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PRESENTATION: - easily the game's strongest suit - graphically it holds up surprisingly well thanks to its clean visuals and colorful design - the music is atmospheric and moody, some tracks are quite beautiful - the cutscenes use hand drawn style animations instead of the usual prerendered or in-game cinematics. STORY: - the setting is not exactly original (a dystopian city), but it makes up for it through the visual design of the city. - the concept of the runners is interesting, but the execution doesn't make sense. You run around rooftops and through office buildings in broad daylight; that's hardly covert. - the story is serviceable at best and the plot twists are not in any way surprising. - characters are quite one dimensional. - the dialogue and varies from mediocre to juvenile. - it's surprising how seriously the game takes itself despite not having anything particularly profound to say. GAMEPLAY: - at least 90% of the game centers around parkour style movement. - I'm not very keen on first person platforming, but the game does a very good job of it. - don't expect fast flowing movement out of the gate as that takes repetition. First time out the flow will break frequently while you figure out where exactly you need to go or how to get there. - level design could've been more open, more of a sandbox. Instead it's very linear. Rooftops give you some movement options, but the many interiors are much more restrictive. - controls are good for the most part, but sometimes the character inexplicably fails to grab onto things that are within reach. - combat (gun/melee) is basic and is best avoided (this fits thematically). Too bad you're sometimes forced into it. - on occasion you may think stealth is advisable. You may even think it would fit the game. Don't try it, there's no stealth in this game. CONCLUSION: While innovative for its day, Mirror's Edge feels more like a proof of concept than a full game, a feeling that's accentuated by its short length.
While Sam "Serious" Stone is one of those classic wisecracking FPS protagonists, in the vein of Duke Nukem or Lo Wang, don't be fooled; Serious Sam TFE doesn't really play like the classic 90s shooters that may have inspired it. Movement is essential, as is prioritizing enemies, both of which are hallmarks of classic shooters, however most levels are constructed as a series of interconnected and quite literal arenas (some quite massive) where waves upon waves of enemies will spawn. Some levels give respite from this, introducing some more confined interior areas, but by and large the game heavily focuses on outdoors arenas. You will frequently find yourself running in circles and usually backwards, frantically trying to keep a safe distance from the hordes and dodging attacks from the many enemy types that will charge you. It is this level design and the associated gameplay loop that make SS TFE feel quite different from the likes of Quake, Blood or other classic shooters. The reason I'm saying all this is because I often hear SS being thrown into the same category as id software or Build engine shooters and I feel that's only partly justified. The game IS extremely fun, but it's worth mentioning what sets it apart. The roster of enemies is quite diverse and they will require various strategies to deal with. You will quickly learn which enemies need to be your priority. The weapons are also fun to use, they each feel adequately unique, and to the game's credit most of them remain useful to the end. On higher difficulty levels you will be tested and it may become increasingly useful to spend time hunting for secrets (extra health, ammo or armor). The ending, in particular, is quite frantic. All in all, SS TFE is a charming experience, there are more than a few humorous moments and the story doesn't take itself... seriously. As a final note, if you buy this game, do yourself a favour and look for the "Steamify patch" on ModDB.
Id like to start out by saying that unlike many other reviewers, I didn't encounter any crashes or major technical issues (on WIN10). That said it's not an extremely smooth experience either. As a game it draws, as expected, heavy comparisons to GTA, in particular to the GTA3/Vice City/San Andreas era. However I found it to be far less charming and far more janky in terms of mechanics. More importantly, I found the frequency of frustrating missions/mission design to be well beyond what I can stomach. That's saying something considering I love classic GTA and those games also had their share of infamous missions. But Saints Row 2 takes it to the next level. It often feels like the game relies more on the player getting lucky rather than on 'getting good', especially in the higher level side activities. By that I mean it seems to have a hard time finding a difficulty balance, as most of the missions are either so easy you don't even have to try or so unfair/unbalanced that you have to pray for the RNG god's favour. In short: when SR2 is at its best, it can be really fun; on par with the best of them. When it's at its worst though, it can lead to rage inducing frustration. My personal experience was that the latter was unfortunately more frequent than the former. If you loved early 2000s GTA and want to experience something more in that same vein, this might scratch the itch. Or, as was my case, it'll just make you want to go back to the stuff you know and love. I can't complain too much though, as I only got SR2 as a giveaway.