I already had a review on this game on this exact website. However, it is gone. Anyway, to keep it somewhat short... I see this as a sim. And back when it just came out, it was amazing. The realism is something i still see as realistic. Even in your tiger tank, you have to tread carefully if you want to live. The graphics are dated today, but if you feel like immersing yourself into a ww2 tank crew then you will probably like it still. The only big complaint i have on this game after all these years is aiming the main gun. And not because it is hard, but because it's ridiculously easy. Once i figured out that the machinegun. has the same aiming point as the main cannon, i laid waste to enemy tanks. Once i spotted them first of course ;-)
Yes i am also one of these "old" guys that played diablo back in the day. Although i never played the addon. Having clocked a little over 4 hours again, i've come to recognize things and also not recognize things. What i distinctly remember is the atmosphere and this takes me right back and it does not feel dated at all. Now that does not mean the graphics are top notch nowadays. I am just talking about the whole concept, which feels incredible still. The game has a less colorful scheme and that adds to the theme very well. Sounds hold up really well, those cries in the distance, the music that complements it all. The game gives me a higher scare factor than diablo 2 which i also played an insane amount of time. Good loot is not so easily found, items are limited compared to diablo 2. Yet it fits the game and time period. Things that would not be accepted today i think are the non-auto attack, not being able to run etc. For me this feels like coming home so im fine with that. Maybe a new player will not be entertained. The game can be absolutely ruthless for someone new. I also vividly remember not to get swarmed and often use the doorways to force the enemies through one by one. Some missions/quests i can't remember, like Gharbad the weak, or the one where i had to find the banner. This strikes me as odd and i'm really surprised by it all. And where was Leoric? All in all, i really like replaying this game so many years later. I am looking forward to the addon which is new to me.
Back in the day this game was quite a stunner. It combines great actionplay with a scary detail. I remember playing this at night, in the dark and it really got to me. Multiplayer was another fun factor, in fact i value this more than playing the storyline. Going out there with other virtual marines and fight against aliens and predators was always a slaughterhouse. It was quite ok to even shoot your fellow marine, as long as you killed the alien that was on top of him! Got this game on gog on a discount, i wouldn't pay too much for it anymore, but at 1,49 eu im pretty ok with it. I even have the original game here in my basement.
Looks great and sounds great. I have played this game many times. There is however one big thing that keeps me away from it, the AI. I like playing a single map against the AI, I never play the campaign. When starting a single map, the AI always knows your stats. This means that the AI will attack you when it knows your military strength is low. Once you reach a point where the AI thinks you are strong, it will stop attacking you. For me there is no challenge in this game anymore. Once I figured out how to quickly gather resources and power, the AI not even attempts intelligent tactics, it just stops. Maybe there are mods out there that can improve this, I don't know. It is such a shame for me, I love the building and expanding part of this game, but the fighting is a serious letdown. 3 out of 5 stars for me.
Both single and multi player are on my resume. This game is classic. Graphics are a bit dated now, but the cocky humor from Duke still makes up for a lot. The settings are great, the violence is priceless.
Don't trust anyone. The other races make great promises, but they will stab you in the back when they feel like it. It's a game where you will always lose a lot, wether you like it or not. Deal with it and get going. Oh, and if you think you have a nice asteroid, packed with missiles and space craft, ready to use it against your enemy? Be prepared to lose it in a glorious style by either enemy agents or enemy attack. Same goes for your asteroid that holds all your precious ore. Decentralize is key to winning the day. Money may be some issue in the beginning, but eventually (if you do it well) you will have loads of money. I hardly sell ore, i make loads of housing blocks because inhabitants will create income. That is always my main priority, get loads of asteroids and designate them as living space. As soon as you make money, hire managers to keep those living spaces under control. Then i will have a few "military" asteroids that i will manage myself. I will use these as mobile battlestations, roaming around the map and destroying anything in my path.
