Don't believe what many players and critics say. This game is one of the best metroidvanias I've ever played, maybe the best here on GoG so far. The world is quite big and each area plays differently, some are more about fighting, others have many puzzles (which are mostly on the easy side), others are more about platforming, etc. But my favorite aspect of the game is that it's very challenging but never unfair. If you read many people complaining about how the game (or a particular boss) is kicking their asses, it's because they went into an area or boss without the right equipment. And for me, that's what made Symphony of the night (the first metroidvania I played) amazing. In Cathedral, exploration is actually very well rewarded, a lot more than in other games of the genre. If you take your time to find all the hidden items, you'll stand a pretty good chance of defeating the bosses without suffering so much (they will be a challenge anyway, though, this game is not easy as the Castlevanias). Upgrades really make a difference here and so do town banks, which you should visit often to save all the money you can, because you'll have to buy some of your gear. If you don't care about graphics or story but want a metroidvania that challenges you and rewards exploration, then you'll love Cathedral.
HUNTDOWN understands exactly what made the 16-bit games great. It's a shooting sidescroller that goes straight into the action. You'll shoot, kick, and throw grenades at a lot of thugs in a beautifully crafted cyberpunk city. But this isn't a run-n-gun game that just throws a ton of enemies at you. A deliberate approach is needed many times, and you have to take all the cover you can (behind crates or pressing the up-arrow to hide behind a wall as in Blackthorne). The levels constantly provide a good challenge but they never seem unfairly difficult. The game is filled with boss encounters - a bit too much for my taste, but the fights are short and not too hard. Also, every boss is really original. Graphics are rendered in a low-res and 16-bit style, but still manage to have a lot of detail. Everything looks beautiful and the city is really alive. Things move everywhere, from the foreground to the background. I died so many times because I was so mesmerized by the art that I forgot to move my character! The 80's synth style music is quite good in setting the mood, but I feel it lacks a bit of melody and personality. It's more like a background sound, but at least it's not annoying. HUNTDOWN is one of the best action games EVER, including AAA and retro titles in the list. Get this game, you won't regret it.
Raiden games are the best among SHMUPS, at least the first ones. I was expecting to get a good version of the first two games, like in the PSX disc with its awesome sound and music, but I just got a dated version of the first game and some new ones that are not as cool (just a screen filled with bullets all the time). This is clearly an arcade emulation but you can't easily extract the roms to play it on MAME for yourself (which would play SO much better). There is no option to adjust the number of lives and continues, and the default selection is really short. I can barely get past a few levels! There are a lot of other problems not really worth mentioning, but I'd suggest you to stay away from this version and download Raiden 1 and 2 for Windows, that are free on MyAbandonware...
This game is actually a lot of fun. The gameplay is just right and very well executed, the programmer really knows what he is doing. If you played the PS1/GBA Castlevanias you'll feel right at home because the way your character moves and the combat feel exactly the same. Many people claim those Casltevanias are quite easy, but if you play Chasm on HARD, you' ll find it more challenging, though never unfair. Another typical problem with metroidvanias is replayability: once you memorize the map, it's a bit less fun. Chasm offers a way around that by randomizing the map, but not in a procedurally generated generic world. In this case, every room seems manually crafted, and then it randomly rearranges some rooms each time you start a new game. There are also two more 'casual' random modes: arcade and race. Combat is really good and every enemy provides a challenge. Each of them has a distinct pattern so you have to learn them and find out what is the best strategy to kill each one. Many enemies seem impossible until you figure out a way to beat them. The only thing I'm not a fan is the asthetics of the game. It looks and sounds really cool, but it seems a bit generic. The main character is just a random soldier with a childish look and no sense of development during the game. The graphics are beautiful but many areas just seem quite generic, like your typical mines or crypts (keep and garden look quite good though). In a Castlevania game each room is different than the next, but in this game every room in the same area looks similar. Some enemies look really menacing but there are also many generic things like blobs, plants or insects. Music provides a great atmosphere and is kinda soothing, but there are no memorable tunes. Chasm may not be too immersive but it's actually a great game and super fun if you don't need a lot of immersion to enjoy your games. If there's a sequel or spiritual successor with that in mind, it should be an absolute classic.
Wonderful game and also free! You just go around city, sewers or labs shooting a lot of monsters and throwing different kinds of grenades. Shooting is pretty fun and platforming too. Also, levels are not completely linear so you have to explore and do a little backtracking. You have to think to figure out how to finish some levels, and how to avoid getting killed. If you try to rush it towards the end of the levels, you may lose all your lives in a row. There are many hidden areas that are really fun to discover too. Graphics and sound aren't great and make the game look like it's not a big deal, but believe me, it's just FUN if you are up to the challenge. Go get it!
The original Unreal Tournament was the perfect arena shooter. No sequel could improve on it, but if you think of UT2004 as a different experience, you may enjoy it a lot. It's more oriented on team play, CTF is better and Assault is really improved. It also adds the Onslaught mode, with some really expansive maps and a bit of strategy. The problem is, the weapons just suck. Especially your default assault rifle, which is inaccurate and deals very little damage. So, if you
I can't believe nobody made a hack for this game so it can save during a mission. The games is awesome and especially for the time it was released. I remember it blew me away, because it gives you a lot of freedom to do things in several ways and the stealth elements are a lot more than just 'avoid being seen'. Being able to switch outfits with your victims and taking their places was and still is a thrill. The first missions are quite short and it's great fun to play them without any sort of save feature, it brings a lot of tension and suspense. The thing is, after about five levels, missions become really long and unplayable without saving. I'd say get this game if you find it on a discount. But I'd rather start with any other of the 'good' Hitman games (pre reboot: Silent Assassin, Contracts or Blood Money).
This game is so underrated. I think it should be considered a total classic. If you loved Quake II, this game is the one that gets closer in my opinion. The adrenaline pumping action and the atmosphere feel quite the same. You play as an angel sent to solve a conflict involving Earth and hell. In the first level you actually go through hell and it's quite shocking with all the naked and dismembered people screaming all around you. After that you get into a sort of cyberpunk futuristic Earth with soldiers patrolling the streets. The best part of the game is: you can kick soldiers' and demons' asses by using your angel powers, or your typical FPS guns. There are only seven weapons but they are pretty cool, especially the TRIPLE-BARRELLED shotgun. The powers are what really shine here, you can use some offensive powers like throwing fire or lightning, throwing a swarm of insects, turning enemies into salt statues, or exploding them from the inside. But there are also other abilities like possessing their bodies, resurrecting dead enemies so they join your army, turning into bullet-time mode (yes! before Max Payne and Matrix!) or deflecting their projectiles. The game is really rough around the edges, yeah. It's clunky, graphics are blocky, it's plagued with bugs. BUT when it comes to gameplay, it's extremely fun. It just works. It feels really fast and the once the action starts, it never stops. If you want action, a real challenge, a dark atmosphere and just plain FUN; don't hesitate to get this one.
This is one of the best games I've ever played. It's always fun and challenging. It's an action game but with some strategy elements perfectly blended in. You'll notice them more and more with every level that you advance. Especially when you start commanding your own team of rebels. I'd recommend not to play this game as your standard shooter, it requires a more indirect and thoughtful approach, especially on higher difficulties. The only thing I hate about the game is the story, that USA=good, Russia=bad thing was really unnecesary. Still, it won't spoil the gameplay at all.
