It's quite hard to review this title. When it's works, it's fun, but there are many glitches and just disappointing quest outcomes due to no alternatives being offered, even though it wouldn't take much more than a few lines. Things like having to trudge around the map everywhere, vendors never upgrading their stock, lots of useless, low value items being inside high skill containers. I don't have much problem with the combat. Combat Initiative seems weird, but workable. The big problem is game design. It's like they had a game 85% complete, then just decided to tie up the loose ends and call it finished. Examples; For most of the game, you right-click to examine an object, then any options to interact are displayed, (disarm, lockpick, etc). But on a few occasions they don't work this way, right-click and you get nothing - you need to select the skill from the bar on the screen then click on the object to see your chance of success..assuming you know what skill is needed. I had to look up how to open the door at Darwin because of this. AFAIK, the peaceful solution to Rail Nomads Camp can only be done by typing in the right word at the console. Often when you leave a map, a recruit will say a line that sounds like it should be said upon entering the area. The boss battle with Tinker in Damonta has NO spoken lines, and is all text bubbles. Some objects appear solid, but you only find out after getting shot through them they aren't. Energy weapons are feeble, and I can't think of any area where they are superior to regular weapons. Some encounters are time sensitive, but as you speak to someone asking for help, the event they want you to stop is happening. It's easy to bypass a quest, or complete one by just entering a room, when it's obvious this quest wasn't meant to be done until later. Any NPC who might follow you will charge into battle with bare fists and 30 hp. My advice, pick it up during a 50% off sale, research beforehand to avoid pitfalls.
As others have said, the main problem with this game is it's repetitive missions that require endless driving everywhere, and the mindless busy work of collecting fuses. Some of the album cover and playboy collecting are a novelty, but I fear it might be lost on the current generation. Also the feeling of having history lessons forced on you. I don't know if they patched not being able to keep a car or not, but to be honest, I never finished the game. I had a few broken missions which might have affected favours people did me, (another bizarre design decision on how to hand out weapon perks) and the game lost it's appeal. Maybe I will get back to it, but IMHO, this game is only worth about $30.
I think people need to remember that games didn't quite have the budget or resources they do today. Whilst I agree the games isn't particularly "adventurous", and there aren't many diverging paths, for it's time it was good entertainment. A mystery story with adult themes, and FMV to boot, seen as a step up from static backgrounds. Going off my memories here, the worst part about this was the story - I remember loving it up until a certain revelation, (I won't reveal what), then it became ridiculous and really ruined the story for me. The acting isn't brilliant, but mostly passable, and the script cheezy, (lets face it - how many games aren't full of cheezy lines), and some of the actions not well thought out, (a fit young dood who can't move a couch - of course this might have been a tutorial to let you know the rat can be used) There was a site devoted to the game which told you how to get all of the easter eggs in the game, plus a bit of background. Unfortunately can't find it at the moment to share :(
OK - Make no mistake, this is a great game for it's time, but all these people gushing about how awesome it is...well. This is for the PC version, played years ago. It's a great story driven game, nice city to drive around in, and some nice touches. For example, you can jump on the train and ride around the city. Can't even remember the music, but I'm sure it fit the scenario. Downside is, clunky controls and clunky driving - the race car mission is especially horrible. As far as I remember you can't enter any of the buildings around the city. For those expecting anything resembling the later Mafia games, forget it. Not a lot to do in the city itself apart from the missions. Overall, still a fun game, great voice acting and very engaging.
I was never really into city building games, but this one was fun. I never found it extremely difficult and most of the time it was quite relaxing to build your city and have it running smoothly with the great sound track. Sure a few times you were threatened by other cities and you had a few options to solve that problem, but those were offset by monument building and establishing new city type missions. Combat wasn't great, and often the maps were a bit small once you had built a large city. Biggest downside today would be lack of HD resolution etc. This game would be ideal for a remaster.
This is the epitome of the LSL spirit. Bawdy, but not pornographic, not even smutty. Lots of innuendo and double entendres. The best part of this game is the Narrator, with tons of replies to "examining" objects, particularly womens chests. Pure gold! "Larry, you don't have the balls..."
One of the few console ports I like. This is a great game that can be enjoyed by a wide age group. Nothing as dull as having to kill people all the time, and a unique way to add collectibles via photography. True that on PC the controls were a bit difficult, but I and many others managed to complete the game, and win all the races, (got all the pearls). I feel this is an engaging world for the younger player and those adults who aren't dead inside from playing endless hours of CS/BF etc. It all works pretty well as a game, though I wasn't crazy about the ending. Still worth 5 stars though.
For it's genre, this game is great. Imaginative, funny, well written and varied. The art style is up to the viewer, but I think it suited the game. This is one of those games that crosses age boundaries. Because this games doesn't rely upon explosions or killing people, it's fun. Younger players can enjoy the graphics and gameplay, older players can enjoy the dialogue and settings. Some of the controls might have been a bit fiddly, but with some exploration and trial and error it can be rewarding. Who wants a game where everything is handed to you and your are told what to do and when to do it - those games are for automatons. So if you don't like platformers, or being told what you need to do next and have a big arrow bouncing up and down to tell you where to go next or who to talk to - please don't buy this game and review it!
Problem with this title is, as others have stated, it's really an interactive movie, where you follow the on-screen prompts and not much more. I played on PC, and the controls were so horrible I just didn't finish it. Game starts out well, but you soon come to learn that you need to randomly press a bunch of keys every now and then to keep going. There are a few decisions to make, but you don't really discover anything, and from what I saw there were no real puzzles to solve. You would sit back watching what seemed like a cutscene, then something is flashing on the corner and you have to start mashing keys. All this detracted from the game. There were more seemingly meaningless interactions with objects, punching bags, guitars etc. but I never felt a sense of progression as I played it. An odd moment where you had the opportunity to incriminate yourself via a photofit at a police station with an old woman. This stuff just didn't make much sense. I would say give this to a person who doesn't like games, as they may find it exciting, but to many "Gamers", there is not enough to do that is engaging, simply an exercise in Pavlovian psychology, (no doubt it works well with console owners).
