I know this game is old, but good grief. Even back when the first Tomb Raider was released, there were better control systems out there. What the heck were the designers thinking when they came up with this dumpster fire of a control scheme? This game is practically unplayable. The controls are a confusing mess. Movement is clunky. Turning is clunky. Jumping is clunky. Nothing feels intuitive or smooth. I can't interact with a lever on the wall, because the controls are such a mess. It takes almost a minute just to get myself correctly positioned in front of it, because any movement at all throws me completely out of wack. When I finally do, none of the buttons are doing anything. I can't interact with the lever, so I'm at a dead end. I tried the Modern Control option and it's definitely better than the tank controls, but comes with its own set of frustrating issues. Why is the camera forced to look off to the side? I don't want to look to the side. But I can't prevent it. Game just takes over and forces it. Having to hold down the trigger button to keep the guns out is annoying. I honestly do not understand how this series ever took off. It's practically unplayable. I'm glad they figured it out and implemented a proper control scheme in later titles, but I'm still baffled how this game - with these controls - ever got off the ground. I only paid $11 and change for this, and it still feels like I was ripped off.
So, I got maybe 5 minutes into this game before giving up. It's nigh on unplayable, with gamepad or keyboard. 1) Why are there four completely different control schemes? Why? WASD/Mouse control was already well established by the time this game was developed. Was this the devs trying to be "artsy" by reinventing the wheel? Well, they did an awful job. 2) Why can't I bring up the options menu in-game? I wanted to open the config to look at the controls, and there's no way to do it without quitting the game first, to go back to the main menu This leads to the next issue... 3) The game also doesn't let you save (or I couldn't find any way to do so), and there's no autosave feature (again, that I could see). So, quitting the game back to the main menu completely loses your progress. There's no save profile kept, and you have to start from scratch. 4) Trying to use gamepad isn't much better, as again.. the controls are obtuse, and trying to reference them in-game only leads you back to #s 2 and 3 above. People say this game is great, and I'm inclined to believe them... But I gotta wonder how they even got to play it at all with this abomination of a control/save system.
Played Neverwinter Nights since its original launch. Countless hours hopping different Persistent Servers and fighting through the official storylines. So glad it was updated for modern systems. It's still as fun as ever. Still a lively community for Persistent Servers (some of which go all the way back to the earliest days!). If you want a game that, while not cutting edge anymore, can still provide countless hours of entertainment and tons of character customization... Pick this up!
Have tried this game a few times, on different platforms. It's one of those games that's weird for the sake of being weird. Random, disjointed story beats (if they're even that) happening, with disembodied voices saying things that make no sense. The writing comes across like someone's attempt at how they think "artsy and weird" is supposed to be written. Jumps back and forth between weird/random stuff happening and shooting... Feels forced and pretentious right out of the gate.
I really like what Jace is putting together here. The open, sandboxy, go where you want, do what you want*** style gameplay really gives that Eve Online kind of feeling. But in all my hours playing it (between GOG and Steam - yes I bought it twice lol), I always end up feeling like there's "something" missing. And I think I've maybe put my finger on it. What makes Eve Online what it is, is the presence of other players. The interactions, the trades, the combat, the negotiations, the betrayals... Those are the things that make Eve stand out and generate the headlines. Other players really are content in Eve Online, in the truest sense of the phrase. Your achievements in Eve Online have meaning and significance because they can be seen - and taken away - by other players. It gives everything meaning. There's a "point" to it all. The more successful you become, the bigger your footprint becomes in the universe. It puts you on people's radar. Makes you a sought after ally, or a target. And that "point" is what I find lacking when I play Astrox Imperium. When ever I'm grinding out whatever I'm doing at the moment, the thought of "why am I doing this? What's the point? Where am I going with this? To become the most powerful pilot in this particular universe? For what? I can't lose it. It can't be taken from me. I'm not going to be influencing anything politically." And then my motivation to continue fails and I uninstall. With the lack of other players as content, and all the possibilities that opens... I think Astrox Imperium needs to provide some kind of "end game" - even if a "soft end game" in its place. There needs to be some consequence for all your growth and improvement. Your presence needs to mean something, so it's not just "power for the sake of power". Not sure how that can be done, or how it would fit into Jace's vision for the game, but I really feel like some grander over-arching campaign with real influence in the universe could only help.
Though I was really excited for it, I never did play NMS at launch - for well-known reasons. In the meantime, I've been looking for a space exploration/themed game to dig into, that gave me a great variety of things to do, and whose flight controls didn't require many hours, and a dozen (at least) or so different buttons to memorize for every little function. I don't care how deep or detailed your game is, if I'm getting frustrated just getting used to your flight controls, I'm not going to play it. I'm playing a video game, not training for a real-life pilot's license. Looking at you Elite: Dangerous. Anyway, I haven't spent a ton of time in NMS yet, but I can already tell it's going to be a very full, fun and frustration-free experience. Controls are intuitive. Tasks are intuitive. Even flight controls are intuitive! It's almost like Hello Games realized they were making a video game that's supposed to be *fun*, not a pilot's license course! NMS is a great example of how you create a game with a lot of depth and plenty to wrap your head around... while also keeping it fun. I hope to spend many many hours exploring the worlds I'll (hopefully) get to discover and name. Congrats on the amazing turn-around, Hello Games!
I remember first learning about Draugen, when it was supposed to be more of a horror type game, or at least that's how it was originally described (in summary). At some point, I guess they decided to shorten it into more of an interactive story . So, while I was bummed about that, I still had hope for it, because it's written by one of my favorite creative minds, Ragnar Tornquist. I've been a fan of his since "The Longest Journey", and that series, as well as "The Secret World" (though Funcom managed to screw it up, because Funcom can't seem to not screw up their MMOs.. but I digress...). I also could sense his thumbprint on Anarchy Online. So, I expected - if nothing else - a really engaging story with interesting characters. I wasn't disappointed. I took a star off the review for three reasons: 1. It's not the game I was expecting, based on early descriptions. 2. It's very short. I went straight through in about 3 hours. 3. $20 is a bit steep, considering reason 2. There is a note at the end of the credits that gives me hope for another title. Maybe that will be more in line with the game originally described. Here's hoping! In any case, if you want an interesting, not over-long mystery with solid writing and voice acting, you could do much worse than to spend a few hours in Graavik.
I bought the physical version of this game a long time ago. Still have the box and all. I never got into it back then, but couldn't remember why. Seeing the overwhelmingly positive feedback on DK 1 and 2, I thought "hey, why don't I pick these up and give them another go..." I have to admit, I'm having a very difficult time seeing all the wooha about them. Played several levels in to each, and neither made me want to keep going. There was nothing pulling me in. The gameplay is nothing remarkable, the controls are clunky, especially for all the zooming around the map you have to do. I don't know. Maybe these are the kinds of games that was remarkable when first released, and remembered most fondly by those who played them back then. Whatever magic they must have held then seems to have faded over time.
What is it with games and giving you an easy ride at first, and then throwing a boss at you that you've not been prepared for *at all* up to that point? The game design all around is pretty clunky as well. Animations are weird, and sort of "phase" into each other instead of moving naturally. Just skip this one and stick to the older titles.
Beautiful looking game. Oozes style from every pixel. Seriously clunky controls right now. I'm at the first main encounter in the storyline and let's just say, enemies are taking direct hits to the head, up close, and somehow I'm missing. I'm also being shot through walls and pillars. So.. the collision detection definitely needs work. Continuing to play in this state is only going to frustrate and sour me on what looks like it could eventually be a superior experience. I'm gonna give it time to cook a bit more and become that. Then I'll try again, and update my review. Hopefully pushing it to 5 Stars.
