POLICENOY
2023
Sir, they just hit the second Pizza Tower.
This is the most divisive entry in the series, I believe even more so than MGS5, when you ask a die-hard fan of the series their thoughts on this game in particular, they'll either say they love it or call it a mistake, and it'll very rarely end up in-between. As for me, I absolutely love it. This is easily one of the most important games I have ever played and my second favorite MGS game. But it's also very understandable why many other fans do not care for this game and its story.
This is a game that drives on pure emotion for the series, which leaves us with a very passionate yet also messy story, and since this messy story is supposed to serve as a bookend to one of the most iconic heroes in modern gaming, is certainly going to leave a lot of fans skeptical or even upset.
For some this game will mean nothing, but for others it means everything.
I love this game, and there's no way I'm going to be able to write a proper review of here just for barely even a dozen people to see it. I already spent about a half hour trying to put my messy and emotional (just like this game) thoughts into a single cohesive passage.
Go in with an open mind, and don't listen to me or others what to think before jumping in. Find what you believe in and fight for it.
This is a game that drives on pure emotion for the series, which leaves us with a very passionate yet also messy story, and since this messy story is supposed to serve as a bookend to one of the most iconic heroes in modern gaming, is certainly going to leave a lot of fans skeptical or even upset.
For some this game will mean nothing, but for others it means everything.
I love this game, and there's no way I'm going to be able to write a proper review of here just for barely even a dozen people to see it. I already spent about a half hour trying to put my messy and emotional (just like this game) thoughts into a single cohesive passage.
Go in with an open mind, and don't listen to me or others what to think before jumping in. Find what you believe in and fight for it.
While a lot of the themes about the current state of our world stated in this game are still very much relevant, the message it tells afterwards is what I find much more important.
Play through it to the end at least once, no matter what issues you have with the game. The message this story tells at the end is one that needs to be heard by all.
Play through it to the end at least once, no matter what issues you have with the game. The message this story tells at the end is one that needs to be heard by all.
I cannot really recommend this game enough without spoiling it. If you didn't like the last game, this one won't really win you over. But if you did, go into it blind. I cannot recommend it enough to people who liked the original.
1996
A lot of people like to call this "full 3D Doom" but I think that's only due to the fact that it was made by iD, who popularized the genre. But in actuality, this is a very different game in almost every aspect.
While Doom makes you feel like a powerful menace punching, sawing, and blasting your way through the demons of hell. Quake goes out of its way to create a much more tense and oppressive atmosphere.
Aside from being able to jump, the Ranger is considerably weaker than Doomguy. He's able to take much less punishment and aside from the grenade and rocket launcher, the weapons hold much less 'oomf' than Doom's weapons. Thanks to the brand new 3D engine, the combat has a lot more verticality to it like more flying enemies and ambushing ogres from tall ledges, you have to focus on every direction during combat. It's incredibly engaging and almost just as well built as Doom was.
If you've seen other reviews from me on here, you probably know that I like to analyze music in games much more so than the average player. And this game is certainly no exception. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, (who I'm sure you know were HUGE back in the 90's) approached iD during the development of Quake and offered to do the music for free, and he did just that.
The soundtrack is a blend of heavy industrial noise and dark ambience. Which was something NIN excelled at the time, so they were able to make it work effortlessly with Quake's dark atmosphere. Personally, I think it sounds quite modern for the time. It would really fit in perfectly with something like Doom 2016, which goes to show how well the music has aged. There are so many tricks done with the audio, stuff like certain frequencies being played that makes it feel like something is tickling the back of your throat or visceral meat sloshing sounds. There so much about the music that goes out of its way to disturb and discomfort the player, and it's incredibly well executed.
Gameplay wise, I think Quake is a mixed bag in my personal opinion but there is no denying the amount of talent, programming wizardry, and artistic expression that went into crafting this. Quake fully deserves the status it has videogame history.
While Doom makes you feel like a powerful menace punching, sawing, and blasting your way through the demons of hell. Quake goes out of its way to create a much more tense and oppressive atmosphere.
Aside from being able to jump, the Ranger is considerably weaker than Doomguy. He's able to take much less punishment and aside from the grenade and rocket launcher, the weapons hold much less 'oomf' than Doom's weapons. Thanks to the brand new 3D engine, the combat has a lot more verticality to it like more flying enemies and ambushing ogres from tall ledges, you have to focus on every direction during combat. It's incredibly engaging and almost just as well built as Doom was.
If you've seen other reviews from me on here, you probably know that I like to analyze music in games much more so than the average player. And this game is certainly no exception. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, (who I'm sure you know were HUGE back in the 90's) approached iD during the development of Quake and offered to do the music for free, and he did just that.
The soundtrack is a blend of heavy industrial noise and dark ambience. Which was something NIN excelled at the time, so they were able to make it work effortlessly with Quake's dark atmosphere. Personally, I think it sounds quite modern for the time. It would really fit in perfectly with something like Doom 2016, which goes to show how well the music has aged. There are so many tricks done with the audio, stuff like certain frequencies being played that makes it feel like something is tickling the back of your throat or visceral meat sloshing sounds. There so much about the music that goes out of its way to disturb and discomfort the player, and it's incredibly well executed.
Gameplay wise, I think Quake is a mixed bag in my personal opinion but there is no denying the amount of talent, programming wizardry, and artistic expression that went into crafting this. Quake fully deserves the status it has videogame history.
Greatest stealth game ever made? I think you can make a pretty strong case with this one.
While the Metal Gear series proved that games that centered on the idea of evading enemies and avoiding detection can appeal to a wide audience, Thief was the series to refine that concept and turn the stealth genre into how we see it today. Many iconic stealth series such as Dishonored, Splinter Cell and Deus Ex simply wouldn't be what they are now without Thief.
Thief: The Dark Project was unmistakably rough around the edges, especially in terms of level design. Thief 2: The Metal Age is nothing short of a total improvement and overhaul of the original ideas The Dark Project laid out. Looking Glass finally understood the type of game they were working with and fitted the levels accordingly with the stealth mechanics.
The missions are a masterclass in level design, each location feeling like a real place with each room having a clear purpose within the world. The levels are without a doubt big, complex and interconnected, but it's the fact that these levels are based off of real world places is what keeps the player from getting truly lost. Not only do you have your map, there's also signs and landmarks that'll help you get your bearings on your location just like a real building would have. On top of that, there are numerous secret passages you can find that makes traversing the level so much easier. It's stealth level design at its absolute peak and not many games can come close.
How about the sound? I made a pretty big rule to myself that a stealth game should have exceptional ambience and sound design, not just good or passable, it has to be something that'll stick with you long after you first play it. Thief was the series that set that standard for me. The soundtrack in this game mostly consists of dark ambience and industrial noise, and it does a killer job of immersing the player into the world. I'd write even more about the soundtrack to this game but that would be an entirely different essay, so let's just move on to how sound design ties in with the gameplay.
In some stealth games you'd see today, a lot of them offer the player a sort of x-ray vision or marker tool that'll reveal enemies behind walls. In Thief, the best tool you have to track down guards are your own ears. Each enemy in this game have a very distinct footstep sound. If you listen close enough, you can tell how far away the guard is, what room they're in, how many guards are there, and what surface they are walking on. You can literally lean up against a door in this game and make a good judgement on the size of the room on the other side by paying attention to the echo of the guard's footsteps. It's an incredible way to tie sound into the gameplay mechanics.
If you couldn't tell already, this is a very special game to me and I think it deserves some sort of written review from me, even if it's nowhere near the best.
But I can safely say that I think this is the best stealth game ever made.
While the Metal Gear series proved that games that centered on the idea of evading enemies and avoiding detection can appeal to a wide audience, Thief was the series to refine that concept and turn the stealth genre into how we see it today. Many iconic stealth series such as Dishonored, Splinter Cell and Deus Ex simply wouldn't be what they are now without Thief.
Thief: The Dark Project was unmistakably rough around the edges, especially in terms of level design. Thief 2: The Metal Age is nothing short of a total improvement and overhaul of the original ideas The Dark Project laid out. Looking Glass finally understood the type of game they were working with and fitted the levels accordingly with the stealth mechanics.
The missions are a masterclass in level design, each location feeling like a real place with each room having a clear purpose within the world. The levels are without a doubt big, complex and interconnected, but it's the fact that these levels are based off of real world places is what keeps the player from getting truly lost. Not only do you have your map, there's also signs and landmarks that'll help you get your bearings on your location just like a real building would have. On top of that, there are numerous secret passages you can find that makes traversing the level so much easier. It's stealth level design at its absolute peak and not many games can come close.
How about the sound? I made a pretty big rule to myself that a stealth game should have exceptional ambience and sound design, not just good or passable, it has to be something that'll stick with you long after you first play it. Thief was the series that set that standard for me. The soundtrack in this game mostly consists of dark ambience and industrial noise, and it does a killer job of immersing the player into the world. I'd write even more about the soundtrack to this game but that would be an entirely different essay, so let's just move on to how sound design ties in with the gameplay.
In some stealth games you'd see today, a lot of them offer the player a sort of x-ray vision or marker tool that'll reveal enemies behind walls. In Thief, the best tool you have to track down guards are your own ears. Each enemy in this game have a very distinct footstep sound. If you listen close enough, you can tell how far away the guard is, what room they're in, how many guards are there, and what surface they are walking on. You can literally lean up against a door in this game and make a good judgement on the size of the room on the other side by paying attention to the echo of the guard's footsteps. It's an incredible way to tie sound into the gameplay mechanics.
If you couldn't tell already, this is a very special game to me and I think it deserves some sort of written review from me, even if it's nowhere near the best.
But I can safely say that I think this is the best stealth game ever made.
2013
I played this way back in 2014 and liked it at the time because I was only 13 years old.
I don't even have to play it again to realize that not only was this game a mess narrative wise (and also kind of racist as fuck) but is a travesty in game design when compared to the past games in the franchise, including System Shock.
It's a linear shooter that's literally just hallway, setpiece. Hallway, setpiece. It's insulting to players who were familiar with the large, interconnected level design of past BioShock games and System Shock.
I don't even have to play it again to realize that not only was this game a mess narrative wise (and also kind of racist as fuck) but is a travesty in game design when compared to the past games in the franchise, including System Shock.
It's a linear shooter that's literally just hallway, setpiece. Hallway, setpiece. It's insulting to players who were familiar with the large, interconnected level design of past BioShock games and System Shock.
2014
This game to the rest of the Thief series is like what DmC is to the Devil May Cry series, except arguably worse. Take that as you will.
2020
This happened to my buddy Eric
Not only is this just peak Splinter Cell, this is peak stealth action gaming period. I can't overstate how well designed this game is an how much it refined the genre.
Firstly, this is a pretty good looking game for 2005. The dynamic lighting and shadows were very crisp and clean and added so much atmosphere to even the simplest looking room. The reason why I bring up visuals is because of the way they add to gameplay mechanics. Just like the original Thief series, you stay hidden from enemies in the dark and can be easily seen in the light. The clear, crisp shadows really adds to the consistency of whether you are hidden in the dark or not. I wish more games had visuals that impacted their core mechanics like this.
So the gameplay is good, it's really good. But what I really want to talk about is the soundtrack. This is, honest to god, one of the most refined and creative soundtracks I have ever heard from a videogame. Written and produced by electronica artist, Amon Tobin, the music mostly consists of heavy bass and percussion, and eerie, droning synth instrumentals. It's the perfect infiltration music and really goes the extra mile to pull the player into the world of Splinter Cell.
Firstly, this is a pretty good looking game for 2005. The dynamic lighting and shadows were very crisp and clean and added so much atmosphere to even the simplest looking room. The reason why I bring up visuals is because of the way they add to gameplay mechanics. Just like the original Thief series, you stay hidden from enemies in the dark and can be easily seen in the light. The clear, crisp shadows really adds to the consistency of whether you are hidden in the dark or not. I wish more games had visuals that impacted their core mechanics like this.
So the gameplay is good, it's really good. But what I really want to talk about is the soundtrack. This is, honest to god, one of the most refined and creative soundtracks I have ever heard from a videogame. Written and produced by electronica artist, Amon Tobin, the music mostly consists of heavy bass and percussion, and eerie, droning synth instrumentals. It's the perfect infiltration music and really goes the extra mile to pull the player into the world of Splinter Cell.
God, what an awesome game. I don't think I've ever been more pleasantly surprised by another piece of media quite like this.
First off, everything you've heard about the UI and the control scheme is probably true and it absolutely takes some getting use to. But with Night Dive's Enhanced Edition, you can now change any key bind you want, use proper mouse aiming, and set the game at any resolution your monitor can take (Although be warned this game is very finnicky on monitors that are over 60hz)
This is a tried and true classic immersive sim. It is crazy how much freedom you are given within Citadel Station. There are tons of ways you can handle pretty much any situation you come across thanks to the hefty number of tool the game provides you throughout the levels.
This is without a doubt my second favorite immersive sim and probably my personal favorite survival horror. (Yes, that's what I'm calling it and no you won't change my mind)
First off, everything you've heard about the UI and the control scheme is probably true and it absolutely takes some getting use to. But with Night Dive's Enhanced Edition, you can now change any key bind you want, use proper mouse aiming, and set the game at any resolution your monitor can take (Although be warned this game is very finnicky on monitors that are over 60hz)
This is a tried and true classic immersive sim. It is crazy how much freedom you are given within Citadel Station. There are tons of ways you can handle pretty much any situation you come across thanks to the hefty number of tool the game provides you throughout the levels.
This is without a doubt my second favorite immersive sim and probably my personal favorite survival horror. (Yes, that's what I'm calling it and no you won't change my mind)
While a good portion of the cast is kinda shit and really grating at times, the real hook this game had on me were the mysteries. All of the murder investigations and trials (except for the first one) really did an excellent job of keeping me on the edge of my seat.
I wasn't a huge fan on how the game absolutely hammers the message right into your skull after every trial, but it definitely is effective towards the end. I also really do appreciate how ambiguous they left the ending.
A solid little story that I'm glad I played through.
I wasn't a huge fan on how the game absolutely hammers the message right into your skull after every trial, but it definitely is effective towards the end. I also really do appreciate how ambiguous they left the ending.
A solid little story that I'm glad I played through.
This is the best racing game I have ever played.
2004
it's ok
2005
This is without a doubt my all-time favorite shooter of the 2000's, and one of the craziest shooters I have played, period.
The gunplay is incredibly fine tuned, which is no surprise coming from Monolith, who are veterans of the FPS genre. Each weapon, even the more generic ones like the SMG and assault rifle, has so much kick to them, not to mention all of the stunning particle effects that come flying out of anything you point your gun towards.
The selling point for me, however is definite the enemy AI. It's not incredibly advanced like a lot of people will have you believe, but it uses a lot of really cool tricks and works exceptionally well with the level design. It's thanks to AI that makes each shootout in the game so interesting and dynamic, and can even pan out differently on each playthrough.
I highly recommend this to anyone who is remotely interested in playing older shooter games, and I definitely recommend playing on either one of the two highest difficulty settings in order to get the best out of the enemy AI.
The gunplay is incredibly fine tuned, which is no surprise coming from Monolith, who are veterans of the FPS genre. Each weapon, even the more generic ones like the SMG and assault rifle, has so much kick to them, not to mention all of the stunning particle effects that come flying out of anything you point your gun towards.
The selling point for me, however is definite the enemy AI. It's not incredibly advanced like a lot of people will have you believe, but it uses a lot of really cool tricks and works exceptionally well with the level design. It's thanks to AI that makes each shootout in the game so interesting and dynamic, and can even pan out differently on each playthrough.
I highly recommend this to anyone who is remotely interested in playing older shooter games, and I definitely recommend playing on either one of the two highest difficulty settings in order to get the best out of the enemy AI.