For fans of 2000AD, as well as the original Rogue Trooper, this might seem like a fantastic way to dust off some memories. It isn't. The studio this remaster was outsourced to did a decent job updating the graphics and making the game playable on modern hardware. This came at the expense of slippery, broken controls, toning down and censoring some of the character designs, removing the cover controls and replacing it with a "sticky" cover system, and inaccurate and broken facial animations. The only things I can truly praise about this set is that the "Collector's" edition comes with a lot of goodies
Since the game launched, there's been an issue with Project Warlock where, if you have multiple monitors plugged in, your resolution will reset between every loading screen. It has not only never been fixed, but the dev quietly just started developing the sequel instead of fixing a game-breaking glitch.
Having recently taken the plunge into the *original* System Shock, I am blown away with the quality, care, and creativity on display in the remake. It's best comparison would be Black Mesa; a shot-for-shot remake, that at once respects and updates a classic. -Story: Completely untouched from the original. You set SHODAN free, and now it's up to you to put the genie back in the bottle. Voice Acting has improved dramatically, and the mix of audio and text logs feels appropriate. -Gameplay: Updated for modern sensibilities, you now have traditional shooter controls, and a grid inventory! You do have to juggle in a rather fineite space, as well as worry about ammo, medical items, *and* your money, but it makes for tense trips to the cqrgo elevator or recycling depot, because enemies will be "spawned in" through elevators hidden in the floor! My only issue is Melee combat, it's difficult to tell if you're connecting when you hit, or how much damage you do, whereas firearms always have some type if impact effect. Visuals: SO BLOODY COOL. There's a chunkieness to everything, making it feel like a lo-fi hard science setting, similar to Blade Runner or Aliens. Everything clicks, slots, or slides into place wonderfully. All of the tools, props, junk, and goodies feel *right* to the setting! Sound: Easily the main thing that I find immediately effective. The sound design is phenomenal, with a variable soundtrack depending on how much danger you're participating in. I'm genuinely excited to play more!
Generally frustrating how much this game has to work with, and how little it does with the setting. The game implies your small group of rebels is ready and willing to fight back, to resist Nazi occupation. In practice, you're convincing the locals to give *you* money, and you keep your crew and their families fed and safe, and *maybe* you have the resources to sneak people out, or if you're *incredibly* fortunate, slander an officer or steal some uniforms. The core game relies on concerning degrees of randomization, the practical upshot being a quest you didn't know about demands resources you've never had access to, and now your crew is sad you failed to follow up on it. Then, insult to injury, right at the end, some random person, who you've never heard of and frankly has no reason to interact with you, shows up and exposition dumps about the Holocaust. One of the worst events in Human History, and it's relayed to you through a single cutscene, regardless of the quality or quantity of your rebellious efforts. I'm not about to downplay the evils that visited those poor souls, but it's such a horrible decision to completely remove your agency. It feels like the devs went, "Hey, by the way. While you were making empty promises to your neighbors and keeping your families fed and clothed, PEOPLE DIED" Why not lay the breadcrumbs, why not have our players discover the inhumanity first-hand, and fight to reveal it!!! Bright side, the sound, graphics, and UI readability is fantastic. If not for the incredibly lackluster mission design and randomness, it's an incredibly well-designed game. Ultimately, if you want to learn, study the history. If you want to experience the perspective of fighting a war through the eyes of a civilian or partisan, play "Warsaw" or "This War of Mine".
Sadly, I've only gotten to play the tutorial and parts of the first mission: the drm-free version of the game has a hard-locking error that prevents the phase activation, meaning the soldiers say they're in action, then just... politely sit still. From light digging in the gog forums, this issue has not only been prevalent since launch, but it's quite possibly a drm issue, since the Gog Galaxy version plays just fine. As I don't have internet on my PC, that quite plainly represents a permanent problem If you can get it for a few bucks, by all means, the intro video and tutorial upsell the heck out of a game that likely doesn't run at all
