Review Restricted Area so-so to GameRevolution

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Restricted Area

<A href="http://gamerevolution.com/">Game Revolution</a> has written <A href="http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/pc/restricted_area">a review</a> of <a href="http://www.restricted-area.net">Restricted Area</a>. They score the game a <b>C-</b> and seem to mention that the game was made by two guys a lot. Anyway, here's the clip:
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<blockquote>It’s a little weird, though, that you can just swap body parts on the fly without visiting a hospital. Find a new heart on the floor? Just pop it in. Mmmmm… sanitary. Likewise, some of the random missions feel wrong. Steal a prototype from a rival factory? Sure. But why is the "factory" a broken wreck full of mutants (like the last five locations), instead of a clean facility full of workers and guards? Probably because two guys programmed the whole damn game.</blockquote>
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Yup, I kind of wondered about the cyber organ thing myself. You can kind of see how you can change armor on the fly in fantasy games, but plucking an eye out and replacing it is a little different.
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EDITED on September 11(!), 2008 by Elwro: folks from GameRevolution contacted us to change the links to their site.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Personally, that never bothered me too much.

 

[Fez]

Planescape Torment managed to have somewhat believeable eye-plucking fit in with the setting. You could always use the "it's magic/nanotech" excuse.

 

[Sol Invictus]

In Deus Ex, you couldn't change your modifications because they were really quite permanent, much like plucking your eye out or pulling a finger out in Planescape Torment required some 'effort'. RA's pretty ridiculous in that aspect. Your ship should at least have some kind of medical chamber for you to perform those procedures.

 

[obediah]

dude, nanobots.

Switching eyes on the fly doesn't seem as bad as carrying around 19 legs.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Plus, the Nameless One could replace organs and limbs because his body regenerated considerably faster.

 

[Claw]

I believe I whined about that on tubgirl quite a while ago. I could have done with a little more RPG and a little less Diablo clone.


Did I say tubgirl? I meant NMA.

 

[Jed]

I have a far easier time believing my PC could swap out nanotech organs and limbs on the fly than I do believing that my PC in pretty much any fantasy game can carry 12 spears, 3 sets of full plate, 8 bows, 4 swords, etc., while fighting and kicking the collective asses of 800 orcs.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I could have done with a little more RPG and a little less Diablo clone.

I could have used a little more something in the game. When I was playing it, it kept feeling like I was waiting for something new and big to happen that just never actually happenned.

 

[4too]

Retro Futurism

Retro Futurism



Magic this and nanotech that ...

I don't see in the review how a player is orientated to this alternate sandbox.

Is the upgrade system explained in the game, on the box, or in the CD notes?

Or does the player character grab up the 'power ups' ... on the fly.

Or is it the more retro, a 'story' that explains the setting in the player guide that one does not read on their way to finding the key board assignments?

How does one know this is a nanotech endowed universe?

Is this clearly stated science fiction magic or hypothetical assumption by the reviewer and those in this thread? Are the domains of doubt and uncertainty rigidly assigned or is it a cavalcade of player provided 'free associations'?

If this is 'local' imagination coping with a vague game world, it has more to do with "let's pretend', and that's truly more 'retro' than the hastily contrived explanations that were thrown at us in the shovelware of the past.

"Let's pretend" on the level of pointing your finger and saying ""Bang bang"".

This Action RPG whether an actual game or a 'pretend' game, our imaginary friends
will let us know. Mine cal me on a ring-less cell phone these days, how about yours?

What do the 'voices in our heads' tell us about RA? Magic or nanotech? William Giibson, Mel Gibson, or -- diabolic -- retreading of dungeons and dragons.




4too