I went in expecting a nostalgic throwback to olden days of gaming. Some quick, moderately fun no-bullshit action. At first, i got what i expected. It was sorta fun and the nostalgic factor kept me playing. And boy, am i glad it did, because this game grew on me like none other. I absolutely love it now. The weapon balance in this is nothing short of genius. All weapons are useful, good even, throughout the entire game. At no point you feel like you're in trouble because you're out of ammo for that one weapon you tend to rely on. Nope, even the revolver you get in the first level stays very relevant through the whole thing. I think it's not an exaggeration to say this game is the best game ever in that regard. Absolutely brilliant. The level design is something to behold. It's like duke nukem, but better and prettier in almost every way. There are some level tropes that get "repeated" a bit too often (most very-open space between buildings look sorta alike), but aside from that, levels are always fun to explore. Welp, i did get lost sometimes, foiled by hard-to-spot switches or not being able to find the one specific elevator i unlocked among all the others that still didn't work, but it happens so few times i didn't find it a problem. The one downside is the enemy design. They're all pretty bland. The game relies too heavily on color coded cloaked person-dudes, each using one of your weapons. And they barely move, they just stand there and shoot you from wherever they are. Not the enemies are bad, it's actually fun to fight them, but they don't shine like the rest of the game. Pros: - Nostalgia done right - Perfect weapon balance - Excellent level design - Tons of exploration and secrets Cons: - Enemy design could be better My overall score for this game is a fat 89 out of 100. A feat no game in the last 5 years was able to replicate. Not even doom 2016.
