DontiSC
a promising and fresh return to form for the first 25 minutes until it becomes an 8 hour linear haunted house walkabout that wows with unskippable cinematics, three enemy types, and an aesthetic built entirely around the most tiresome and eye rolling of mid 2000's western horror film tropes all while offering zero replay value (madhouse difficulty is an exercise in patience)
wasted potential
wasted potential
2010
Bioshock 2 is better than the first in pretty much every aspect, even down to the story in my opinion.
Starting with the story, in the first game the main(ish) antagonist was Andrew Ryan, the man behind Rapture. Without doing an entire recap, Ryan is essentially a king gone mad which you witness in throughout the game, and his ideals are less convincing and more outwardly controlling and power hungry. In the end, it turns out you've been being played by Ryan's rival Frank Fontaine, who wants full control of Rapture - no idealistic angle involved, just greed and power. I found 2's story to be far more interesting as the main antagonist is once again, someone with very strong ideals by the name of Sophia Lamb. She stands in direct contrast to Ryan, and interacts with/comments on him in multiple audio logs, which already makes her a more interesting rival to Ryan as rather than just wanting control of Rapture, she also has ideals to back it up instead of just being 'greedy bad guy'. There are multiple audio logs of debates between Lamb and Ryan, and plenty of times in audio logs and direct contact where Lamb will bring Ryan's ideals up to break them down and explain her own. Having this battle of ideals is infinitely more interesting than one person having the extreme ideals and the other just wanting power. The story this time around is a lot less confusing and doesn't have any (highly overrated) twists, making for what I found to be a more consistent and enjoyable narrative. The only real downside is similar to what I thought of Ryan in the first game, the antagonist, in this case Lamb, once again touts her ideals in the most on the nose and comically evil way possible. Nothing will have you thinking about her side of things, just like in the first game, which is as disappointing as last time.
As far as story moments go, I thought this one had some more interesting ones as well. Having the choice to spare or kill each follower of Lamb was very interesting, and seeing what became of Gil Alexander is pretty grotesque (though the kill/spare option with him is the one time it feels unfitting). There is also a small audio log based subplot with a guy named Mark Meltzer which has a pretty impactful ending. The moment toward the end where you get to control a Little Sister for a small section also manages to me more interesting than you'd imagine it being as you get to see the world through their eyes for the first time, and Sinclair, your likable ally throughout the game, has a very unfortunate fate which also makes for a sad moment.
Gameplay-wise everything has been improved across the board. Plasmids are held in the left had constantly, so no awkward switching to and from Plasmids/Weapons, and upgrading them has cooler effects. Changing ammo types no longer results in a full reload having to be done. Passive tonics are no longer categorized and the tonics here feel a bit more useful. Hacking is simpler, less clunky and more enjoyable as mini-games compared to the first game. The Circus of Values clown doesn't laugh at you anymore. Seriously everything has been upgraded here and its really nice especially after having just played the first game. Combat in general just feels meatier and more visceral, even while maintain pretty much the same lineup of weapons as the first, just visually changed, and the three years between this game and the first means Rapture is now even nicer looking, and more fun to explore as a result. The new Big Sister enemies are the most notable enemy addition, with fights against them always being more frantic than those with Big Daddies. They come after you rescue/harvest a Little Sister, who have also been changed in this game, as you can now 'adopt' them to have them collect additional Adam for you, which results in you having to fend Splicers off as she collects. Alternatively, you can rescue/harvest them immediately, forfeiting the extra Adam but avoiding the fighting that comes with gathering more. The only way this game really falters a bit is in continuing the linearity of the first game. While I don't mind single player FPS games like Half-Life, the BioShock games are offspring of the immersive sims of System Shock 1 and 2, and the looting, plasmid choosing and weapon upgrading all felt like teasing us with how the game could have played were it more open like its inspirations, but regardless this is a personal thing for me.
All in all this is a very solid game, and one that does its job better than the first. While I believe BioShock 1's twist and introduction to the city of Rapture to be the reason its still so heralded, its really disappointing to see this sequel which is superior in many ways get pushed off to the wayside a bit by comparison.
Starting with the story, in the first game the main(ish) antagonist was Andrew Ryan, the man behind Rapture. Without doing an entire recap, Ryan is essentially a king gone mad which you witness in throughout the game, and his ideals are less convincing and more outwardly controlling and power hungry. In the end, it turns out you've been being played by Ryan's rival Frank Fontaine, who wants full control of Rapture - no idealistic angle involved, just greed and power. I found 2's story to be far more interesting as the main antagonist is once again, someone with very strong ideals by the name of Sophia Lamb. She stands in direct contrast to Ryan, and interacts with/comments on him in multiple audio logs, which already makes her a more interesting rival to Ryan as rather than just wanting control of Rapture, she also has ideals to back it up instead of just being 'greedy bad guy'. There are multiple audio logs of debates between Lamb and Ryan, and plenty of times in audio logs and direct contact where Lamb will bring Ryan's ideals up to break them down and explain her own. Having this battle of ideals is infinitely more interesting than one person having the extreme ideals and the other just wanting power. The story this time around is a lot less confusing and doesn't have any (highly overrated) twists, making for what I found to be a more consistent and enjoyable narrative. The only real downside is similar to what I thought of Ryan in the first game, the antagonist, in this case Lamb, once again touts her ideals in the most on the nose and comically evil way possible. Nothing will have you thinking about her side of things, just like in the first game, which is as disappointing as last time.
As far as story moments go, I thought this one had some more interesting ones as well. Having the choice to spare or kill each follower of Lamb was very interesting, and seeing what became of Gil Alexander is pretty grotesque (though the kill/spare option with him is the one time it feels unfitting). There is also a small audio log based subplot with a guy named Mark Meltzer which has a pretty impactful ending. The moment toward the end where you get to control a Little Sister for a small section also manages to me more interesting than you'd imagine it being as you get to see the world through their eyes for the first time, and Sinclair, your likable ally throughout the game, has a very unfortunate fate which also makes for a sad moment.
Gameplay-wise everything has been improved across the board. Plasmids are held in the left had constantly, so no awkward switching to and from Plasmids/Weapons, and upgrading them has cooler effects. Changing ammo types no longer results in a full reload having to be done. Passive tonics are no longer categorized and the tonics here feel a bit more useful. Hacking is simpler, less clunky and more enjoyable as mini-games compared to the first game. The Circus of Values clown doesn't laugh at you anymore. Seriously everything has been upgraded here and its really nice especially after having just played the first game. Combat in general just feels meatier and more visceral, even while maintain pretty much the same lineup of weapons as the first, just visually changed, and the three years between this game and the first means Rapture is now even nicer looking, and more fun to explore as a result. The new Big Sister enemies are the most notable enemy addition, with fights against them always being more frantic than those with Big Daddies. They come after you rescue/harvest a Little Sister, who have also been changed in this game, as you can now 'adopt' them to have them collect additional Adam for you, which results in you having to fend Splicers off as she collects. Alternatively, you can rescue/harvest them immediately, forfeiting the extra Adam but avoiding the fighting that comes with gathering more. The only way this game really falters a bit is in continuing the linearity of the first game. While I don't mind single player FPS games like Half-Life, the BioShock games are offspring of the immersive sims of System Shock 1 and 2, and the looting, plasmid choosing and weapon upgrading all felt like teasing us with how the game could have played were it more open like its inspirations, but regardless this is a personal thing for me.
All in all this is a very solid game, and one that does its job better than the first. While I believe BioShock 1's twist and introduction to the city of Rapture to be the reason its still so heralded, its really disappointing to see this sequel which is superior in many ways get pushed off to the wayside a bit by comparison.
Max Payne 2 is one of those games for me where I feel crazy for having such a different opinion on it compared to others who seem to really enjoy it, with some considering it the best in the series, when for me it is very easily the worst.
As far as gameplay is concerned - its Max Payne with some added flair and ragdoll physics. While the improvements to the gameplay are evident, they are far from vast like everyone likes to claim - they're marginal at best. The largest change to the gameplay is how the gun spread is handled, and this change is a detriment to the game in my eyes. The spread on every weapon has been tightened up a bit, making long range shooting easier, and taking away from some of the John Woo bombasity of the first game, feeling more like a standard action flick. This coupled with Max having a noticeable boost in health this time around, makes you feel less vulnerable and makes the entire game much easier. Combat encounters are pretty trivial especially when you use bullet time and shootdodging as well, making combat even easier. The game really can't afford the combat encounters being as easy and at times unengaging as they are either considering its length. I have played this game twice, once on Detective (Normal) and the second and most recent time on Hard-Boiled (Hard), and both times around I beat the game in three and a half hours. Within that time span, the gameplay on offer here only serves to leave the impression of having played a less challenging, inferior Max Payne 1. The length of this game also damages...
The story. Max Payne 2's plot revolves around a love that forms between Max and femme fatal Mona Sax, who was introduced as a side character in the first game. A love that forms over the course of three and a half hours, which is being generous as it isn't exactly being displayed the entire time you play. It goes without saying it makes this romance between the two feel inauthentic and shoehorned - a seemingly patched together plot for the sequel to a successful title. In my eyes, the first Max Payne is very self contained and ends with most everything wrapped up, and the small fling of a love plot which plays out in this game at worst feels like a slap in the face to Max's character, having lost his wife and child no more than 3 years prior, yet still falling for this stranger and even killing for her. It just feels inorganic and out of place, despite the games writing itself still being decent, even if it doesn't quite live up to the first game for me.
In the end, the gameplay is made far too easy to be memorable with less enjoyable encounters (and even a godforsaken escort mission), and the story doesn't help it with its hamfisted romance that one finds very difficult to care for. With all of this taking place within a 3-4 hour timespan, it makes for a very forgettable game, sitting very awkwardly in the shadow of the game that came before it.
As far as gameplay is concerned - its Max Payne with some added flair and ragdoll physics. While the improvements to the gameplay are evident, they are far from vast like everyone likes to claim - they're marginal at best. The largest change to the gameplay is how the gun spread is handled, and this change is a detriment to the game in my eyes. The spread on every weapon has been tightened up a bit, making long range shooting easier, and taking away from some of the John Woo bombasity of the first game, feeling more like a standard action flick. This coupled with Max having a noticeable boost in health this time around, makes you feel less vulnerable and makes the entire game much easier. Combat encounters are pretty trivial especially when you use bullet time and shootdodging as well, making combat even easier. The game really can't afford the combat encounters being as easy and at times unengaging as they are either considering its length. I have played this game twice, once on Detective (Normal) and the second and most recent time on Hard-Boiled (Hard), and both times around I beat the game in three and a half hours. Within that time span, the gameplay on offer here only serves to leave the impression of having played a less challenging, inferior Max Payne 1. The length of this game also damages...
The story. Max Payne 2's plot revolves around a love that forms between Max and femme fatal Mona Sax, who was introduced as a side character in the first game. A love that forms over the course of three and a half hours, which is being generous as it isn't exactly being displayed the entire time you play. It goes without saying it makes this romance between the two feel inauthentic and shoehorned - a seemingly patched together plot for the sequel to a successful title. In my eyes, the first Max Payne is very self contained and ends with most everything wrapped up, and the small fling of a love plot which plays out in this game at worst feels like a slap in the face to Max's character, having lost his wife and child no more than 3 years prior, yet still falling for this stranger and even killing for her. It just feels inorganic and out of place, despite the games writing itself still being decent, even if it doesn't quite live up to the first game for me.
In the end, the gameplay is made far too easy to be memorable with less enjoyable encounters (and even a godforsaken escort mission), and the story doesn't help it with its hamfisted romance that one finds very difficult to care for. With all of this taking place within a 3-4 hour timespan, it makes for a very forgettable game, sitting very awkwardly in the shadow of the game that came before it.
2001
A stone cold classic title that upon replaying, I found to be shockingly fresh and enjoyable even though as of this July it turned of drinking age.
The gameplay in general is still as fun as I imagine it was all those years ago. Bullet time and shootdodging makes every encounter dynamic, and they're mechanics you need to utilize as Max is only a man, and can go down rather easily. The weaponry is wholly inaccurate with some exceptions in the best possible way. Bullets fly with wanton destruction, colliding with the environment around you with some strays finding their way to you, turning every encounter in to the John Woo scenes they were designed to emulate. While the inaccuracy may seem frustrating, especially when coming from Max Payne 3's pinpoint shooting, not all of the guns are like this such as the Commando rifle and Desert Eagle, which are your choice weapons for headshots, and the spread ends up being mild due to many encounters being close quarters. Max's vulnerability, combined with the frantic combat scenarios makes for a fun and challenging yet mostly fair experience, with its challenge and replayability heightened by its difficulty modes which are unlocked one after the other by beating the game on each previous difficulty.
The story is simple, effective, and told very uniquely through its graphic novel paneled 'cutscenes', and expert narration from James McCaffery whos iconic voice is the frosting on the cake of Max as a character. While it isn't the most complex of stories and is really crafted from a number of cliched tropes or character architypes, the way it presents itself stops it from ever really coming off as cliched or cheesy.
The only real criticisms I can levy toward the game is some questionable enemy placement in certain areas which can cause headaches, especially on harder difficulties, and the flashback/nightmare sequences are more frustrating than intriguing. Despite these issues, this game still holds up incredibly well and is more than worth playing for a fun time. I can definitely see myself returning to replay it once more on the next difficulty up.
The gameplay in general is still as fun as I imagine it was all those years ago. Bullet time and shootdodging makes every encounter dynamic, and they're mechanics you need to utilize as Max is only a man, and can go down rather easily. The weaponry is wholly inaccurate with some exceptions in the best possible way. Bullets fly with wanton destruction, colliding with the environment around you with some strays finding their way to you, turning every encounter in to the John Woo scenes they were designed to emulate. While the inaccuracy may seem frustrating, especially when coming from Max Payne 3's pinpoint shooting, not all of the guns are like this such as the Commando rifle and Desert Eagle, which are your choice weapons for headshots, and the spread ends up being mild due to many encounters being close quarters. Max's vulnerability, combined with the frantic combat scenarios makes for a fun and challenging yet mostly fair experience, with its challenge and replayability heightened by its difficulty modes which are unlocked one after the other by beating the game on each previous difficulty.
The story is simple, effective, and told very uniquely through its graphic novel paneled 'cutscenes', and expert narration from James McCaffery whos iconic voice is the frosting on the cake of Max as a character. While it isn't the most complex of stories and is really crafted from a number of cliched tropes or character architypes, the way it presents itself stops it from ever really coming off as cliched or cheesy.
The only real criticisms I can levy toward the game is some questionable enemy placement in certain areas which can cause headaches, especially on harder difficulties, and the flashback/nightmare sequences are more frustrating than intriguing. Despite these issues, this game still holds up incredibly well and is more than worth playing for a fun time. I can definitely see myself returning to replay it once more on the next difficulty up.
2007
Bioshock is an interesting but overall average game that follows a formula similar to that of Half-Life 1 moreso than its spiritual predecessor of System Shock - a fairly linear first person single player game, one we don't see super often these days it feels.
Gameplay-wise it is very similar to Half-Life, lots of running and gunning at enemies with a small arsenal of assorted weapons that you find as you go about the game, with most of the weapons mirroring Half-Life's arsenal, down to a crossbow. This games main gameplay twist are 'plasmids', a variety of powers given to the player such as the ability to snap and start a fire on your target, telekinesis to move objects or throw back explosives at an enemy, among other things such as interacting with the environment. The combat feels satisfying enough, though I felt like the enormous amount of plasmids combined with their situational usage/seeming lack of damage compared to the weapons made them feel less important than they could have. There's a bit too many and the variety doesn't really encourage different playstyles as they're all fairly offensive - its just down to the flavor of offense you want to use. There are passive plasmids however that can boost your hacking abilities, increase particular damage values and reduce damage taken, and while there is also a similarly vast amount to use, more of a case can be made for their offering of slightly different playstyles due to their effects, however I didn't feel the need to alter mine much throughout the game. Enemy variety is okay, there are Splicers that focus on melee, ones that use explosives, ones that can teleport and use their own flame plasmids toward you and ones that are quick and beefy, also focusing on melee. There are also the Big Daddies, who have excellent visual and audio design, with their stomping which shakes your screen and long whale-esque groans which can be heard across rooms. Fighting them can be fairly intimidating and they're cool to see in action both in combat and out, as they roam the halls with their Little Sisters in tow, both of them interacting and communicating with one another.
Little Sisters themselves are another important bit of gameplay. They are escorted by Big Daddies - large, hulking suits of deep-sea diving gear, which you must fight and kill in order to interact with the Little Sisters. Once you kill a Big Daddy, you can either harvest the Little Sister, sacrificing them and gaining a large amount of Adam for use purchasing new plasmids, or you can rescue them, effectively exorcising them and reverting them back into normal girls, gaining a small amount of Adam. Whether you harvest or rescue these Little Sisters will affect the ending, and this mechanic is the largest source of player choice found in the game. I feel that though having a choice is good, there's little to incentivize going the route of harvesting, as in rescuing the Little Sisters, you are rewarded by way of ammunition and even large amounts of Adam that you may have missed out on by rescuing rather than harvesting, which I thought made harvesting a bit pointless unless you want to see the bad ending(s), and getting on with the lesser amount of Adam is not particularly difficult.
The story I found interesting, but a bit confusing at times. Andrew Ryan was an interesting character at first, however I found his comically villainous demeanor a bit odd as I expected to see his side of things or understand where he was coming from as you may be able to do with other antagonists - but he was just a two-dimensional dictator/man-playing-god type which I thought was disappointing. I also was a little unclear on the other antagonist's motives, or what importance my own character really had on Rapture and the events of the game, however I believe this is due to much of the story being carried by the voice memos you find (ala System Shock) which while interesting cause the narrative to become a little muddied up, especially considering you can miss them if not observant. The setting of Rapture is pretty cool and a character in and of itself, the whole 'city under the water' idea I enjoyed and the look and even sound of the place feels very inspired. The art-deco look and 30's-40's golden oldie classics playing clashes with the now dilapidated state of the city and butchered inhabitants just right.
Overall I haven't played a single player campaign FPS type of game in a good while and I enjoyed this one all things considered. It has a very solid foundation with a great setting and good combat, but the at times confusing plot and somewhat mishandled mechanics put a damper on the experience. Regardless, this game was far from terrible and worth a shot if you enjoy the single player FPS titles of old - this one sits beside the others well enough.
Gameplay-wise it is very similar to Half-Life, lots of running and gunning at enemies with a small arsenal of assorted weapons that you find as you go about the game, with most of the weapons mirroring Half-Life's arsenal, down to a crossbow. This games main gameplay twist are 'plasmids', a variety of powers given to the player such as the ability to snap and start a fire on your target, telekinesis to move objects or throw back explosives at an enemy, among other things such as interacting with the environment. The combat feels satisfying enough, though I felt like the enormous amount of plasmids combined with their situational usage/seeming lack of damage compared to the weapons made them feel less important than they could have. There's a bit too many and the variety doesn't really encourage different playstyles as they're all fairly offensive - its just down to the flavor of offense you want to use. There are passive plasmids however that can boost your hacking abilities, increase particular damage values and reduce damage taken, and while there is also a similarly vast amount to use, more of a case can be made for their offering of slightly different playstyles due to their effects, however I didn't feel the need to alter mine much throughout the game. Enemy variety is okay, there are Splicers that focus on melee, ones that use explosives, ones that can teleport and use their own flame plasmids toward you and ones that are quick and beefy, also focusing on melee. There are also the Big Daddies, who have excellent visual and audio design, with their stomping which shakes your screen and long whale-esque groans which can be heard across rooms. Fighting them can be fairly intimidating and they're cool to see in action both in combat and out, as they roam the halls with their Little Sisters in tow, both of them interacting and communicating with one another.
Little Sisters themselves are another important bit of gameplay. They are escorted by Big Daddies - large, hulking suits of deep-sea diving gear, which you must fight and kill in order to interact with the Little Sisters. Once you kill a Big Daddy, you can either harvest the Little Sister, sacrificing them and gaining a large amount of Adam for use purchasing new plasmids, or you can rescue them, effectively exorcising them and reverting them back into normal girls, gaining a small amount of Adam. Whether you harvest or rescue these Little Sisters will affect the ending, and this mechanic is the largest source of player choice found in the game. I feel that though having a choice is good, there's little to incentivize going the route of harvesting, as in rescuing the Little Sisters, you are rewarded by way of ammunition and even large amounts of Adam that you may have missed out on by rescuing rather than harvesting, which I thought made harvesting a bit pointless unless you want to see the bad ending(s), and getting on with the lesser amount of Adam is not particularly difficult.
The story I found interesting, but a bit confusing at times. Andrew Ryan was an interesting character at first, however I found his comically villainous demeanor a bit odd as I expected to see his side of things or understand where he was coming from as you may be able to do with other antagonists - but he was just a two-dimensional dictator/man-playing-god type which I thought was disappointing. I also was a little unclear on the other antagonist's motives, or what importance my own character really had on Rapture and the events of the game, however I believe this is due to much of the story being carried by the voice memos you find (ala System Shock) which while interesting cause the narrative to become a little muddied up, especially considering you can miss them if not observant. The setting of Rapture is pretty cool and a character in and of itself, the whole 'city under the water' idea I enjoyed and the look and even sound of the place feels very inspired. The art-deco look and 30's-40's golden oldie classics playing clashes with the now dilapidated state of the city and butchered inhabitants just right.
Overall I haven't played a single player campaign FPS type of game in a good while and I enjoyed this one all things considered. It has a very solid foundation with a great setting and good combat, but the at times confusing plot and somewhat mishandled mechanics put a damper on the experience. Regardless, this game was far from terrible and worth a shot if you enjoy the single player FPS titles of old - this one sits beside the others well enough.
While the game's world, story and music among other things were all clearly the product of a respectable and herculean effort by hundreds of developers, the end result is what is, in essence, an interactive movie.
I did not particularly hate this game but I cannot at all agree with any that consider it one of the best video games of all time. It's deserving of praise, that I cannot argue about. But take this, coupled with similar AAA blockbuster smash hit titles like The Last of Us 1 and 2, and ask yourself - is this all the medium has to offer?
You watch this game play out, and engage in its shooting gallery set pieces when prompted. Most missions are begun and bookended by walk-and-talk in-game cutscenes that can be chosen to be made cutscenes proper by toggling the 'cinematic camera'. The times in between missions are spent travelling from point A to point B, which can also be made into a cutscene of sorts by toggling said 'cinematic camera' and watching your character travel automatically. The players freedom during the main story and its missions are minimal, sometimes even having your character automatically steered by the game if you do something the game doesn't want you to, and at worst having your mission enter a fail state if you don't play as expected. The players freedom outside of the main story involves only some one off side quests, in-world encounters, and exploring whichever part of the world the game allows you to explore at the given time. The largest semblance of freedom is found in the 'honor system', in which specific player actions can affect ones honor towards good or bad, resulting in different dialogue during cutscenes, and changing the games ending. Even this system is restrictive in the end, with most actions that affect your honor only being granted when prompted.
It's a game made to appeal to most everyone, it is very casual, and is mostly, as stated, a movie you get to interact with and change to some small degree save for the ending(s) - and that's fine. I only wish these types of games weren't put on a pedestal, being touted as something they aren't. While this and other games of its type are enjoyable experiences for some, nothing here pushes the medium forward much, and while I don't mean to insinuate that every game must do so, what's offered in the gameplay department is not much to write home about.
I did not particularly hate this game but I cannot at all agree with any that consider it one of the best video games of all time. It's deserving of praise, that I cannot argue about. But take this, coupled with similar AAA blockbuster smash hit titles like The Last of Us 1 and 2, and ask yourself - is this all the medium has to offer?
You watch this game play out, and engage in its shooting gallery set pieces when prompted. Most missions are begun and bookended by walk-and-talk in-game cutscenes that can be chosen to be made cutscenes proper by toggling the 'cinematic camera'. The times in between missions are spent travelling from point A to point B, which can also be made into a cutscene of sorts by toggling said 'cinematic camera' and watching your character travel automatically. The players freedom during the main story and its missions are minimal, sometimes even having your character automatically steered by the game if you do something the game doesn't want you to, and at worst having your mission enter a fail state if you don't play as expected. The players freedom outside of the main story involves only some one off side quests, in-world encounters, and exploring whichever part of the world the game allows you to explore at the given time. The largest semblance of freedom is found in the 'honor system', in which specific player actions can affect ones honor towards good or bad, resulting in different dialogue during cutscenes, and changing the games ending. Even this system is restrictive in the end, with most actions that affect your honor only being granted when prompted.
It's a game made to appeal to most everyone, it is very casual, and is mostly, as stated, a movie you get to interact with and change to some small degree save for the ending(s) - and that's fine. I only wish these types of games weren't put on a pedestal, being touted as something they aren't. While this and other games of its type are enjoyable experiences for some, nothing here pushes the medium forward much, and while I don't mean to insinuate that every game must do so, what's offered in the gameplay department is not much to write home about.
2002
Masterpiece is a word thrown around far too often, but this is a game that genuinely deserves that label.
Resident Evil (2002) is the gold standard for survival horror. It is, in essence, a meticulously crafted large scale puzzlebox that the player is dropped into and let loose in. With no real given objective, the player is expected to be smart and solve it all piece by piece, unfurling it all until the end, and it is an absolute treat.
Once in the mansion, the player will slowly progress as they begin to search around, finding keys for locked doors, key objects for puzzles, and resources used to survive, such as health and ammunition. On top of this of course, are the evil residents themselves, the zombies. Zombies roam in many rooms and hallways, serving as your main threat throughout the game. Resources are low, and the zombies are tough. You cannot kill them all and must decide when to shoot, or when to run. If you're too careless with your ammo, you may find yourself armed only with a knife, unable to easily fend any off, so its up to the player to be smart and use their brain, if not, the player can completely screw themselves. The same goes for saving the game, you only have so many ribbons and you need to think about whether you want to save, or make some additional progress with the risk being the chance of being eaten alive.
These choices are part of what makes the game so great. The game treats the player as an individual with a brain, and it provides a fun and tense challenge to progress through the mansion with all of these things in mind. Shoot, or run? Save now, or later? How should I get from this room to the room I need to get to? Which hallways have zombies, and which ones have I cleared out? The game requires you to do some thinking before you act, and as a result, it feels very rewarding to play as the player makes plans and enacts them, surviving every step of the way and living to see another safe room. On top of these decisions, especially in regards to the zombies, is the remakes addition of 'Crimson Heads'. After killing a zombie, they will drop to the ground and remain there. After some time, the next time you see them, they will have transformed into 'Crimson Heads', a stronger, faster, more crimson variant of their former selves. This adds another layer to navigating the mansion and engaging with the zombies. In order to avoid this transformation, you must remove their head with a headshot with a shotgun (or critical pistol shot), or burn their corpses using limited amounts of kerosene you find throughout the house. This introduces new things to take into account, like making sure to burn any zombie you kill, or remembering where you killed a zombie but didn't have the time to burn it. This changes the navigation of the mansion for each playthrough, and can make each individuals playthrough of the game contain dangers in different rooms or halls based on their choices. This all adds up to a tense, but not overwhelming challenge that makes the player think and feel smart for making progress and using resources wisely.
Outside of the gameplay, the presentation is also great. The prerendered backgrounds look great and give room for the character and enemy models to look even better, and it all comes together to give the mansion and other locations some great atmosphere throughout the entire game - the visuals have aged gracefully. On top of this of course, are the fixed camera angles and tank style controls. The fixed cameras serve to allow the game to 'direct its own scenes' so to speak, purposefully staging certain areas for a certain mood, or even hiding something from the player to create a tense and uneasy atmosphere. There's no telling what is around each corner. The tank controls go hand in hand with the fixed angles, serving as a universal control scheme that works angle to angle. They also create tension for the player, as one cannot zip around the mansion at will and away from danger, you must turn, you must run, you must stop to aim and control like a person with weight. This slower movement creates fear as the player cannot so quickly escape danger and must move with purpose. Outside of this, the controls are perfectly functional and not at all difficult to learn, allowing for movement around the mansion to work fine as well as serving its dual purpose as being a purposeful hinderance to the player when danger arrives. All of this atmosphere and staging makes for a game that is still tense to play today, and makes it still look good today.
All in all, this game is truly one of a kind in a good way but also in a bad way - the pro is that you're never going to play a game like this again. The con is that you're never going to play a game like this again. It is one of the finest games ever made and one of the last of its kind, and it manages to be the best of its kind as well. If you want a game that will give you a good challenge, respect your smarts and maybe even give a scare or two, there is no better place to go. My only piece of advice is not to use the 'modern' control scheme the remasters offer, they sap the game of it's tension with enemies and makes the fixed angles a hassle as the controls change per angle. It's a horrible feature that messes with the game in a real way.
P.S. If you complain about fixed cameras/tank controls and think they make this game unapproachable/clunky/janky/etc, you are a baby and you have just pissed your diapey. Cheers
Resident Evil (2002) is the gold standard for survival horror. It is, in essence, a meticulously crafted large scale puzzlebox that the player is dropped into and let loose in. With no real given objective, the player is expected to be smart and solve it all piece by piece, unfurling it all until the end, and it is an absolute treat.
Once in the mansion, the player will slowly progress as they begin to search around, finding keys for locked doors, key objects for puzzles, and resources used to survive, such as health and ammunition. On top of this of course, are the evil residents themselves, the zombies. Zombies roam in many rooms and hallways, serving as your main threat throughout the game. Resources are low, and the zombies are tough. You cannot kill them all and must decide when to shoot, or when to run. If you're too careless with your ammo, you may find yourself armed only with a knife, unable to easily fend any off, so its up to the player to be smart and use their brain, if not, the player can completely screw themselves. The same goes for saving the game, you only have so many ribbons and you need to think about whether you want to save, or make some additional progress with the risk being the chance of being eaten alive.
These choices are part of what makes the game so great. The game treats the player as an individual with a brain, and it provides a fun and tense challenge to progress through the mansion with all of these things in mind. Shoot, or run? Save now, or later? How should I get from this room to the room I need to get to? Which hallways have zombies, and which ones have I cleared out? The game requires you to do some thinking before you act, and as a result, it feels very rewarding to play as the player makes plans and enacts them, surviving every step of the way and living to see another safe room. On top of these decisions, especially in regards to the zombies, is the remakes addition of 'Crimson Heads'. After killing a zombie, they will drop to the ground and remain there. After some time, the next time you see them, they will have transformed into 'Crimson Heads', a stronger, faster, more crimson variant of their former selves. This adds another layer to navigating the mansion and engaging with the zombies. In order to avoid this transformation, you must remove their head with a headshot with a shotgun (or critical pistol shot), or burn their corpses using limited amounts of kerosene you find throughout the house. This introduces new things to take into account, like making sure to burn any zombie you kill, or remembering where you killed a zombie but didn't have the time to burn it. This changes the navigation of the mansion for each playthrough, and can make each individuals playthrough of the game contain dangers in different rooms or halls based on their choices. This all adds up to a tense, but not overwhelming challenge that makes the player think and feel smart for making progress and using resources wisely.
Outside of the gameplay, the presentation is also great. The prerendered backgrounds look great and give room for the character and enemy models to look even better, and it all comes together to give the mansion and other locations some great atmosphere throughout the entire game - the visuals have aged gracefully. On top of this of course, are the fixed camera angles and tank style controls. The fixed cameras serve to allow the game to 'direct its own scenes' so to speak, purposefully staging certain areas for a certain mood, or even hiding something from the player to create a tense and uneasy atmosphere. There's no telling what is around each corner. The tank controls go hand in hand with the fixed angles, serving as a universal control scheme that works angle to angle. They also create tension for the player, as one cannot zip around the mansion at will and away from danger, you must turn, you must run, you must stop to aim and control like a person with weight. This slower movement creates fear as the player cannot so quickly escape danger and must move with purpose. Outside of this, the controls are perfectly functional and not at all difficult to learn, allowing for movement around the mansion to work fine as well as serving its dual purpose as being a purposeful hinderance to the player when danger arrives. All of this atmosphere and staging makes for a game that is still tense to play today, and makes it still look good today.
All in all, this game is truly one of a kind in a good way but also in a bad way - the pro is that you're never going to play a game like this again. The con is that you're never going to play a game like this again. It is one of the finest games ever made and one of the last of its kind, and it manages to be the best of its kind as well. If you want a game that will give you a good challenge, respect your smarts and maybe even give a scare or two, there is no better place to go. My only piece of advice is not to use the 'modern' control scheme the remasters offer, they sap the game of it's tension with enemies and makes the fixed angles a hassle as the controls change per angle. It's a horrible feature that messes with the game in a real way.
P.S. If you complain about fixed cameras/tank controls and think they make this game unapproachable/clunky/janky/etc, you are a baby and you have just pissed your diapey. Cheers
This review contains spoilers
Long story short, possibly the gold standard in balancing an in depth narrative and good gameplay. While some definitely may disagree, the game never leans as hard into its story as its brother MGS4, or 'story driven' titles of the modern day, such as your TLOU's. This game proves you can have a genuinely great game while still maintaining a complex and lengthy story.
Long version. There is truly not much to say about this game that hasn't already been said, and unfortunately a lot of what is said can tend to be focused only on the story, and is usually galaxybrain fartsniffing that only Kojima himself can rival, so I'll (mostly) stay off the topic of the games story - there is more than enough stuff out there for you to read up on.
MGS2 is a very fun and engaging game. The stealth is the biggest factor at work here and it's what you'll be doing a vast majority of the time. Sneaking around the Big Shell is always fun, thanks to the means you're given to do so, the intelligent and real feeling AI, and the freedom the player is given to navigate the Shell as the game progresses. The Big Shell is made up of two main Shells with multiple struts on each, though not all struts are accessible you're still left with a lot to navigate through. As the game progresses, you'll be required to go all around the Big Shell, and its up to you how you'll get there. You can go through whichever struts you'd like on your way to the objective, each of which serve their own purpose and have their own obstacles. As such, maybe there's a strut you find to be too troublesome, so you'll avoid it on your way to wherever you're heading next. Maybe you'll head to the supply shipping area in Strut E, hop on a conveyor belt wearing a food themed cardboard box you found and be sent to Strut C's dining hall if you're feeling cheeky. The on foot sneaking is what you'd expect, its great and my favorite in the series for how good it feels. You're given a plethora of equipment to help you out as you go, and they add another layer of freedom into the game. Enemy spot you or you've got the jump on a guard you need dispatched? A quick shot to the head with a pistol, sniper, or many other weapons will do the trick. Need to be quiet about it? Put a suppressor onto your pistol for a silent kill. Feeling merciful? Use the tranq pistol to knock a guy out. Maybe you don't want to engage an enemy at all, so you drop a porno mag on the ground for a guard to gawk at or throw an empty pistol magazine down the hall so they have to check out the sound as you slip away. There's plenty of things for the player to use at any given moment, based on how they prefer to approach certain obstacles. All of this makes for a game that is not only fun and engaging to play once, but once over and over again, maybe even changing how they play the next time.
Another large reason I love this game is the fact that it is so unabashedly aware and in love with the fact that it is a video game. Even though the story may be serious and a little self indulgent, the game never takes itself too seriously and is never afraid to have fun, which is part of why the game is so adored. There are plenty of little goofy things for you to do or find in the game, and it gives this game a very unique quality and balance you don't find in many other games. Slipping on birdshit and falling flat on your ass. Getting a talking to for entering the woman's restroom. Pointing your directional microphone away from the antagonists scheming during a cutscene and toward a nearby bathroom where a soldier can be heard absolutely blowing it up. Trying to roll up a set of stairs just to understandably bust your ass for trying to do so. The game is just so tongue in cheek about itself without detracting too much from the story. It's one of a kind and a big reason some of the fart sniffery of some of the story can be forgiven.
As for some other things, the soundtrack is killer and has a great feel to it. The sneaking music is different for each strut and always sounds cool, the alert music really sounds like shit hitting the fan, and everything in between is great as well, which is all I can say without going on and on. It's pound for pound the best soundtrack in the series. There's also this games focus on innumerable small details which also helps flesh it out a lot, such as the large amount of codec calls you can get for behavior such as needlessly killing birds or staring at sexy pinups for too long, sea lice being able to eat up your rations if you lay by them, being able to strengthen your hang grip by doing pullups, shooting out a guards radio so they can't call in for backup or shooting an arm or a leg to disarm or slow them, and many many more. It's very clear a wild amount of love went into the game and it's very nice to see.
As far as the story goes, the most I will say is that it is very good. If you're not used to MGS stories, some things may be confusing, but the main narrative in this game is very intelligent if not a little self indulgent as Kojima is known for. Regardless, the story is poignant, enjoyable, and one that you might catch yourself thinking about long after you finish it due to how it incorporates things like the player and the fact that it knows its a videogame into it. It's one of the most one-of-a-kind stories and games that absolutely could not be done today.
All and all, MGS2 is my absolute favorite in the series and one of my very few all time favorite games. No other game I know can manage to have such a complex and lengthy story and enjoyable gameplay experience and balance the two so well. It's something games still fail to do today, and for that reason this game will live on for ages and still continue to be talked about.
Long version. There is truly not much to say about this game that hasn't already been said, and unfortunately a lot of what is said can tend to be focused only on the story, and is usually galaxybrain fartsniffing that only Kojima himself can rival, so I'll (mostly) stay off the topic of the games story - there is more than enough stuff out there for you to read up on.
MGS2 is a very fun and engaging game. The stealth is the biggest factor at work here and it's what you'll be doing a vast majority of the time. Sneaking around the Big Shell is always fun, thanks to the means you're given to do so, the intelligent and real feeling AI, and the freedom the player is given to navigate the Shell as the game progresses. The Big Shell is made up of two main Shells with multiple struts on each, though not all struts are accessible you're still left with a lot to navigate through. As the game progresses, you'll be required to go all around the Big Shell, and its up to you how you'll get there. You can go through whichever struts you'd like on your way to the objective, each of which serve their own purpose and have their own obstacles. As such, maybe there's a strut you find to be too troublesome, so you'll avoid it on your way to wherever you're heading next. Maybe you'll head to the supply shipping area in Strut E, hop on a conveyor belt wearing a food themed cardboard box you found and be sent to Strut C's dining hall if you're feeling cheeky. The on foot sneaking is what you'd expect, its great and my favorite in the series for how good it feels. You're given a plethora of equipment to help you out as you go, and they add another layer of freedom into the game. Enemy spot you or you've got the jump on a guard you need dispatched? A quick shot to the head with a pistol, sniper, or many other weapons will do the trick. Need to be quiet about it? Put a suppressor onto your pistol for a silent kill. Feeling merciful? Use the tranq pistol to knock a guy out. Maybe you don't want to engage an enemy at all, so you drop a porno mag on the ground for a guard to gawk at or throw an empty pistol magazine down the hall so they have to check out the sound as you slip away. There's plenty of things for the player to use at any given moment, based on how they prefer to approach certain obstacles. All of this makes for a game that is not only fun and engaging to play once, but once over and over again, maybe even changing how they play the next time.
Another large reason I love this game is the fact that it is so unabashedly aware and in love with the fact that it is a video game. Even though the story may be serious and a little self indulgent, the game never takes itself too seriously and is never afraid to have fun, which is part of why the game is so adored. There are plenty of little goofy things for you to do or find in the game, and it gives this game a very unique quality and balance you don't find in many other games. Slipping on birdshit and falling flat on your ass. Getting a talking to for entering the woman's restroom. Pointing your directional microphone away from the antagonists scheming during a cutscene and toward a nearby bathroom where a soldier can be heard absolutely blowing it up. Trying to roll up a set of stairs just to understandably bust your ass for trying to do so. The game is just so tongue in cheek about itself without detracting too much from the story. It's one of a kind and a big reason some of the fart sniffery of some of the story can be forgiven.
As for some other things, the soundtrack is killer and has a great feel to it. The sneaking music is different for each strut and always sounds cool, the alert music really sounds like shit hitting the fan, and everything in between is great as well, which is all I can say without going on and on. It's pound for pound the best soundtrack in the series. There's also this games focus on innumerable small details which also helps flesh it out a lot, such as the large amount of codec calls you can get for behavior such as needlessly killing birds or staring at sexy pinups for too long, sea lice being able to eat up your rations if you lay by them, being able to strengthen your hang grip by doing pullups, shooting out a guards radio so they can't call in for backup or shooting an arm or a leg to disarm or slow them, and many many more. It's very clear a wild amount of love went into the game and it's very nice to see.
As far as the story goes, the most I will say is that it is very good. If you're not used to MGS stories, some things may be confusing, but the main narrative in this game is very intelligent if not a little self indulgent as Kojima is known for. Regardless, the story is poignant, enjoyable, and one that you might catch yourself thinking about long after you finish it due to how it incorporates things like the player and the fact that it knows its a videogame into it. It's one of the most one-of-a-kind stories and games that absolutely could not be done today.
All and all, MGS2 is my absolute favorite in the series and one of my very few all time favorite games. No other game I know can manage to have such a complex and lengthy story and enjoyable gameplay experience and balance the two so well. It's something games still fail to do today, and for that reason this game will live on for ages and still continue to be talked about.
2012
Put aside the decent story, enjoyable cast and memorable soundtrack and unfortunately you're left with what can only be described as sub-standard JRPG drivel - all the stereotypical traits mentioned by people that vehemently hate JRPGs are here.
Outside of the issues with how long the game will take control away from the player on sections outside of this games actual gameplay: The dungeons range from boring at best and tedious at worst, the game has a particular affinity for instakill moves, the grinds are atrocious, the combat is boring and often drags on for far too long, the bosses are a chore with their massive health pools and so on. It is extremely unenjoyable and drags the experience down horribly.
Outside of the dungeons, you'll essentially have what is an alright visual novel. The story is engaging enough although it does lull a bit in the middle, the cast is very likable and the soundtrack is pretty good. However this stuff does not hold the game up at all.
I played on normal and it took me 71hrs total. Don't play unless you're just here for the story or social elements - in that case play on very easy or easy.
Stick to your Mother 3's or other games if not. JRPGs have a lot more to offer than this.
Outside of the issues with how long the game will take control away from the player on sections outside of this games actual gameplay: The dungeons range from boring at best and tedious at worst, the game has a particular affinity for instakill moves, the grinds are atrocious, the combat is boring and often drags on for far too long, the bosses are a chore with their massive health pools and so on. It is extremely unenjoyable and drags the experience down horribly.
Outside of the dungeons, you'll essentially have what is an alright visual novel. The story is engaging enough although it does lull a bit in the middle, the cast is very likable and the soundtrack is pretty good. However this stuff does not hold the game up at all.
I played on normal and it took me 71hrs total. Don't play unless you're just here for the story or social elements - in that case play on very easy or easy.
Stick to your Mother 3's or other games if not. JRPGs have a lot more to offer than this.