I'm one of those crazy, out-of-control Steam sale compulsive buyers who vacuums up every game that's 75% off, even if it didn't seem like it would be up my alley. Here's an ever-growing list of old games I've been playing so far in 2012. Also, i've included a few paragraphs each with my thoughts on the game, and a score of X out of 5 stars (with half-stars, much to Ryan's chagrin).
Showing 1-5 of 5 items
An intense, atmospheric thrill ride packed to the gills with crazy set pieces, and dark, scary environments. The shooting was fantastic, with lots of variations of the main weapons for those who like to focus on min-maxing. My favorite part had to be the end, though. The final boss fight taking place in your head, followed by a fake-out credits sequence, was just one of the most satisfying endings i've seen in a while. Seriously, this game rocks. I didn't really like the multiplayer, but you could completely skip it and not feel any different about the game. (5/5)
This is the game made by the young, enthusiastic new Sonic Team after the disaster that was Sonic the Hedgehog 2006. While not genuinely good like Sonic Generations, there were a ton of great new concepts and ideas that came out of this one. I gotta say, this game really surprised me. With all of the hate for the Werehog, I expected this game to be horrible. I was almost SHOCKED that I was actually having FUN mashing buttons furiously to beat the shit out of monsters. Sure, the platforming sections were hindered by some questionable camera moments, and the combat did have some clunky aspects (no animation interrupts to better avoid attacks, for one), I still had a ton more fun with it. Of course, the real stars of this game are the "daytime" levels, where Sonic blasts through a combination of a race course, obstacle course, and platforming course, all while attempting to sustain the insane 300mph speeds and huge ring counts to score S ranks at the end. The game's new Hedgehog Engine really shines here, with amazing looking environments and an awesome sense of speed unmatched by any other game i've played. While I wouldn't recommend this game to non Sonic fans due to the rough edges (sometimes unfair level of difficulty, clunky combat, camera issues, bad story), this is still a much better game than the internet would have you believe. (3/5)
What an odd duck of a game. The possibilities of the rad Geomod 2.0 engine single-handedly prop up the otherwise uninspired missions, story, and shooting. Pulling out the game's special, modified hammer, which delivers 1000lbs of force through special internal machinery, serves up destruction in ways never seen before in a game. Systematically dismantle buildings by smashing away at the support pillars? Sign me up! (4/5)
As a game, it's got design flaws, bugs, and clunkiness in spades. The shooting is, in my opinion, the game's weakest part. As an EXPERIENCE, though? It's second to none. Here's a first person shooter where you can go in stretches of 10+ minutes without firing a single round. The oppressive, claustrophobic atmosphere (helped in large part by how the gas mask is rendered on-screen while you're wearing it), combined with legitimate moments of terror, successfully creates an immersive experience in a believable world. With it's realistic art direction inspired (from what it looks like) by some real environments, the games graphics are simply stunning on PC. While the characters aren't that interesting, the game's world, introduced through some cool background dialogue in the metro stations and other environmental storytelling, is absolutely engrossing. This game is an experience that shouldn't be missed, gameplay foibles be damned. (4.5/5).
I LOVE Crysis. Warhead reduces the wide-open maps, narrows the scope a bit to tighten up the action, yet still retains the great sense of freedom and power that the suit gives you. The most shocking thing about this game is how unbelievably good looking it is. This game came out almost 5 years ago, and games are STILL struggling to catch up to it. I really, really like this game overall. The only real criticisms I can leverage against it are the occasionally janky animations, and the no-nonsense storyline. What really matters in this type of game is how it plays, looks, and feels, and it excels in all three aspects. (4.5/5)