I'm a storied gamist, but stealth is not my forte. So please take this review with a grain of salt, as I may not know of what I speak. This review could be blasphemy.
Requiem is bigger than its predecessor, Innocence, in every conceivable fashion. It's longer, it's prettier, it's more bombastic, and it's broader in scope.
Is this a good thing? .. ehhhh..
Here's the thing. Innocence was a beautiful surprise. A deliberately designed stealth game that felt lovingly crafted from beginning to end. Each level was nicely contained, each stealth section felt like there was a set way to go about it, and the pacing was pretty airtight.
In blowing everything up a notch, Requiem loses some of that focus. Particularly around the middle of the game, it's just TOO big. I found myself dreading certain stealth sections. I'd load into a mountain valley, and I'd see no less than 10 patrolling scouts in the distance, and there'd generally be very little innovation on display. I'd know I'd have no choice but to throw a rock, distract four of them, and then WAIT. Stealth should be about being proactive, and thinking ahead. It shouldn't be about sitting and waiting.
Combat is a little hairy as well. The game's got all of these systems in place.. crafting, upgrades, skills. And yet none of it matters. This is a gripe I had with the original game as well. You stress over finding all of the pieces, the tools, the resources, so that you can stay on top of the gameplay. But if the game ever NEEDS you to have something, it'll just hand it to you. It's much ado about nothing. You burn yourself out searching every nook and cranny for a certain type of ammunition, and boy is it placed sparingly, and you think man this is going to be rough.. then you round a corner and there's an encounter, so they immediately give you more than you can carry.
What it all amounts to is this sense that, while the game has numerous excellent ideas, and while each individual component is engineered with a striking amount of polish, none of it fits together in a way that feels like you're playing a good old video game. It's more of a tech demo, and an astonishing bit of experimentation.
Which isn't all bad! I mean I'm not giving this thing a failing grade, here. This game is CRAZY! The narrative, the graphical fidelity, the risks it takes in so many ways. It's truly a sight to behold, and it really is an experience that you should have if you're at all interested in playing. The story of Amicia and Hugo will take you to some seriously drastic places, and the devs relish in every opportunity to show off a little along the way. There is some imagery towards the end that would've made Kubrick blush.
Anywho. I'm not a stealth gamer so. Don't listen to me.
Requiem is bigger than its predecessor, Innocence, in every conceivable fashion. It's longer, it's prettier, it's more bombastic, and it's broader in scope.
Is this a good thing? .. ehhhh..
Here's the thing. Innocence was a beautiful surprise. A deliberately designed stealth game that felt lovingly crafted from beginning to end. Each level was nicely contained, each stealth section felt like there was a set way to go about it, and the pacing was pretty airtight.
In blowing everything up a notch, Requiem loses some of that focus. Particularly around the middle of the game, it's just TOO big. I found myself dreading certain stealth sections. I'd load into a mountain valley, and I'd see no less than 10 patrolling scouts in the distance, and there'd generally be very little innovation on display. I'd know I'd have no choice but to throw a rock, distract four of them, and then WAIT. Stealth should be about being proactive, and thinking ahead. It shouldn't be about sitting and waiting.
Combat is a little hairy as well. The game's got all of these systems in place.. crafting, upgrades, skills. And yet none of it matters. This is a gripe I had with the original game as well. You stress over finding all of the pieces, the tools, the resources, so that you can stay on top of the gameplay. But if the game ever NEEDS you to have something, it'll just hand it to you. It's much ado about nothing. You burn yourself out searching every nook and cranny for a certain type of ammunition, and boy is it placed sparingly, and you think man this is going to be rough.. then you round a corner and there's an encounter, so they immediately give you more than you can carry.
What it all amounts to is this sense that, while the game has numerous excellent ideas, and while each individual component is engineered with a striking amount of polish, none of it fits together in a way that feels like you're playing a good old video game. It's more of a tech demo, and an astonishing bit of experimentation.
Which isn't all bad! I mean I'm not giving this thing a failing grade, here. This game is CRAZY! The narrative, the graphical fidelity, the risks it takes in so many ways. It's truly a sight to behold, and it really is an experience that you should have if you're at all interested in playing. The story of Amicia and Hugo will take you to some seriously drastic places, and the devs relish in every opportunity to show off a little along the way. There is some imagery towards the end that would've made Kubrick blush.
Anywho. I'm not a stealth gamer so. Don't listen to me.
Reviewed on Dec 17, 2022