The basic flaw is simple: - Touching the curb is instant death. - The curb is invisible. So, there is no warning (on the road shoulders), no damage system ('lives'), just a complete reset if you drift from the centre of the road. One can't drive with precision because it is too high risk, and one can't chill.
Seemed relaxing and with a few interesting quirks. However, one cannot save everywhere - instead it uses a console style check-point automatic save system. Even one poorly placed checkpoint can make a session much longer (if one has limited time) or soft-block progression. So, I opted not to buy for this reason.
I recommend. Might be one of my top three or four shooters. Pros: - Sense of mass to the weapons - Sense of mass to the player (one feels significant) - The player is vulnerable (alternates from feeling invincible to feeling like a tactical shooter) - Plot line clearly has a twist (I haven't gotten to it yet, but I have suspicions) - Enemies arrive somewhat unpredictably - Nice art (environments feel epic) Cons: - As a single-player version one has to be a jack-of-all trades (e.g. missions require hacking) - Hacking is annoying in single player since there is no one to protect you if enemies show up - If one alt-tabs the dialogue, waypoints, and menus become bugged (meaning that minimizing the game can prevent one from completing a mission). - The save system is based on checkpoints that are often pretty far apart.
The game is simply brilliant. I've done historical sword-fighting for five years and trained with people using many different weapons and styles. I found the game play a bit slow, but still quite exciting. The overall fighting in the game is a bit simplified but quite realistic, and seems to capture the Polish Sabre 'cross-cutting' art quite well. It strikes the perfect balance. The damage done is also plausible given historical accounts... people could often keep fighting after receiving some kinds of strikes (although they might collapse and die sometime later). Just one minor note: Don't fight with a Rapier the way it is depicted here... one needs to use a much tighter and more extended guard when facing another long thrusting sword than is depicted. In reality one keeps the tip of the rapier pointed at the opponent in order to control the range, and uses the hilt to protect the hand. Failing to do this will cause one to get stabbed several times. So, the rapier style could do with revision (compared to where it is now in Feb/2021). The developers also seem to think that including bucklers (small shields) would require an additional control system - but in reality a lot of buckler techniques involve using the shield and sword together in an integrated way - so it should be able to do with the current system. I'd recommend that the developers talk to more rapier practitioners and more buckler practitioners... a bit more research. (They could probably also easily integrate some material from shastar vidiya as well... dreams for Hellish Quart II I suppose). As for my recommendation for you? Get it. At this price it is the fastest way to learn a bit about real sword fighting techniques.
It really is two games spliced together: The first involves a rush to gather supplies over a sixty second period. The second involves watching a calender go by and making one or two decisions a day. Most of the strategy goes into what is grabbed during the first part of the gameplay. However the inability to prestock the shelter at all, the fact that the timer is always 60 seconds, and the randomised location of items all take away from the ability to make choices. The second half of the gameplay is simpler but doesn't really give the player more than a couple of choices. Chance plays a large role, and the probabilities involved are never clear. Scavenging involves sending a family member outside to look for resources but the information returned is minimal. The game does not accurately depict the effects of nuclear war (Fallout is about as realistic) and isn't well executed, and doesn't give the player enough options to actually 'prepare' or 'decide'. There really isn't much clear strategy. Note: This review is based on my Valve/Steam copy.
Reasons I prefer it... - Co-op multiplayer: X-Wing Alliance only has limited multiplayer modes (deathmatch, team deathmatch, and racing). X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter (XvT) has full cooperative campaigns against the AI and other players. - The combat mechanics are a bit closer to the classic X-Wing and Tie-Fighter. In particular, the game lacks weapon convergence seen in X-Wing Alliance, collisions are more lethal, and AI craft are able to engage capital ships effectively (In XWA the only way to engage a capital ship was by firing weapons without a lock - something the AI couldn't do). - Super-Ace enemy AI. There is a special AI script which reacts to your gunsight. This means there is a rare AI which is actually challenging for the player. - It has campaigns for the Imperials as well as the Rebel Alliance ...That said: Get X-Wing Alliance to... It has the battle of Endor and the ability to fly transports Get the original Tie Fighter... It has a truly classic 'white knuckled' campaign and is the greatest member of the series in some respects
