Is there anything I can say about this game that others haven't? Aside from a few times where the camera gets in the way, I have no problems with this game, at all. The story and characters are great and well-developed, the combat a blast, level design beautiful, and probably has the most entertaining and satisfying platforming I've ever played, platforming that probably still influences the genre to this day. If you haven't played SoT, you're denying yourself one of the greatest gaming experiences ever made.
This is truly one of the most innovative games I've played yet: a TPS/RTS game? Why hasn't anyone else done this!? And that would be enough for the game to stand out, but it stands out in a ton of other areas as well. Most of all, the story. While pretty short, it is quite varied, as you have three campaigns from three different races that give you a completely different play style, and best of all, it's a very funny and quirky romp. Some of the flaws comes from the conflict between shooter and strategy play styles. You'll often find yourself fighting alone and trying to hop around the entire map with many different objectives, and without the ability to quickly zoom into troubled spots, it can be quite an annoying hassle to manage your base. Also, while the friendly AI is decent, the enemy AI is VERY thick most of the time. Multiplayer is also uncertain. With so few people playing it, I can't seem to find any matches to join. Too bad this type of genre was never given another chance; another game might have been able to iron these flaws out :(
As someone who hasn't played many stealth games, I can safely say this is a pretty good choice for a newcomer to the genre. It's very well paced with absolutely fantastic level design, challenging but reasonable difficulty, and one that rewards outside-the-box thinking for problem solving. It's still not perfect though, and I do have some grips. I wish there were hand-to-hand combat options for dealing with guards that get close to you, without having to fire off guns and blow your cover. Also, I felt enemies that get knocked out should actually STAY knocked out. Using chloroform or a gun butt to the head just knocks them to the ground for a few seconds, but doesn't actually neutralize the threat. Enemies also spot you way too easily, even while in disguise, so sneaking past them can be very trial-and-error. For the most part these problems are pretty forgivable though, so I'd definitely say buy it.
I tried to play another RTS game besides Starcraft, but this just didn't do it for me. You ironically have too many choices for camera control, making it very confusing and difficult to place in the ideal position. The infantry units in this game are way OP, able to take way too much damage before dying, even from enemies like heavy tanks. I can't count the number of times I lost half my units to rocket infantry that appeared out of nowhere. The AI is hair-tearing frustrating, with the navigation some of the worst I've seen. Trying to move a squad through a narrow space is like trying to move a herd of cats through it. A good story might have been able to carry me through these annoying quips, but the story's uninteresting to say the least.
If you're looking for a solid, action-packed FPS, this is most definitely your game. All the weapons are fun and satisfying, there's enough enemy variety to keep things interesting, and Duke's irreverent one-liners will definitely put a smile on your face. Some of the controls aren't too great though, especially the aiming. You can't aim up or down, for instance, and while there is an auto-lock system to compensate for this, it isn't perfect, and when enemies are shooting at you from right above your head, trying to target them can lead to many frustrating deaths. But if you go in with the right mindset, expecting a fun and challenging FPS with great level design and nothing more, you'll have an absolute blast.
