DISCLAIMER: As of writing this, the game is missing Episode Three (make your "Valve can't count to three!" jokes here or something) and I am not going to be discussing the S.T.A.L.K.E.R-esque game mode here.
So games that are inspired by "X" aren't inherently a bad idea. I adore when developers are passionate about a game that they feel the longing to recapture the magic again but put their own spin on it.
ADACA is, without question, Half-Life 2. But it isn't so much as trying to spin on Valve's incredible formula, more so just providing more of Half-Life 2's pillar foundations on a budget.
ADACA has a loop of combat, explorations, and light puzzle solving. Much like Opposing Force, ADACA is focused on its combat. Not only do you have a wide arsenal to play around with, you also have the benefit of the gravity gu- I mean biotic arm, that can fling objects at other enemies. You can even grab their own weapons! How very neat.
The combat is fine. It's pretty much just Half-Life 2 with a dash of Halo.
I played on Hardened and enemies were a very mixed bag. Either they would bug out in spectacular fashion, running around in circles or not shooting at me when I walk up to them, or have the deadly precision of a world-class assassin. It was a complete mess.
Weapons were fun to use and you did have a wide variety. However, most of them were variations of an archetype.
See, with an FPS, I like when games give you a bunch of weapons to play with. Sure, its unrealistic to have someone carry fifteen firearms on them, but who gives a shit? Half-Life giving you a plethora of weapons but ones you got to keep (mostly) at all times made me remember the weapons a lot more. With an FPS, I think the restraint of limiting yourself to one of each weapon category can make the weapons feel more memorable that goes beyond visual and audio design. Half-Life has a weird arsenal, but its because of that bizarre weapon catalogue combined with you having full access to it all times made the game work for me.
In ADACA, there are so many weapons that fulfill the same role, its the issue I had with Halo 4 and 5. Too many weapons that do exactly the same thing. It almost felt like a looter at times with how often you were switching up weapons from enemies. This wouldn't be a bad thing if the game didn't lock you to only one small arm and two medium to large firearms. I found this to be so antithetical to the weapon arsenal it wants you to play around with.
Now, for the narrative, I hope you like Half-Life 2 base game with some minor additions because that is all your getting.
You fight the, "I swear to god its not the Combine, we promise" in an attempt to locate someone from obtaining an AI...? I think? The story is not this game's strongest point. In fact, I can count multiple times one character always started their dialogue with, "Holy shit!"
I'm not the master of dialect nor a stranger to frequent reuse of words, but good lord I was not expecting every opening line to begin the same.
Its a hotchpotch of varying science fiction concepts. Nothing stellar or particularly noteworthy.
The set piece variety is more akin to Half-Life rather than Half-Life 2. Locations are varied enough with outdoor and indoor environments but they aren't used to their advantage like the game it so clearly wants to be. See, Half-Life 2's missions were so different from one another. They were their own individual moments built around a concept or a major gameplay mechanic in Half-Life's pillars to make some really incredible moments.
In ADACA, your shooting and maybe doing a platform puzzle which amounts to you moving a platform with your arm. Any other puzzles are sticking a battery in a socket. I can't say its bad, because it is just Half-Life, but that's what I criticized Blue Shift for being. Just more Half-Life. There aren't any vehicle sections, scarce number of physic based puzzles, no Sandtraps moments, its just a very water-downed Half-Life.
I may have been too harsh on this game which clearly does feel like a very personal project and maybe the third episode could be really good and tie this all together but I am not holding my breath.
So games that are inspired by "X" aren't inherently a bad idea. I adore when developers are passionate about a game that they feel the longing to recapture the magic again but put their own spin on it.
ADACA is, without question, Half-Life 2. But it isn't so much as trying to spin on Valve's incredible formula, more so just providing more of Half-Life 2's pillar foundations on a budget.
ADACA has a loop of combat, explorations, and light puzzle solving. Much like Opposing Force, ADACA is focused on its combat. Not only do you have a wide arsenal to play around with, you also have the benefit of the gravity gu- I mean biotic arm, that can fling objects at other enemies. You can even grab their own weapons! How very neat.
The combat is fine. It's pretty much just Half-Life 2 with a dash of Halo.
I played on Hardened and enemies were a very mixed bag. Either they would bug out in spectacular fashion, running around in circles or not shooting at me when I walk up to them, or have the deadly precision of a world-class assassin. It was a complete mess.
Weapons were fun to use and you did have a wide variety. However, most of them were variations of an archetype.
See, with an FPS, I like when games give you a bunch of weapons to play with. Sure, its unrealistic to have someone carry fifteen firearms on them, but who gives a shit? Half-Life giving you a plethora of weapons but ones you got to keep (mostly) at all times made me remember the weapons a lot more. With an FPS, I think the restraint of limiting yourself to one of each weapon category can make the weapons feel more memorable that goes beyond visual and audio design. Half-Life has a weird arsenal, but its because of that bizarre weapon catalogue combined with you having full access to it all times made the game work for me.
In ADACA, there are so many weapons that fulfill the same role, its the issue I had with Halo 4 and 5. Too many weapons that do exactly the same thing. It almost felt like a looter at times with how often you were switching up weapons from enemies. This wouldn't be a bad thing if the game didn't lock you to only one small arm and two medium to large firearms. I found this to be so antithetical to the weapon arsenal it wants you to play around with.
Now, for the narrative, I hope you like Half-Life 2 base game with some minor additions because that is all your getting.
You fight the, "I swear to god its not the Combine, we promise" in an attempt to locate someone from obtaining an AI...? I think? The story is not this game's strongest point. In fact, I can count multiple times one character always started their dialogue with, "Holy shit!"
I'm not the master of dialect nor a stranger to frequent reuse of words, but good lord I was not expecting every opening line to begin the same.
Its a hotchpotch of varying science fiction concepts. Nothing stellar or particularly noteworthy.
The set piece variety is more akin to Half-Life rather than Half-Life 2. Locations are varied enough with outdoor and indoor environments but they aren't used to their advantage like the game it so clearly wants to be. See, Half-Life 2's missions were so different from one another. They were their own individual moments built around a concept or a major gameplay mechanic in Half-Life's pillars to make some really incredible moments.
In ADACA, your shooting and maybe doing a platform puzzle which amounts to you moving a platform with your arm. Any other puzzles are sticking a battery in a socket. I can't say its bad, because it is just Half-Life, but that's what I criticized Blue Shift for being. Just more Half-Life. There aren't any vehicle sections, scarce number of physic based puzzles, no Sandtraps moments, its just a very water-downed Half-Life.
I may have been too harsh on this game which clearly does feel like a very personal project and maybe the third episode could be really good and tie this all together but I am not holding my breath.