You can only call this a perfect remaster if you have no experience with the original game, as so often with Nightdive. This time they screwed up the music. The tracks start out fine, but within a minute go off the rails because of timing issues. If that is not fixed, this is a botched release. The new sprites are stellar though, really a great job on those! Cutscenes are a mixed bag, some impressive, others now look like comics, but these can be toggled so not a problem. Best way to play Dark Forces is still dropping The Force Engine onto the DOS version. You've got more options and all the great fan missions working perfectly (still doubtful how well that will work on this version). I suppose, if the new sprites can be used in TFE, then that will be the ultimate version, because it's the only advantage the remaster has going for it.
The one game that I get a similar feel from is actually Realms of the Haunting. Undying is a lot faster but let's see: a spooky mansion you keep coming back to, visits to other dimensions, many kinds of puzzle solving and both occultism and traditional weapons. Actually there's dual-wielding of weapons/powers here quite a few years before the Bioshocks popularized it. And very creepy atmosphere – not much music but with the unique setting of Irland you'll hear the wind and the ocean all around. Inside you may hear thunder and rain but mostly silence except your footsteps and strange noises. They really nailed the texturing and lighting, helping this game still look really moody. The Renewal mod+DirectX 11 shader+pixel-depth textures let's you get that little extra out of it. Only slight negatives I have is that bosses can be annoying and that there are a few, 3 or so, occasions where it's easy to miss how to progress but I have to say, considering how much this game switches up how you move forward, using spells or equipment, it's almost always telegraphed really well. While I had fond memories from back in the day, and kept the CD although I never got around to replay it, I didn't expect to be this impressed. Undying needs to be mentioned a lot more often among all the timeless FPS's of the early 2000.
Yeah, it's a cinematic game - unfortunately the opposite of the player agency of the Thief series up to this point. The graphics really are great though, so it's pretty immersive. Too bad that the maps are once again tiny but even worse, this time designed to lead you around on a leash. Now, this could've still been pretty cool but Thief was just treated like a brand here as they threw out everything but a few names with no replacement for the huge central theme of the balance and the Keepers that maintain it. You know, what Thief is ALL about. It's not really about stealing cutlery which this one hones in on. Jenivere as a crow is cute, so I'm not against switching things around and coming up with smart new takes, but the entire story of this game is nonsense that leads nowhere. I thought not being able to jump would be a bigger problem but you can parkour over a lot. Of course, with context-sensitive controls comes inconsistency – you can nimbly cross this meters high barricade here but can't step over that pipe that sticks up a few inches? Oh boy. Game sells for 3 bucks these days so it can be worth it, just because the environments are really nice and gives you a sense of what a modern Thief-game could look like. That might also get you a bit depressed.
Cutscenes are amazing and in the established style. Sound, music, voiceovers - all great. Lockpicking is excellent and the story is very interesting and mysterious. What's missing? Well... If they chose tech first and discovered what couldn't be done too late or if it was incompetence, I don't know. Probably it was both, I only played this on release and now with the Sneaky Upgrade patch. It fixes a lot, but much is beyond repairing. I very rarely have games crashing on me but this one dumped me back to the desktop at least a dozen times when quicksaving. The controls manage to be both sluggish and flimsy. Also, again and again the "player model" froze and had to be reset by using the bow or dropping from a height or I'd float around unable to interact with anything. The patch removes loading zones from within levels but they are still tiny and cramped compared to previous games. The City hub in-between missions is just ridiculous with each district reduced to a couple of alleys full of criminals and cops operating literally next doors. This is a perfect example of a game that actually needs a remake. Cutscenes just need an upscale. It's entirely new and expanded missions based on what's here that's needed, in an engine that supports the gameplay of Thief rather than hinders it, while adding rope arrows and swimming back in. I'd only recommend this one if you've gone through Thief 1-2 and can suffer to appreciate the sometimes very nice ambience and see the story through, but Thief 3 is a terrible technical achievement and truly the sibling of Deus Ex 2.
I had mixed feelings about this back in the day, mostly because it gets pretty bad IF you skip car setup, or do it wrong. I've never played a game where it makes this much difference. It's still an arcade racer so the options aren't complex, but it's the difference between flying past with excellent grip or float around like a wet soap. The racing is more akin to rallycross (and they would go full rally next in Screamer Rally). Opponents are not shy to ram you, so it can be frustrating but also makes for some awesome thrills as the AI can be fast and still mess up a lot, meaning you can be last out on the last lap and still win with a clean lap. It's still a looker in that retro way and the tracks are excellently designed. Only the draw distance is a little short but whatcha gonna do. As for bad points I'd single out the sound fx, especially crashing sounds are pretty horrible, but at least the landing sound after jumping is excellent. In no way a cheap cash-in sequel that's very different but also very, very good.
Screamer, Moto Racer and Pod are peak 90's racing that all hold up very well. Good design doesn't go out of style. The controls are tight and feel just right whether you play with keyboard (as I did back then) or controller (as I do now). Moto Racer works fine here but has some graphical glitches, so if you want it perfect there is a Steam guide that uses dgVoodoo to fix all of that, as well as raise the resolution.
Somehow the sequel never interested me much, even when it came out to all-around praise and despite the fact that DK1 is one of my all-time favourites. Now, I have played DK2 and while gameplay is very similar between them, DK1 just feels better to play and also benefits from being more free-form. As well as having stronger art direction, and I can't help thinking DK2 should've been more adventurous with its tilesets as it immediately lost identity there. This first Dungeon Keeper has that magic in it, the thing that cannot be replicated, which is obviously gonna be a problem for any sequel. DK2 is good, just.. you know, this right here, is IT.
First game is great all around - 5 stars. It's AitD2-3 where, really, they're only enjoyable with a walkthough. Partially for "puzzles" making no sense whatsoever. The other thing is these sluggish tank controls combined with much more unavoidable, and ranged, combat, often while trying to search the environment. AitD2-3 still have fantastic production values, Voice, music, these amazing painterly environments combined with flat-shaded polygons - love this look, even more so than with the original. Even in gameplay there is a lot of creativity, to be honest. They're just terrible to actually play unless you know exactly how it goes. But the atmosphere is there! Jack in the Dark that was between AitD1 and 2 is worth a mention as a neat little Christmas game. Don't miss that one.
The first PoE was fine, if a bit too rooted in past glories. That was ok though since that was the pitch. I also felt the story tried a bit too hard. The sequel here is the proper evolution of Infinity Engine-games as far as I'm concerned. More advanced engine, better UI and just overall smoother mechanics bringing everything up to speed. Less stereotypical world, going with a Caribbean fantasy, which doesn't actually mean pirates so much as native tribes and invading explorers and the like. Top notch atmosphere. I actually like a lot of the character writing more, since it seems less prone to prose and more natural, even though it does go overboard (huh, ok, I'll leave this pun in) into stupid here and there. It is true that the main story is tiny and in the background, but personally I prefer it. Makes for far better replayability since you can make the adventure quite different each time when there are less obligatory bits. I finished the game with a lot unfinished and instantly felt that I will play this with another crew. Lots of interesting quests in there, and it's not like many of them aren't connected to the main event even if they're not directly part of it. For replayability's sake, I just miss more companions. at least twice as many. The long sections of lore-heavy exposition were my least favourite part of the first PoE. Often it's more exciting to not know exactly everything about everything. The sequel thankfully cuts back a lot on that. I do, however, love the more numerous PnP-esque page flipping when it comes to world interactions. Nice change of pace, and the sparse sound effects really make actions in these sections stand out and feel exciting. Fits the whole exploration into the unknown so well, and that is what this game is really about. Great, great sequel that is not just more of the same.
Only played Mirror's Edge once back when, but held it in high regard ever since. Quite enjoyed the Time Trial addon years later. After this replay ME1 seems like a rough prototype. You're constantly running from automatic fire. Every. Single. Chapter. That gets old real fast. Especially if you look for secrets and have runner vision/HUD off or just want to explore a bit. The sequel's combat is far more thought through. Even better, it's enjoyable to avoid, since you can just shove your way through and lose everyone. More options all around. For anyone actually enjoying the parkouring, there's only snippets of it in ME1. Since moving IS the game, it's perfected in Catalyst. The haters are crazy. That game is amazing if it's traversing you want to be doing. That's old impressions for you. Mirror's Edge 1 is alright for the novelty, as it's still pretty unique. It's just less in every way compared to the sequel.
