Super slow with DirectX, super fast with OpenGL, Linux version does not launch in full-screen mode, tiny 800x600 resolution... just not worth it.
When this video game came with our new PC in late 90's, I was very impressed. A first-person shooter and real-time strategy hybrid with good-looking visuals, effects, mechanics and gameplay. I've been wondering how could this game became so long-forgotten. The game itself is the same as in 1998, but the visuals have been improved. You play in first-person point of view just like in shooter games, but you also build bases, gather resources and command units just like in many real-time strategy games. Instead of bird-eye view, you have a part of the fast-paced action and it all happens in real-time. Sounds like a complex hybrid, but it still works very well. The game gives a good impression how to drive hover tanks and other scifi vechiles. The UI serves it purpose very well and the game levels have their own look and the good atmosphere. If something should have been improved besides the graphics then it's enemy and ally AI, ammo and repair economy and also the missions with endless enemy waves. Also the better control configuration would have been very welcome in this redux version of the game. At least the problems are not that serious and the gaming experience is highly positive.
An old-scool first-person dungeon crawler RPG with a clear focus: survive in a harsh and atmospheric enviroment with challenging puzzels, traps and monsters. The game has no unneccessary things like quests, journals, shopkeepers or grinding, only the main important elements. The game looks and works impressive when come to think about the fact that it has made only four people. The real-time system of the game works very well but sometimes it feels bit too fast-paced. When you release a movement button after a step, the party still takes another step further. In combat it's best to avoid getting hit so you end up move wildy around the enemy if there is any room for that. The combat sytem is clear and simple, but it forces eyes to be focused on bottom right of the screen. The runic spell castig system is nice but I didn't like how the spells have level requirements thus preventing you to cast them when you have not spent skill points wisely. The overall game experience is straightforward without any hand-holding. I liked the character development system of the game, unlike D&D system with stupid equipment restrictions. I had couple of good playthroughs with different party setups. I recommend.
2D Batman Arhkam Asylum with Samurai Jack visual style. A solid stealth game and 2D platformer hybrid, and it works very well. I really did not pay much attention to the story, but the main focus of the game is in the fluent gameplay, good level design and in clear stealth system like it should be. The gameplay mechanics works fluently though it has some minor issues. The aerial control while jumping is limited, knee-high slopes on floor stop your moving and grapping a dead body near a hiding place is frustrating. And the checkpoint based save game system may cause losing a big part of game progress when game over. Overall, I liked playing this and it has good amount replay value with New Game+ with different ninja costumes.
I have played Baldur's Gate 2 before this and thus it was not a big deal to start gaming with this one. A quite same kind of RPG focusing more on tactical combat and having less dialogues, characters, items, exploration, changed spells (I didn't like) and story. The story itself is really not so interesting compared to BG2 but I guess it's suitable for this sort of a straightforward dungeon crawler. The game itself works flawlessly having no bugs or crashes. The game is set mostly to different dungeons which might sound tendious at first. At least the dungeon design is varied having visually pleasing style and atmosphere but some of them have too complex layout. This complexity is too much fot the pathfinding system: too much walking around and characters may get stuck each other – especially when trying to move to a new area. There's one big flaw: when you make changes in Options menu and relaunch the game, all the settings you have made are gone. Thus you need to do your settings EVERY time you launch the game. Still I have spend hours with this game having few playthrough with different 4-man party setups.
I have played MDK2 first before this prequel and I don't understand why this game is so praised. It might have been impressive back then, but nowadays it has it's flaws, and many of them. Because the default keybard layout is messy, it took a long time for me to adjust the controls so I could get along with it. The game has ZERO information of saving system with F2 which is not acceptable at all. There are some platforming scenes which requires Kurt to reach platforms too far away from each other. It's just impossible to reach those platforms by gliding because Kurt lose altitude way too fast with his parachute. Yes, with the sniper scope you can shoot distant enemies, but you cannot tell do you actually hit your targets, do you cause any damage and how much. There's a health bar for enemies which is not displayed while in sniper mode for some reason? Besides, all enemies look pretty much the same having nothing personality or such. But the worst thing is there is NO story at all. No intro, no character introductions (without MDK2 I wouldn't even know character names...), no storytelling, no dialogue, no epilogue... just nothing. Just a series of running and shooting sequences and then the game just ends like that. So unsatifying and thus weak replay value. At least the game has it's own unique visual style, huge seamless levels, absurb moments and some funny suprises. But I still prefer MDK2 over this one anytime.
An entertaining and a fast-paced top down shooter game. The game is very clear: shoot enemies, pick up guns and power-ups and gain perks. Enemy design is not so creative, but does it really matter in this kind of game? The game screen can be filled with tons of enemies, but even still the game doesn’t even slow down or lag. There are huge amounts of different guns, but some of them are not that useful at all compared to other guns. The game is at its best in survival game mode in which has clear progression and intensity. The other mode, quests mode, is not that great and it’s just an excuse to unlock new perks and guns for survival mode. After all, Crimsonland is very entertaining for short gaming sessions.
An atmospheric first person dungeon crawler role playing game with main focus on exploration, puzzle solving and simple crafting. I actually like the concept, but there are still some things I didn't like so much. The story is generic nonsense and very linear. Character development system is simplistic and not interesting. There’s almost only one play style to play the game. Almost the only right way is as a warrior with some spell casting abilities which is quite limiting as a RPG. There are lots of things and stuff you can interact with which I liked, but it still feels like there could be even more. Crafting with drag and drop system is very handy without too much menus and such. The combat system is okay, but it could’ve been even better. In combat there’s nothing else to do than just swinging your weapon and that’s it. Fortunately, there are not too much fighting like in other RPGs. Spellcasting system is interesting, but way the system recognize gestures are bit too fiddly. Spellcasting is difficult in the heat of a battle, but at least there’s a way to make quick spells. The biggest problem is the game design. It’s not always clear where you’re supposed to go and what you’re supposed to do. There’s a journal, but the way it gives necessary information is poor. There’s also a chance you get stuck so badly you cannot complete the game, like losing an important quest item. It feels like there would’ve been much more potential to be a better RPG but the potential is almost wasted in some ways. After all, the game is playable and I had good moments with it. The gaming experience has been mostly positive.
