I generally really enjoyed this, some good levels and while yes enemies acn be a pretty good shot, you get used to the need to take cover and scan your environment. You also need to get used to going back and forth through levels to accomplish all you need to, which once you realise taht it becomes easier. some enemies are only defeatable in certain ways or with certain weapons which is important to note so you're not banging your head against a brick wall. overall it's a game that tries to make you think as well as shoot - I'd ceratainly recommend it. Gameplay-wise it reminded me a bit of Soldier of Fortune 2 (one of my favourite games btw) although i think the graphics are a little better and it's less linear. I'd wish it would let you keep all your weapons but it's not as bad as some - you can three main weapons (as well as a knife) - sniper rifle, pistol/smg and assault rifle/heavy weapon. plus four types of grenade :)
I first played this many years ago and wasn't sure i wanted to play it again - I remembered it as a long game with dated graphics which while engrossing was maybe a 'play once only' experiemnce. However, having recently played and enjoyed 'Mankind Divided' and 'Human Revolutions' - and really enjoyed them - i thought i'd like to go back to it. I used the GMDX mod which updates the graphics and experience while, according to those who know, replicating the original experience of the game. It certainly improves the textures and detail while admittedly not totally dispelling the grey-green shadows i remember from the original Tihs is particularly noticeable in the early parts of the game in New York which to be honest i found a bit slow at first and lacking in atmosphere. this is partly because i tend to turn off game music and there aren't many ambient sounds in this game compared to System Shock 2, which was made at a similar time. So unusually for me i did use the game music to add atmosphere and must admit some of it is very good, some of the Hong Kong music for example the story picks up and once you start to gain weapons and skills the combat improves and there are always multiple ways to achieve objectives the final set of choices you are given are well-presented and it's all cleverly done to leave you with a final decision to make. I would very much recommend this to anyone who likes FPS/RPG I would also recommend you keep the GEP gun when you get it - you need it!
The best thing about this game is how engrossing but also how unsettling it is, it creates a real tension, using twisting turning corridors (although it’s far from being linear) and some great atmospheric sounds which really give you the creeps. To get the best effect, a strong tip is to TURN OFF THE GAME MUSIC and just have the ambient sounds, it’s the way the game should be played IMO The game really makes you think, as well needing to be quick with reactions – as you make your way through the big spaceship the previous decks are still open and you sometimes have to return to them but they're never fully cleared and every time you open a door you don’t know what’s on the other side TIPS on playing the first time (no spoilers) DEFINITELY play on ‘Normal’, pick ‘navy’ and give yourself extra shooting, strength and hacking skills in training Then focus on upgrading stats (STR, END, CYB), tech (Hack) and weapons (get to full Energy and Standard, plus some Heavy). Unless you play as Psy, only get basic psy ability plus the skill to pull things towards you The best weapons are: assault rifle, EMP rifle (great for droids, cyborgs), grenade launcher and keep a wrench / energy rapier. You don’t need ‘exotic’ weapons, though on repeat playthrough they'll give a new experience. And the upgrade ability to see the full map of a new deck straight away is very useful So, on the mods, I used: SS2 Tool Jock's no spiders mod (essential for arachnophobes!) Texture update Four hundred texture update Vurt’s hi-res space scapes Enemy models Weapons designs Neq quest notifier Also I removed weapons degradation, personally I think having weapons degrade after just a few uses isn’t realistic Lastly switch off your lights and play in the dark - enjoy!
I just played this. I realyl enjoyed it - a good linear FPS with good graphics and a nice feel to the game, with some interesting weapons, skills and enemies. my only issues were, firstly, my usual dislike of checkpoints which means i end upplaying at an easier skill level than i otherwise would. secondly, the limitation of only two weapons being carried which meant i stuck with the assault rifle and shotgun the whole time and rarely got to use the other weapons - I had to just use the others occassionally when they provided them at opportune moments. it was also annoying when i picked another weapon temporarily and then got carried away by a moving platform and didn't get to find another assault rifle for quite some time, causing real problems Thirdly, the weapon changing, which i found really fiddly - the TMD device isn't in one of your weapons slots but it switches away from your weapon when used - plus the mousewheel didn't work well for changing weapons - trying to switch quickly to one or other of my weapons often left me with the wrong thing in the wrong situation when i had multiple enemies closing in. this meant i didn't enjoy the more intense combat siuations as much as i otherwise would. overall though it is well worth playing and i'm sure i'll reply at some point in the future.
just played this agin, having played it many years ago thanks to great game design, good playability and some really unique features it still feels great to play the fact that it's set inside a computer system means they can get away with stylised electronic graphics - the face animations still hold up and once you get the hang of how the whole thing works it's great fun. each level has a fairly unique design and as you progress the scenery gets more and more impressive i got to the end wishing there was more which was saying something - very much recommended
So pleased to see this now available on GOG. I had the original game on disks, then CDs and am so looking forward to playing it again. I remember when playing it last about 15 years ago, afterwards i was going to work in the city on a rainy day and it felt like i was still in the game. It's so well constructed and characterised, and a worthy game for one of the greatest films ever made. I'm really pleased to see from all the comments how so many other people loved the game as much as i did. and i even thought the shooting mecahnic was ok :) Christmas has come early!
I can only add my vote to those that say this is a brilliant game. Any fan of the spaghetti westerns will relish the chance to star in your very own adventure, with all the guns you'd like - they've even squeezed a sniper weapon in, with a scope for your rifle - and there are THREE shotguns (although the best is actually the first one you get) You do have to be strategic and ready for enemies around every corner but there's still scope for a bit of run-and-gun and it's great fun running into a room and guning evryone down before they get you - if you manage it :-) I played it on the hardest setting ('Ugly') and while it was tough at times it is doable - although some of the historical missions are very hard at the beginning at that level, with many enemies and little ammo As many have mentioned the soundtrack is superb - it's the only time i've kept the music on through a game, because it's just the perfect accompaniament The graphics are old, yes, but they're good enough, especially for the 'rough' setting of the old West, with its crumbling buildings etc enemy AI is occasionally a litte dumb but it's also often pretty damn smart, with enemies ducking and hiding around corners there are puzzles but if you keep your eyes open and think through the potential uses of the items you pick up, they're all logical enough - there's nothing really annoying here overall it's just great fun and one of the best shooters i've ever played you also really get your money's worth with a good-length core SP mission plus a fistful of other SP missions so git on yer hoss, and ride into the GOG store...
I'm not sure why it took me so long to get hold of this, but when I played it I really loved it. Definitely one of those games which is mostly very fun although occasionally infuriating when you hit a difficult bit. The weapons are on the whole very satisfying although I’d like to have had the ability to alter the order they came up in - for example, for slot 4 the minigun comes up first, but with the minigun's slow warm-up and faster ammo use, I’d prefer the tommygun for tight situations. People are absolutely right to say you need to be fairly tactical, as in the big fights you need to work out how you’re gonna take on each wave. Fortunately there’s no checkpoint-saving rubbish – you can quicksave and ‘hardsave’ whenever you want. I played on the ‘hard’ setting and this was ok for most of the time, though I did have to improvise at times – I discovered if you could get yourself knocked up onto a wall buy a bull, or rocketjump up there, it was a great help. But for the last couple of levels I admit I used cheats a bit – it was just too intense. The final bossfight is predictably rubbish, but overall the Egyptian setting made it a really attractive game, with enough variety in the enemies (though I’d have settled for less variety if it meant no skeletoids and suicide bombers…) and weapons to keep the interest. A good price on here so go for it.
I'm surprised at some of teh 'generic' descriptions here - to me this game has some really unique aspects. Not just the timeshift device which , while something of a gimmick, can be real fun - not least when you're able to take a gun out of an enemy's hands by stopping time and grabbing it! I also like the steampunk feel to it. which i understand was at one point due to be more pronounced, but the airships and general tech still have that feel The graphics are pretty good and the game fairly atmospheric. The guns have a good feel and overall it's a game i really enjoyed. I admit it feels a little like thyour character should have the chnce to imteract with others a bit more, but i can't fault it apart from that. It's a welcome addition to the collection of any FPS fan and I'm very glad to see it on GOG.
To start, I want to say totally i agree with what Haravikk's review says ('Good, but Spoiled by its Ending') so do read that too. There's a lot to like about this game, as it gives us more original Trek and it's fun to take part in it. It also has the original Star Trek ethos. The actors are noticeably older in terms of their voices than their 60s characters, but it still works and great to have them doing it. All the original sound effects are used, but the music is fairly cheesy electronic music - not sure why because if they could have vocal track i can't see why they couldn't; have the music unless it was copyright thing... The things you have to do to solve puzzles are more logical than most games. But there's one that's to do with mixing chemicals that I couldn't get my head around at all. It does help that you get the Cluebook which is in the shape of a story that gives you the answers to puzzles in its narrative - a great idea which more of these game should use. The missions start short but get longer (With Feathered Serpent being my favourite) but as Harravik says, presumably because it was an added-on extended version of the original mission, the last episode, 'Vengeance' is very tricky to get right and despite being, as he says, what should be the best level in terms of drama and the setting it's spoilt by this. One other thing that started happening towards the end of the previous mission was that dialogue messages began being interrupted, annoying because there are ones where you're being told something important and in many cases those are the ones you can't make reappear. And because Vengeance isn't the version covered in the clue book it's not there either... I can't find them stored in a record log anywhere, which is annoying, not least as you're missing dialogue spoken by the original cast... This might read a bit negative, but overall i am very glad i got it and played it, and for the price, it will amuse any fan of the original Star Trek series who doesn't mind old graphics. Just be warned the last mission is difficult for all the wrong reasons...
