first one for the campaign.
The first spellforce:
- This isn't a game for everybody; it's not a "true" RTS nor a very deep CRPG. If you can't deal with that, don't buy it.
- It's a mix of both but on the light side of things. I like that because I'm bad at "real" RTS games.
- It's a very entertaining game which is nicely paced. It starts off slow but you'll get some rather difficult scenarios after that.
- In order to develop your avatar into a powerful force you need to do all side quests and stick with the skills you have chosen from the beginning (like Elemental Magic) and watch what attributes you need to be able to increase the skills to the next level. I recently replayed both this campaign and the follow-up (Breath of Winter) and it makes a big difference. I reached Level 29-30 without a problem.
- The different ways of building your avatar adds a lot of re-playability to the game.
first you must consider the main features. SF2 is a combination of two genres - RTS & RPG. This means that you can switch to a 3rd person view, collect items, solve quests and get skills for your avatar & hero party through a skill tree.
Fascinating is especially the mission design & the story concept. I really enjoyed it and its really a way different from other RTS games. On the whole the single player campaign has a playtime of more than 40 hours. But then there is also a free game mode campaign which has nearly the same playtime and can be played as well with friends over the internet. I can recommend it to any fan of RTS & RPG games. Its just the perfect blend between Dungeon Siege & Age of Empires.
Spellforce 2 is about a 8 out of 10, and is an effective mix of both RTS and RPG, however, it does neither genre particularly fine My biggest criticism is that all online screenshots look astounding. .In this game, there is a large drop off between High and Medium graphics settings. My PC kicks butt by a few years after these game engines came out.
During their journeys, your avatar and his hero companions will often find it required to call upon the military of armies to accomplish their objectives. This is where the game's RTS elements emerge. You gain workers who gather resources and build the structures compulsory to summon the military units for your army. You can also build self-protective composition such as archer towers to keep foes at bay. The RTS element of the game is far less altered from Spellforce. The first games had six races from which you could summon armies: Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Trolls, and Dark Elves. Spellforce 2 includes the Barbarians, Gargoyles, and Shadows. However, the nine races are divided into the three factions: The Realm (Humans, Elves, Dwarves), The Clans (Orcs, Trolls, Barbarians), and The Pact (Dark Elves, Gargoyles, and Shadows). Unlike Spellforce, where you had to find runes and plans to summon armies from rune monuments, in Spellforce 2 you are acknowledged a headquarters as a base of operations. You gain access to new races, and more advanced buildings by completing quests. Instead of simply finding runes, there are representatives from each faction who will "bond" you to grant you the ability to assemble armies of their faction. Instead of their levels being fixed at the level of the worker rune you used, as in Spellforce, your units also level along with the avatar, albeit much more slowly; their maximum level is 18. Of course, you can still zoom in and out from an overhead view to a earth level "chase cam", viewing your avatar and units up-close. This is a enormous perspective to be grateful for the remarkable structural design of some of the game's arrangement.
I didn't play any of the expansions, but there is four here.
The first spellforce:
- This isn't a game for everybody; it's not a "true" RTS nor a very deep CRPG. If you can't deal with that, don't buy it.
- It's a mix of both but on the light side of things. I like that because I'm bad at "real" RTS games.
- It's a very entertaining game which is nicely paced. It starts off slow but you'll get some rather difficult scenarios after that.
- In order to develop your avatar into a powerful force you need to do all side quests and stick with the skills you have chosen from the beginning (like Elemental Magic) and watch what attributes you need to be able to increase the skills to the next level. I recently replayed both this campaign and the follow-up (Breath of Winter) and it makes a big difference. I reached Level 29-30 without a problem.
- The different ways of building your avatar adds a lot of re-playability to the game.
first you must consider the main features. SF2 is a combination of two genres - RTS & RPG. This means that you can switch to a 3rd person view, collect items, solve quests and get skills for your avatar & hero party through a skill tree.
Fascinating is especially the mission design & the story concept. I really enjoyed it and its really a way different from other RTS games. On the whole the single player campaign has a playtime of more than 40 hours. But then there is also a free game mode campaign which has nearly the same playtime and can be played as well with friends over the internet. I can recommend it to any fan of RTS & RPG games. Its just the perfect blend between Dungeon Siege & Age of Empires.
Spellforce 2 is about a 8 out of 10, and is an effective mix of both RTS and RPG, however, it does neither genre particularly fine My biggest criticism is that all online screenshots look astounding. .In this game, there is a large drop off between High and Medium graphics settings. My PC kicks butt by a few years after these game engines came out.
During their journeys, your avatar and his hero companions will often find it required to call upon the military of armies to accomplish their objectives. This is where the game's RTS elements emerge. You gain workers who gather resources and build the structures compulsory to summon the military units for your army. You can also build self-protective composition such as archer towers to keep foes at bay. The RTS element of the game is far less altered from Spellforce. The first games had six races from which you could summon armies: Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Trolls, and Dark Elves. Spellforce 2 includes the Barbarians, Gargoyles, and Shadows. However, the nine races are divided into the three factions: The Realm (Humans, Elves, Dwarves), The Clans (Orcs, Trolls, Barbarians), and The Pact (Dark Elves, Gargoyles, and Shadows). Unlike Spellforce, where you had to find runes and plans to summon armies from rune monuments, in Spellforce 2 you are acknowledged a headquarters as a base of operations. You gain access to new races, and more advanced buildings by completing quests. Instead of simply finding runes, there are representatives from each faction who will "bond" you to grant you the ability to assemble armies of their faction. Instead of their levels being fixed at the level of the worker rune you used, as in Spellforce, your units also level along with the avatar, albeit much more slowly; their maximum level is 18. Of course, you can still zoom in and out from an overhead view to a earth level "chase cam", viewing your avatar and units up-close. This is a enormous perspective to be grateful for the remarkable structural design of some of the game's arrangement.
I didn't play any of the expansions, but there is four here.
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty | 10
Starcraft is 12 years old, and it is still one of the most played games. And as far as I can see, it won't go out of fashion anytime soon. I bought it when it first came out. Then through the years, I moved several times and got new computers several times, not to mention all the times I reinstalled windows. This meant that I lost the game and keys more than a few times. But no problem, I simply went out and bought another one because I thought it was worth it. Why? It was simple to install. It gave hours of entertainment by myself and with friends. LAN parties were the best. Not only that, my friends and I even created maps of our own to have god knows how many hours of fun.
Starcraft 2, on the other hand, lacks everything that made Starcraft the most popular game of its time. When I first tried to install it, I had to go online to register. When it asked for all the personal information that made me very uncomfortable to give, I had to pause and asked myself if it was worth it. After considering it for a while, I finally decided to give it a try. Then I figured out that what I had bought wasn't the game at all. The game itself was online. Ok... I thought.
When I actually played the game, I realized very quickly that all the units were glass units. Everything died too easily too fast. The resource gathering is considerably faster than SC, which meant that the economy ain't as important in SC2 as it was in SC. You be the judge of whether this is a bad thing or not. But the glass units really got to me. Since the units die too easily too fast, then what's the point of melee units?
I'm an old school SC player. This means that I know exactly what each unit is good for in an online competitive tournament. In a competitive online match in the old SC, my right hand is constantly moving the mouse and clicking a dozen clicks a second while my left hand would be pressing all the keys for short command codes. In other words, SC economy was slow and in a competitive setting I already have trouble keeping up with the pace of the game. And each unit has its strengths and weaknesses. A group of mutas could devastate your opponent's economy while a single templar's storm could destroy that group of mutas (I'm sure some people here knows exactly what I'm talking about while most of you are clueless). And that's the point. Some units easily die in certain situation while not so easily in others.
But in SC2, resource gathering is fast and units die too easily and quickly to be of any use for strategy. What's the point of strategizing your attack if everything dies just as easily and quickly as everything else in every situation?
So, my question to Blizzard is why the fudge did you guys replace all the good units from SC with glass units for SC2? Do you not like good strategy gamers?
The most important feature about the old SC that made it so popular for so long is the ability by the players to create and refine the maps. The best maps were created and are still being created and refined by fans. And each one of these maps was created for a different purpose. For example, if I'm all pumped up I might want to play something fast pace and intense like 3v3zc or any of the diplo or WW maps. But if after a full day of work and all I want to do is relax a little bit before bed time, I might just sign up for slow pace maps like sunk and overmind defense. All of these maps were created by fans and they are the best maps out there.
In SC2, after spending $60 for the first 1/3 portion of the game, you will have to spend more money to buy premium units and premium maps. And you don't actually possess these maps on your computer. They are all stored online. So, it looks like this is a closed system and us players can't actually create any map. In other words, this is beginning to look more like a totaltarian police state than a free enterprising market. In SC, popular maps remained around while unpopular maps simply die. Anyone can put any idea into maps. But with SC2, people are now stuck with what Bnet2 has and they have to pay for these premium units and premium maps.
But your craptacular multiplayer experience doesn't end there. There's no chat room. I'm still trying to figure out how to add a friend. You can't log onto another server. I know a few people from Europe that I'd like to play with. And if I really want to play with them, I'd have to spend another $60 to buy the European version.
SC is 12 years old and people are still playing it across the globe in record numbers. It is the longest lasting most popular strategy online game of all times. If Blizzard hope for SC2 to even come close to the popularity SC has been enjoying in the last 12 years, they should remove all the BS that I'm sure those greedy corporate scammers came up with.
Let us dedicated customers enjoy the game and worry less about all the BS. Like I said, over the last 12 years I bought and re-bought SC many times because I thought it was worth it. I absolutely don't think SC2 1/3 is worth $60. And I absolutely refuse to buy the other two when they come out unless Blizzard remove all the BS safeguards.
That's my opinion on the matter. Take it for what it's worth. I certainly hope you will make the right decision about whether or not to buy this game. If you have money coming out of your ears, then be my guest and buy SC2. If you want to enjoy a well balanced game that will give you hours of entertainment, I highly suggest SC.
SC1 enjoyed not only short term success but also a long term success. It's been 12 years and people are still paying good money to buy the game. It is still one of the most played games of all times.
So far, we know that SC2 enjoyed a very good short term success because many of us were duped into buying it. Whether it will enjoy longevity is something we need to wait to see. But it does look to me like Blizzard just wanted to make a quick buck on this one with no plan for a long term success.
Starcraft 2, on the other hand, lacks everything that made Starcraft the most popular game of its time. When I first tried to install it, I had to go online to register. When it asked for all the personal information that made me very uncomfortable to give, I had to pause and asked myself if it was worth it. After considering it for a while, I finally decided to give it a try. Then I figured out that what I had bought wasn't the game at all. The game itself was online. Ok... I thought.
When I actually played the game, I realized very quickly that all the units were glass units. Everything died too easily too fast. The resource gathering is considerably faster than SC, which meant that the economy ain't as important in SC2 as it was in SC. You be the judge of whether this is a bad thing or not. But the glass units really got to me. Since the units die too easily too fast, then what's the point of melee units?
I'm an old school SC player. This means that I know exactly what each unit is good for in an online competitive tournament. In a competitive online match in the old SC, my right hand is constantly moving the mouse and clicking a dozen clicks a second while my left hand would be pressing all the keys for short command codes. In other words, SC economy was slow and in a competitive setting I already have trouble keeping up with the pace of the game. And each unit has its strengths and weaknesses. A group of mutas could devastate your opponent's economy while a single templar's storm could destroy that group of mutas (I'm sure some people here knows exactly what I'm talking about while most of you are clueless). And that's the point. Some units easily die in certain situation while not so easily in others.
But in SC2, resource gathering is fast and units die too easily and quickly to be of any use for strategy. What's the point of strategizing your attack if everything dies just as easily and quickly as everything else in every situation?
So, my question to Blizzard is why the fudge did you guys replace all the good units from SC with glass units for SC2? Do you not like good strategy gamers?
The most important feature about the old SC that made it so popular for so long is the ability by the players to create and refine the maps. The best maps were created and are still being created and refined by fans. And each one of these maps was created for a different purpose. For example, if I'm all pumped up I might want to play something fast pace and intense like 3v3zc or any of the diplo or WW maps. But if after a full day of work and all I want to do is relax a little bit before bed time, I might just sign up for slow pace maps like sunk and overmind defense. All of these maps were created by fans and they are the best maps out there.
In SC2, after spending $60 for the first 1/3 portion of the game, you will have to spend more money to buy premium units and premium maps. And you don't actually possess these maps on your computer. They are all stored online. So, it looks like this is a closed system and us players can't actually create any map. In other words, this is beginning to look more like a totaltarian police state than a free enterprising market. In SC, popular maps remained around while unpopular maps simply die. Anyone can put any idea into maps. But with SC2, people are now stuck with what Bnet2 has and they have to pay for these premium units and premium maps.
But your craptacular multiplayer experience doesn't end there. There's no chat room. I'm still trying to figure out how to add a friend. You can't log onto another server. I know a few people from Europe that I'd like to play with. And if I really want to play with them, I'd have to spend another $60 to buy the European version.
SC is 12 years old and people are still playing it across the globe in record numbers. It is the longest lasting most popular strategy online game of all times. If Blizzard hope for SC2 to even come close to the popularity SC has been enjoying in the last 12 years, they should remove all the BS that I'm sure those greedy corporate scammers came up with.
Let us dedicated customers enjoy the game and worry less about all the BS. Like I said, over the last 12 years I bought and re-bought SC many times because I thought it was worth it. I absolutely don't think SC2 1/3 is worth $60. And I absolutely refuse to buy the other two when they come out unless Blizzard remove all the BS safeguards.
That's my opinion on the matter. Take it for what it's worth. I certainly hope you will make the right decision about whether or not to buy this game. If you have money coming out of your ears, then be my guest and buy SC2. If you want to enjoy a well balanced game that will give you hours of entertainment, I highly suggest SC.
SC1 enjoyed not only short term success but also a long term success. It's been 12 years and people are still paying good money to buy the game. It is still one of the most played games of all times.
So far, we know that SC2 enjoyed a very good short term success because many of us were duped into buying it. Whether it will enjoy longevity is something we need to wait to see. But it does look to me like Blizzard just wanted to make a quick buck on this one with no plan for a long term success.
Sunday, October 22, 2000
Dragon Age: Origins PC | 9.5
Dragon Age: Origins could nearly be considered two games, the one for the PC and the one for the Xbox / PS3. Unlike other titles such as Mass Effect, Bioshock or Halo, the computer version of Dragon Age offers a unique and different experience than the consoles. Either version is likely to be considered one of the top ten games of the year as this RPG is more accessible to the masses than titles like Oblivion or Fallout 3 but just as rewarding and challenging to the hard-core RPG player.
On the PC Dragon Age can look and feel similar to Diablo or Neverwinter Knights, but the structure more Mass Effect (another Bioware title) in fact, players of Mass Effect will find that this is very much that game set in a time a 1000 years earlier. The movement for example, for fans of games such as Final Fantasy or The Witcher, it may be off-putting to not have a world to wonder freely, for this game, like Mass Effect, gives you destinations on a map which you travel to while the area is loading, but you can't simply go walking about outside of each area. But, don't let that get you down, because each area will cost you plenty of hours, and hours, and hours. This game is huge.
The PC version gives you the option of a top-down view, the characters become very small and graphically it now looks like Diablo, you have hordes swarming you, you can pause, direct your four players one command at a time and then watch them carry it out. Although some crave this level of control and strategy, others of us who want to finish the 100+ hours of exploring and side quest can find it daunting. The PC does offer an "easy" level for those of us who do our battling in real time, but be warned, only the strong survive and easy is not so easy.
PC or Console, Dragon Age will force you to talk to everyone and finish a vast amount of side quest or suffer defeat after defeat after defeat in battle. Why? Because there's no world map to go out and level-up on! You have to get levels up completing side quest and get better weapons and armor through exploration and selling-off what you find but don't want. You'll also find that you have to talk people into joining the battle or when attacks come your small team will have not-enough-help and little things like clicking on some barrels to find out there's oil in them can later translate into a knight on the battle field you tell about the oil creating a massive fire barrier the enemy has to get through to attack. That's how this game works.
Dragon age also gives you 6 possible origin stories depending on who you play as and how you customize them. The origin stories give you about two hours of different locations and plots before the game congeals into the basic monster that it is. Eventually who you are and where you came from are not that important, you're a Gray Warden and that's that, but early on it does make a difference. Now, just like in The Witcher, what you say and if you can convince people of certain things drastically changes outcomes. You want to save before important conversations as you may need to try over and over until you get the outcome you want. It also changes the way your party sees you, loyalties may falter, comrades may just leave if they don't like you, since some are honest and forthright, others are thieves or murders you've recruited -- and it is possible to completely miss party members along the way and never recruit them! -- so you really need to take a middle-of-the road approach keeping everyone happy some of the time if you want them to all stay.
So PC Vs Console? Well, both if you can. The PC has superior graphics. The XBOX is grainy and weak, the PS3 better but the PC is awesome -- if yours can handle it. My rig is an Intel Core 2 Quad QX9550 @ 2.8 GHZ per core (12 MB L2 cache), 8 Gig DDR2, Radeon HD 5970 Black Edition card in 16X PCI-E Slots and I run the game at 100% graphics at 1400X900 16:10 resolution with 60fps and no drops. The graphics are full, lush and you never see them render, it gives me full distance at full quality all the time.
My PS3 version looks like the PC graphics set at all Medium Quality. Grass is constantly growing before me as I move, the images are sharp and a little flat, not natural and well shaded like the PC, the distance view is never any further than your feet. Considering how amazing Final Fantasy XIII looks, this is a major let-down.
However, playing on a console does have its advantages. Unlike the PC version, the console has no-drop-down view so tactical pausing isn't really desirable, though you can do it. However, it compensates with auto-targeting allowing a faster, if more hack-and-slash, playing model.
In Conclusion, if you are playing more for story and exploration and want battles a bit simplified and less daunting, then the PS3 version is the best, and easiest way to view on a large screen as well. However, the PC offers vastly improved graphics (for the mid to high-end PC -- see my specs above) and a top-down view that pause-and-play gamers will want. There's also the option, if you can afford it, of doing both, I'm playing a game simultaneously on PC and PS3 and the experience is varied enough that I enjoy both -- though I only paid for the PS3 add-ons.
Dragon Age: Origins is a MUST HAVE for RPG gamers, this is up there with the best Final Fantasy, The Witcher, Mass Effect, and for those of us who still remember the NES games, this is like those, on steroids.
Just a few comments. Both the PC and especially the PS3 have unreasonable loading times. Some areas on the PS3 stop and load at every door. On the PC, with 8 gigs of ram, 2 gigs of video ram and a quad-core processor there shouldn't be so much loading either.
I also recommend turning off "persistent gore" as the game is just as violent, except every battle doesn't leave everyone covered in unreasonable splatter until the next battle. I played on the latest patch (v1.04) upon writing this.
On the PC Dragon Age can look and feel similar to Diablo or Neverwinter Knights, but the structure more Mass Effect (another Bioware title) in fact, players of Mass Effect will find that this is very much that game set in a time a 1000 years earlier. The movement for example, for fans of games such as Final Fantasy or The Witcher, it may be off-putting to not have a world to wonder freely, for this game, like Mass Effect, gives you destinations on a map which you travel to while the area is loading, but you can't simply go walking about outside of each area. But, don't let that get you down, because each area will cost you plenty of hours, and hours, and hours. This game is huge.
The PC version gives you the option of a top-down view, the characters become very small and graphically it now looks like Diablo, you have hordes swarming you, you can pause, direct your four players one command at a time and then watch them carry it out. Although some crave this level of control and strategy, others of us who want to finish the 100+ hours of exploring and side quest can find it daunting. The PC does offer an "easy" level for those of us who do our battling in real time, but be warned, only the strong survive and easy is not so easy.
PC or Console, Dragon Age will force you to talk to everyone and finish a vast amount of side quest or suffer defeat after defeat after defeat in battle. Why? Because there's no world map to go out and level-up on! You have to get levels up completing side quest and get better weapons and armor through exploration and selling-off what you find but don't want. You'll also find that you have to talk people into joining the battle or when attacks come your small team will have not-enough-help and little things like clicking on some barrels to find out there's oil in them can later translate into a knight on the battle field you tell about the oil creating a massive fire barrier the enemy has to get through to attack. That's how this game works.
Dragon age also gives you 6 possible origin stories depending on who you play as and how you customize them. The origin stories give you about two hours of different locations and plots before the game congeals into the basic monster that it is. Eventually who you are and where you came from are not that important, you're a Gray Warden and that's that, but early on it does make a difference. Now, just like in The Witcher, what you say and if you can convince people of certain things drastically changes outcomes. You want to save before important conversations as you may need to try over and over until you get the outcome you want. It also changes the way your party sees you, loyalties may falter, comrades may just leave if they don't like you, since some are honest and forthright, others are thieves or murders you've recruited -- and it is possible to completely miss party members along the way and never recruit them! -- so you really need to take a middle-of-the road approach keeping everyone happy some of the time if you want them to all stay.
So PC Vs Console? Well, both if you can. The PC has superior graphics. The XBOX is grainy and weak, the PS3 better but the PC is awesome -- if yours can handle it. My rig is an Intel Core 2 Quad QX9550 @ 2.8 GHZ per core (12 MB L2 cache), 8 Gig DDR2, Radeon HD 5970 Black Edition card in 16X PCI-E Slots and I run the game at 100% graphics at 1400X900 16:10 resolution with 60fps and no drops. The graphics are full, lush and you never see them render, it gives me full distance at full quality all the time.
My PS3 version looks like the PC graphics set at all Medium Quality. Grass is constantly growing before me as I move, the images are sharp and a little flat, not natural and well shaded like the PC, the distance view is never any further than your feet. Considering how amazing Final Fantasy XIII looks, this is a major let-down.
However, playing on a console does have its advantages. Unlike the PC version, the console has no-drop-down view so tactical pausing isn't really desirable, though you can do it. However, it compensates with auto-targeting allowing a faster, if more hack-and-slash, playing model.
In Conclusion, if you are playing more for story and exploration and want battles a bit simplified and less daunting, then the PS3 version is the best, and easiest way to view on a large screen as well. However, the PC offers vastly improved graphics (for the mid to high-end PC -- see my specs above) and a top-down view that pause-and-play gamers will want. There's also the option, if you can afford it, of doing both, I'm playing a game simultaneously on PC and PS3 and the experience is varied enough that I enjoy both -- though I only paid for the PS3 add-ons.
Dragon Age: Origins is a MUST HAVE for RPG gamers, this is up there with the best Final Fantasy, The Witcher, Mass Effect, and for those of us who still remember the NES games, this is like those, on steroids.
Just a few comments. Both the PC and especially the PS3 have unreasonable loading times. Some areas on the PS3 stop and load at every door. On the PC, with 8 gigs of ram, 2 gigs of video ram and a quad-core processor there shouldn't be so much loading either.
I also recommend turning off "persistent gore" as the game is just as violent, except every battle doesn't leave everyone covered in unreasonable splatter until the next battle. I played on the latest patch (v1.04) upon writing this.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)