Like all of Piranha Bytes' games, ELEX lacks polish, but it excels in a few key areas that distinguishes it from other open world RPGs. Exploration and world design were always strong points of PB's games, but ELEX takes those concepts to new heights (literally) thanks to the jetpack. I've always appreciated the vertical level design of the original Gothic games (and Risen 1), but ELEX pushes that even farther thanks to the jetpack. While it doesn't allow you to fly across the map like Superman, it does enable you to reach areas that would otherwise be inaccessible. Exploring ELEX's hand crafted world is a lot of fun, and you are almost always rewarded with useful items, tidbits of lore and environmental storytelling, or just a scenic view. Combat is fine. It's not going to appeal to everyone, as even the melee combo system can be a bit unintuitive, but it's visceral, challenging, and rewards skill, which is more than what could be said for most games in this genre. I played as a Cleric, who in addition to having access to some of the best looking armor in the game, are able to learn some devastating 'magic' abilities, like the ability to open small black holes that pulls enemies in. I was less impressed by the plasma and laser guns, however. Like all of this developer's games, ELEX isn't going to appeal to everyone. It doesn't explain its systems very well, and in a game this punishing that can be an issue. But at its core ELEX is another immersive open world RPG by developer Piranha Bytes, and is quite possibly their best game since the incredible Gothic 2. The setting is refreshingly original, and it's clear a lot of thought was put into the world design and lore. It's fun, challenging, beautiful, and a bit janky.
...This is well worth it. Especially if you grab it during the many times it goes on sale. The Enhanced Edition itself has problems, like the occasional bug, but in my experience nothing game breaking. As of this writing Beamdog is still supporting the game with updates, but just know your mileage may vary when it comes to the "enhanced" edition. Thankfully, the original Diamond Edition is included here if you don't already own it. As for the actual content of the game, just know that the default campaigns are a mixed bag. The original "Official Campaign" plays more like a tech demo, and is completely skippable. Shadows of Undrentide is better than the OC, but still has issues with quality control. Hordes of the Underdark, however, is incredible, and well worth the price of admission. The only downside is that in being a high level campaign, it's a little awkward to start it with a fresh character, as it's technically a continuation of SoU. Still, it's well worth playing for fans of Bioware's Golden Age. NWN as a game has its issues; the lack of full party control can make large scale fights a chore when their AI acts up, but the implementation of the ruleset makes character progression very rewarding. It's not at the level of Baldur's Gate, but the amount of content at your finger tips - between the campaigns and user made content - makes NWN an easy recommendation for serious fans of RPGs.
I have to admit, when I first got this game at launch I absolutely hated it. In most ways it was a significant step down in quality from the first Risen. The pirate theme, while fun, completely retcons the world from before. Risen 1's melee combat was excellent, and one of PB's best, and yet for reasons I'll never understand they decided to ditch it in favor of this one, which feels uncomfortably close to Gothic 3's "who can stun lock their opponent first-system". But for all that the game has that unique charm that sets PB's games apart. The world isn't anywhere near as well designed as their past games, but it's pretty and filled with fun characters. There's some fun abilities as well, like being able to train your very own pet monkey to steal for you. Unfortunately, there are only two faction choices this time, with one having the clear advantage in weaponry. Also, Risen 1's creative magic system is replaced by voodoo, which doesn't fulfill half of its promise. Still, Risen 2 offers a fun pirate-themed RPG journey if you can look past its many faults. Your mileage may vary, but if you enjoy pirate settings there's a good chance you'll get at least some enjoyment from this one. Be sure to look up the "AntiWarp" mod which fixes the ugly "morphing" trees and bushes bug.
Yes, even on Windows 10! Like Oblivion, you will probably want to at least install the Unofficial Patch and the Fallout Stutter Remover if you’re getting inconsistent performance, but other than that GOG’s build works perfectly fine. Well, minus a CTD that happened while testing mods. Still, it works as advertised. At least on my rig... As for the game itself; it’s Bethesda’s take on the Fallout franchise, and while Fallout 3 is a controversial entry in the series (for good reason mind you), it’s still a very enjoyable game if you take it for what it is. Yes, the “3” in the title is problematic when you consider the games’s legacy, as it doesn’t really build on the lore in a way that’s very convincing or consistent. But that doesn’t prevent Fallout 3 from being fun. Really fun. It’s ridiculous at times, and some of the locations are pretty gimmicky, but that’s part of its charm. Fallout: New Vegas arguably provides a more authentic experience as a proper sequel, but if you ask me Fallout 3 has a more engaging post apocalyptic setting. The story itself isn’t the best in the series, and the black and white take on morality goes against the setting’s ethos, but Fallout 3 remains a good time even after all these years.
You would be forgiven for thinking Dusk is just another retro-themed indie FPS. Mistaken, but forgiven. After all, the low poly models, with bilinear texture filtering turned off by default, and the vaguely Quake-like atmosphere all give off the impression that this game is simply another Boomer shooter aimed for maximum nostalgia. But Dusk is so much more than that. For one, Dusk may very well have the best movement mechanics I've ever experienced in an FPS. Not only does it feel buttery smooth, but the amount of tricks it lets you pull off add up to an incredibly visceral (and fun) experience. I can't think of another FPS that allows you to perform backflips off of jump pads with duel wielding shotguns. The amount of player control is simply stunning, and it puts many AAA titles to shame in this regard. When combined with the excellent weapon variety, top notch level design (with secrets galore), and incredible soundtrack, Dusk becomes much more than another 'retro' shooter. Essential for any FPS fan.
...and with a little tool called dgVoodoo 2 I even got 3D Acceleration working, making textures appear much smoother. The game still requires a bit of fiddling to get it feeling ‘just right’, but the fact that we have a working version of Jedi Knight for modern OSs is something of a miracle considering this game’s notoriously finicky nature. As for the game itself, it’s both a classic FPS, and a classic Star Wars game. The developers simply nailed the Star Wars atmosphere, which permeates every inch of this game. The visuals are of course very dated, but the low poly models have a charm to them, and sometimes look like Picasso’s take on the setting. The sound and music are simply lifted from the films, but along with the excellent voice acting help elevate the game’s presentation. The FMV videos are campy, fun, and drive the narrative. The story won’t win any awards, but it’s entertaining in that classic Star Wars vein and aides in immersion. The shooting mechanics don’t feel as smooth as say Doom or Blood, but they get the job done. Spicing things up are the inclusion of the lightsaber and force powers, and I had a lot of fun zooming around the huge levels with Force Speed. Speaking of which, the real standout here is the level design. The levels aren’t as labyrinthian as those in Dark Forces, and they’re a bit more linear, but both of changes are for the better in my opinion. The levels still offer a lot of hard to reach secrets, and you’re incentivized to find them to increase your force powers. The sense of scale in the levels is fantastic, with most having tons of verticality. This is simply a must play for Star Wars fans, and even just old school shooter fans in general. Just know that it may take a bit of tinkering to work properly.
At last, a proper modernized version of Blood is finally here! While there has been a number of noble attempts from fans to recreate this classic FPS, all have been a little rough around the edges, and not quite able to capture the feel of the original. Blood: Fresh Supply is here to rectify that, and it does so beautifully, making it arguably the definitive way to play and enjoy the game today. For those not familiar with this gem... (Build)ing off of Duke 3D's success, Blood took the genre to ridiculously over-the-too heights, and remains virtually unparalleled with respect to weapon variety and level design. Despite appearances, Blood is so much more than a horror-themed 'Doom clone'. Sure, it makes numerous references to classic horror films (The Shining, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Rosemary's Baby to name a few), but it draws the essence of its forbears and distills it into a unique experience that is both hilarious and thrilling. Put simply, this is the Evil Dead II in video game form! You'll be chucking a stick of dynamite into a mob of zombies one moment to duel-wielding Tommy guns in a room full of Pig Latin spewing cultists the next. You'll laugh like a maniac as you do so. And then you'll die. A lot. If there's an FPS with a more unique weapon roster, I haven't played it. The only two standards here are your trusty double barreled shotgun, and the aforementioned Tommy Gun. Everything else is either designed to explode enemies at the seams or immolate them on contact (like the Flare gun, replacing the standard pistol). Combined with the often devastating alt-fire modes, you have a plethora of options in which to dispatch your foes. The enemies are varied and require different strategies to properly dispatch, and the level design is ridiculously creative at times. Some of my favorites include a haunted mansion and a speeding train. Hell, even the obligatory sewer level is topnotch from a design perspective. In short, "this promises to be fun!"
Metro 2033 (and its sequel, Last Light) has many design elements that I typically don't care for in modern FPS titles; extremely linear level design, quick time events, 'forced' stealth, and checkpoints (more on that later). Then I realized that this game can only be called a FPS in the most superficial sense. Sure, you'll be shooting enemies in first person, but at its heart Metro 2033 is a story-heavy survival horror game, and when you accept that fact and go along for the ride you're in for a spooky good time. With its superb visuals (even by 2018 standards) and fantastic lighting, Metro 2033 Redux offers a deeply atmospheric and immersive experience. Rather than detract from the gameplay, the linearity here is used to good effect, similar to Half Life in fact. At times the 'on rails' design made me think of a ride like Pirates of the Caribbean, where you know you're not in control of the experience, but can't help but be immersed in the setting and attention to detail. While the guns feel meaty, and the stealth is satisfying (if a bit simple), the main draw of these games are the story and setting, and they should be played in order for maximum impact. The only truly significant design flaw is the checkpoint save system, which can screw you over if you aren't careful. Still, this is a must-play title for gamers looking for a post-apocalyptic experience outside of Fallout.
I grew up with Wolfenstein, Doom and some of the Build engine games, but somehow Quake eluded me all these years. A colossal mistake! Unlike Steam's version, GOG has included the soundtrack, but you will have to do a bit of leg work to get it running properly (search the forums, or YouTube). I used the source port QuakeSpasm for a more vanilla experience, and it runs beautifully. By default it has texture filtering enabled (similar to GLQuake) which in my opinion takes away some of the atmosphere-enhancing grime, but you can remove that by pulling up the console (~) and entering the commands "gl_texturemode 3" and "r_particles 2". Voila! By now Quake's reputation is of course legendary in the gaming world, but what surprised me was just how buttery smooth the gameplay is even by contemporary standards (even after 20 years of existence). It follows the classic id model of FPS design, with abstract level layouts and key-hunting; though compared to Doom, the maps in general are smaller and easier to navigate. The weapons all feel meaty and powerful, and offer a variety of methods for dispatching foes. Figuring out which weapons work best against which enemy types is key to survival in Quake. What seperates Quake from Doom and many FPS games since is its dark, brooding atmosphere. Stylistically Quake is a surreal mixture of Gothic horror, sci-fi, and fantasy (and a dash of H.P. Lovecraft). This aesthetic is enhanced tenfold by Trent Reznor's timeless soundtrack, which always seems to lurk menacingly in the background, promising untold horror upon the player. It's simply amazing! The monster design compliments this further, though I didn't find them as iconic as those found in Doom. Once you're done with the main campaign, included with this bundle are the two official mission packs (they're sold separately on Steam), which are required for some mods. All told, Quake is essential for any serious FPS fan. Get it. Play with your preferred source port. Enjoy!
It hurts me to say it, especially as a fan of the first two games, but Gothic 3 has little substance underneath its rather tempting exterior. The world PB crafted here is undeniably beautiful and epic in scope, featuring three distinct environmental regions, and with secrets seemingly around every corner, but all that promise withers very quickly. The story starts off promisingly enough, picking up where the second game ended, but things take a sour turn almost immediately by introducing players to one of the worst combat systems ever featured in an action RPG. Gothic 1 and 2 were notorious for their clunky controls, but they were designed in such a way to make players feel like nobodies in a dangerous, foreign world, and ultimately it was a brilliant system that rewarded skill and patience. Gothic 3's combat is simply a stun-lock race, with weapons having little weight behind them when used. Unlike previous games, the overworld of Gothic 3 is filled with tedious and unimaginative quests (many of which are basic fetch quests). The more interesting quests involve town liberation, but they too suffer from repetition and a feeling of grind as opposed to meaningful progression. This would have been more tolerable if PB delivered on the story and atmosphere... however, the simple truth is that Gothic 3 stumbles here too. The music is beautiful, but it lacks the air of mystique and dread from the first two titles, and the voice acting, while competent enough, lacks... character? The Nameless Hero especially sounds like a completely different character here, and many of the familiar faces also sound off. The storyline, meanwhile, is absent for much of the game. I wanted to love Gothic 3. Unfortunately, after many frustrating hours I had come to the realization that this wasn't a true Gothic game, and even as its own game it falls flat much of the time. Even the Community Patch-which is an amazing effort- can't undo the bad writing, and poor game engine.
