If you want some real 90s treat which still feels fresh nowadays, you should buy this one! The lore dump is quite heavy we get from the intro and before the first level, but after that it is pure gaming. The mysteriousness of Unreal, the medieval feel of Hexen 2 and Thief... the inspirations are obvious. Instead of weapons we fight with spells - which are called ter'angreals, because we are in acclaimed writer Robert Jordan's world. Spells are not only for killing and weakening enemies, defending ourselves, but also for solving puzzles. Single player offers about 30 of these ter'angreals. Bossfights aren't just pick your strongest spell, you also have to experiment which is the best against that specific opponent, and what warding magic should you use against them. The first half of the game have so many of these puzzles and you are just getting to know these spells, it almost feels like an rpg. I really felt sorry that the 2nd half of the game is more battle-oriented and these puzzles come less and less frequently. I also felt that a bit more variety in the bestiarium would have been helpful, plus maybe one or two more attacking spells. The AI is a bit annoying with the Unreal-like "I'll dodge all of your projectiles" method, but manageable (the game runs on the original Unreal engine). The ending also a bit anticlimactic, but beside these problems this game is really in the 8.5-9/10 zone, and I really don't understand how it didn't get a sequel through all these years. Music kicks ass also, something I would call medieval rock, 40 mins of OST, I wish it was even longer! Oh, and wait for the crazy credits at the end! :)
Fails on almost every level. Quake II was an oldschool, testosterone-fueled fps. This one works more like a CoD-game, which is pretty disappointing. The fake "complexity" of modern games: throws old methods out of the window (no keys, cards etc.), and yet, it opens you previously closed doors when it wants you to be there. Exploration is non-existent - openable doors are marked with green, red ones are closed for now. You aren't enticed to look for secret areas - only a few situations where the makers remembered the roots, and added some rewards for being perceptive. Remember Q2's OST? Simple, heart-pumping, brutal, like the game. Here, music barely exists. For the first few hours I was bored and pissed that they fumbled a great opportunity to continue a legendary franchise, and diluted the original mood and basics of Q2. The graphics seemed the only redeeming quality of the game. And however, it looks great, the creatures lack any originality. In Q2 every monster had a character and they were instantly recognizable. Here - mostly because of the darkness of the game - I needed hours to tell them apart somehow. Halfway through I felt that the direction changed a bit, the game became a bit enjoyable. I liked how they raised the stakes in the lore's bio-horror, more focus on it would have made the game more memorable. Because other than this the game seeps blandness from every pore of it. Comparing to Q2 again: in Q2 almost every weapon felt big, as if it would shred through anything. Here the weapons almost always feel lacking, maybe grenade launcher, RL and dark matter gun are the exceptions. (It is a crime, what they've done to the railgun... not just slow, but looks boring and weak.) All in all the game isn't horribly bad, just... boring and castrated the original Q2-feel. If you have good memories about Q2, don't buy this game. If you need some mediocre shooting, go ahead. If you are really interested about Q4, just go watch a review, time better spent.
Back in the day I got this one as a free pc magazine add-on. I'm pretty surprised seeing that it has a 4.5 score right now here. Mediocre, run-of-the-mill fantasy stuff. Guess nostalgia is strong.
So easy even 10-year old myself would take this as an insult. It was an already established game back then but it still tries to hold the hand of the players at early levels like telling "visit all learning stones, because it is good for you". Sigh. AI is as aggressive like a half-awake sloth. Starting bonus choices make no sense. There are maps which can be done in 2 weeks (without any optimization). The lack of any challenge makes the game like a chore. Two things made me give 3 stars: Heroes 3 is still a bit like pizza or sex, plus the storytelling is really great.
I remember playing the original Worms many years ago. I remember loving it, and playing it continually with friend and family for years and years. I even remember when Worms 2 arrived, tried it out and was like "nah". Didn't like the graphics and the changes. Haven't felt the game evolving. Now I gave it another chance. Starts with a weird short animation. Hm, a frontend... pretty strange. Idea is good, it was just strange for me. I'm just the type of guy who likes to get drawn into a game's world. OK, let's set things and start a game. Hm, no campaign? I remember the original game having a set of challenges we can call a campaign. Nevermind, let's just play. Physics is a bit different, but not a big deal, can get used to it. But I certainly can't accustom to the small throw/shoot strength indicator. We were able to make such refined shots/throws in Worms, why taking that away? OK, the round ended, 18 mins... how? I set it to 10 mins... nevermind, let's start the next. But eventually I just got bored and annoyed by the subtle differences. I quit the game. And my Win 7 got frozen, all I saw was a big black screen... Bye-bye Worms 2. (A bit regretful, because with the frontend I guess it is much easier to add voicepacks etc. Nvm, I can do that with a bit more work on Worms...)
