Review Restricted Area pulped by Eurogamer

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Restricted Area

<a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/">EuroGamer</a> has posted a <A href="http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=60191">pretty scathing review</a> of <A href="http://www.restricted-area.net">Restricted Area</a>. The score is a <b>4/10</b> and nearly every paragraph pounds something in the game. Here's the conclusion:
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<blockquote>It is, in all, a dreadful game. It's probably an astonishing achievement for the work of two guys. But so would be a space-shuttle launch attempt, and we challenge anyone to volunteer for that space program. The story couldn't be more clichéd, the fighting more tiresome, the dialogue more nonsensical, the graphics more primitive, the acting more wooden. It doesn't matter who makes a game; what matters is whether you'll enjoy playing it. And you won't. Not even it a bit.</blockquote>
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Wow. You know, I have to wonder if this game would have gotten better reviews if it were released as a <b>$20</b> budget game. It's not that good for a full price fair, but I didn't think it was as bad as the recent reviews have said.
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<b>PS to the author:</b> Yes, games in the 1980s, including Atari ST games, most certainly had pathfinding.
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.bluesnews.com">Blue's News</A>

 

[LlamaGod]

complaining about cliched storylines in action RPGs, laffo.

 

[Fez]

I think someone just wanted an excuse to be funny and write a nasty review about a no-name game. They'll have to try harder than that if they want to beat SA.

 

[Stark]

I think someone just wanted an excuse to be funny and write a nasty review about a no-name game. They'll have to try harder than that if they want to beat SA.

Eurogamer is one of the more critical sites around. They tend to write nasty reviews for big-budget games too. check out their review of NWN. As i recall, they were one of the few review sites that pointed out the shortcomings of that game.

 

[RAG]

Eurogamer reviewers are fucking idiots.

From the PS:T review (score 7/10)

It's also a little disappointing that the game has no multiplayer support. After all, it shares an engine with Baldur's Gate, a game which proved that co-operative multiplayer can work in an RPG.

But if you are looking for a single player computer role playing game with a difference, then once the patch is released (which should be any day now) you should definitely check this game out. It's far from perfect, and the casual way it treats death was something of a turn-off for me, but it's still about as good as they come. If nothing else, it should keep you busy until Baldur's Gate II is released!

 

[Nicolai]

Hah, Baldur's Gate's multiplayer was atrocious.

 

[poq]

Eurogamer reviewers are fucking idiots.

From the PS:T review (score 7/10)

It's also a little disappointing that the game has no multiplayer support. After all, it shares an engine with Baldur's Gate, a game which proved that co-operative multiplayer can work in an RPG.

But if you are looking for a single player computer role playing game with a difference, then once the patch is released (which should be any day now) you should definitely check this game out. It's far from perfect, and the casual way it treats death was something of a turn-off for me, but it's still about as good as they come. If nothing else, it should keep you busy until Baldur's Gate II is released!

PST had no multiplayer like they said.
It was amazingly buggy like they said.
It treated death casually like they said(you might like it, the reviewer didnt).

This approach to death may appeal to some people, but for me it made the lives of my characters rather cheap and meaningless. They were just cannon-fodder, and no matter how many times they died I could always bring them back.

Read the review here

ps, it gave the game an 8/10 once it was patched, you dont honestly believe it deserves more do you?
extremely weak combat, buggy, poor graphics(even for isometric games at the time), lacklustre production values and no real difficulty.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

I've never played Torment. I can't buy the fucker in-store down here and I keep meaning to think about looking at e-bay or something.

Anyway, I couldn't get passed the Infinity Engine combat in Baldur's Gate so...

 

[Naked_Lunch]

PST had no multiplayer like they said.

It was single-player game, dolt. Might I mention the horrific multiplay in Baldur's Gate?

ps, it gave the game an 8/10 once it was patched, you dont honestly believe it deserves more do you?

Yes

extremely weak combat

Agreed, but being a mage was cool

buggy

Not for me

poor graphics(even for isometric games at the time

1) RPGs aren't about graphics
2) The graphics were excellent. What, were you expecting OMG PARITKLE EFFECTS W/REAL-TIME SHADOWS?!

lacklustre production values

Are you shitting me? The music is excellent, the writing top-notch, well developed levels and characters. How is that a sign of lacklustre production values?

 

[EEVIAC]

DU - You can buy Planescape in Australia for $19.95 at Games Warehouse.

 

[poq]

It was single-player game, dolt.

Might I mention the horrific multiplay in Baldur's Gate?

It was sufficient to have enjoyable co-op play.

Yes

Then you must be blind

]Not for me

Tough titty, the reviewer found it awesomely buggy, was he meant to review your special install of the game that was amazingly, not buggy?

More evidence of being blind

1) RPGs aren't about graphics
2) The graphics were excellent. What, were you expecting OMG PARITKLE EFFECTS W/REAL-TIME SHADOWS?!

1) That negates the point how? Some people like their games to be pretty(or in the case of IWD 1, positively beautiful in area's), in fact most people are graphics whores.
2) The graphics were bland and claustrophobic, even in open air area's, compare it to IWD1/BG1 and it's obvious it could have been better.

Are you shitting me? The music is excellent, the writing top-notch, well developed levels and characters. How is that a sign of lacklustre production values?

Music was great, the tiny amount of it there was.

FMV's were varying, with some being laughably bad, same for voices.
Writing was great, but let down at times by buggy dialogue tree's.


The only things PST had going for it was the great writing(probably the best in any game I've played, foillowed by bloodlines) and the fact it was based in Sigil.


If all you care about is writing and location, then sure say PST was the best game ever and deserved 10/10, just dont be an idiot and expect anyone other than people who share the same opinions to agree, and in case you didnt notice, eurogamer isnt, and never has been, about "hardcore" crpg's and will mark a game on all things, even those you deem unimportant or frivolous.

 

[Naked_Lunch]

1) That negates the point how? Some people like their games to be pretty(or in the case of IWD 1, positively beautiful in area's), in fact most people are graphics whores.

Good for them, I'm not. I don't play an RPG to masturbate over the graphics. Some people do and that's why they are dumbfucks.

It was sufficient to have enjoyable co-op play.

No. One pause-happy player and you're screwed for life. Not to mention that it would negate all the role-playing oppurtunites and basically slow the game down.

Music was great, the tiny amount of it there was.

Are you fucking deaf? The music was playing all the time, it was just ambient.

 

[poq]

No. One pause-happy player and you're screwed for life. Not to mention that it would negate all the role-playing oppurtunites and basically slow the game down.

I only ever played BG1/2 online with friends, dont see why you would even consider playing it with a random stranger.

Are you fucking deaf? The music was playing all the time, it was just ambient.

yeah baby!

"Music was great, the tiny amount of it there was."

How can you misunderstand that to be "Music was great, the tiny amount of time it got played"?

It's kind of obvious what the difference is, and what I meant.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

ps, it gave the game an 8/10 once it was patched, you dont honestly believe it deserves more do you?

I do, and I think PS:T was over hyped.

extremely weak combat, buggy, poor graphics(even for isometric games at the time), lacklustre production values and no real difficulty.

Poor graphics? It's graphics beat the SHIT out of the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale games. The Nameless One's sprite probably had more detail on it than all the BG sprites combined.

 

[Fez]

Torment had great art. It was one of it's most striking features.

 

[poq]

ps, it gave the game an 8/10 once it was patched, you dont honestly believe it deserves more do you?

I do, and I think PS:T was over hyped.

I suppose you also think 8 and 9's should be handed out like candy, and a 10/10 should happen often enough?

Poor graphics? It's graphics beat the SHIT out of the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale games. The Nameless One's sprite probably had more detail on it than all the BG sprites combined.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

I think Torment's art was definetely good, but not totally different from IE games. I think the difference falls on how it was used, especially the uniqueness of all party NPCs and the size of the sprites. These two elements really made the art very noticeable and detailed. It truly came alive, and was much more immersive than Baldur's Gate distanced point of view and toy soldiers by comparison. Black Isle did a great job in trying to make characters feel distinct for the most part. No party NPC lives up to any Baldur's Gate party NPC in terms of art (and also in character depth, but that's a different story) and animation.

But I'd still say that overall, at core, both games were on solid ground and were equally beautiful. Baldur's Gate 2 does have an advantage for the simple fact that there was more to it. Vampires, liches, dragons, golems, trolls... Even the expansion added creatures well made and animated, such as the Fire Giants and the ever powerful Demogorgon.

 

[poq]

I think Torment's art was definetely good, but not totally different from IE games. I think the difference falls on how it was used, especially the uniqueness of all party NPCs and the size of the sprites. These two elements really made the art very noticeable and detailed. It truly came alive, and was much more immersive than Baldur's Gate distanced point of view and toy soldiers by comparison. Black Isle did a great job in trying to make characters feel distinct for the most part. No party NPC lives up to any Baldur's Gate party NPC in terms of art (and also in character depth, but that's a different story) and animation.

But I'd still say that overall, at core, both games were on solid ground and were equally beautiful. Baldur's Gate 2 does have an advantage for the simple fact that there was more to it. Vampires, liches, dragons, golems, trolls... Even the expansion added creatures well made and animated, such as the Fire Giants and the ever powerful Demogorgon.

Fair enough, perhaps its a case of you say tum-ate-O, I say tom-ah-toe etc.

I just found myself unimpressed with the backdrop of Sigil, and some of the other area's.

 

[Sandelfron]

...

Amusing forum card by the way.

 

[Atrokkus]

Baldur's Gate 2 does have an advantage for the simple fact that there was more to it. Vampires, liches, dragons, golems, trolls... Even the expansion added creatures well made and animated, such as the Fire Giants and the ever powerful Demogorgon.

BG2 had OUTSTANDINg art, but more focused on scenery rather than on characters. I was kinda disappointed with player character models, but some of the monsters and unique characters were just FUCKING awesome, like Irenicus, vampires (much more style than those of NWN, for instance), liches, Slayer and dragons.
But the jewel of BG2's art are the sceneries... Just look at Druid Grove, Athkatla city, vampire lair, etc etc... Just beautiful.
Icewind Dale 1 was stunning as well. The scenery and especially the portraits...

Torment is very stylish. Its atmosphere and setting alone are just phenomenal. The graphic design was great, also: characters were all very very elaborated, and the animations were very nice, more like 3d.

All those games are based on one and only infinity engine. And, graphic wise, it is quite mediocre and very dependent on the implementation. And in those 3 games, implementation was SUPERB, thus making those games MUCH graphically-attractive than NWN, which has a far superior engine and, well, was released quite a while afterwards.
I mean, just look at those monotone and boring tilesets in NWN... and then compare it to the outstandingly detailed prerendered backgrounds from BG2, IWD and Torment!

ANd you were saying that IE-games sucked at graphics!

And, of course, graphics are nice, but must not be the first-priority in RPG. It's good when they are beautiful, but it's far better when the actual RPG elements are well-developed, even at the cost of graphics

Might I mention the horrific multiplay in Baldur's Gate?

Lunchie, I actually recommend you play it with friends - lots of fun guaranteed! I tried - it's really good, despite what it might seem.
Of ocurse, only with friends, not just a random match-up on some shitty interente server..

 

[Drakron]

The biggest issue with PS:T was if you did not like the setting there was no way you could enjoy the game much.

I did not like Sigil so it was a pain, I expected it moved to more diverse areas and intead I just end up in areas that looked exactly as Sigil.

So saying the "atmosphere and setting alone are just phenomenal" is a buch of crap, the Planescape setting never taken off and from my time in Wizards forums I realized that the setting was a really a "love it or hate it" and it seens most people hated, I know that I did not liked PS:T background much.

And as a RPG PS:T was pretty shitty.

 

[Atrokkus]

And as a RPG PS:T was pretty shitty.

Whoo how come?
Care to elaborate?

The biggest issue with PS:T was if you did not like the setting there was no way you could enjoy the game much.

Well, maybe true, i dunno.
But hey - it applies to many games. Some people despise any game that is based on medieval-like setting. Or if someone hates DnD he wouldn't play any of IE games.

orums I realized that the setting was a really a "love it or hate it" and it seens most people hated,

Hah. So typical. Listening to popular opinion.
Well, many people say that RPG is for geeks and gays, would you agree?

, I know that I did not liked PS:T background much.

That's okay.
Tastes differ.
Nobody forces you to like or hate PS:T, but at the same time, you shouldn't put labels on it.

 

[Drakron]

You dont get why its a shitty RPG?

Lets see ...

First there is no character customization, you get stuck with that ugly mug and you cannot even select diferent equipment later, you play a half nude scarred ugly that manages to miss all swords and staffs in the multi universe (only thing he can use is daggers, hammers, axes and clubs).

Not to say there is only ONE NPC capable of using ranged weapons, I guess the Nameless One also managed to miss all the ranged weapons in the multi universe.

Second the game HEAVLY pushes for having high Wis and Int stats, you miss A LOT if you dont have high stats in those fields.

Third, combat is a mixed bag ... in many cases its a joke as on others its hard as hell (I am looking at you Crust guards).

Fouth, death is not a issue ... you die and 99% of the time changes are you are repawned in some area.

I mean serious ... they could turn the damn thing into a adventure game and it would play 90% the same.

PS:T is a incredible shitty RPG, if they taken the dialogue out of the game we would all be saying it.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

First there is no character customization, you get stuck with that ugly mug and you cannot even select diferent equipment later, you play a half nude scarred ugly that manages to miss all swords and staffs in the multi universe (only thing he can use is daggers, hammers, axes and clubs).

There is character customization as far as statistics and such goes.

Fouth, death is not a issue ... you die and 99% of the time changes are you are repawned in some area.

Death isn't that big of an issue in a CRPG anyway if you save often. At least PS:T made this a fairly interesting part of the game.

In fact, I wouldn't mind seeing more CRPGs where you were immortal if the game called for you to be immortal. I'm not sure how VtM actually handles death, but I never liked how you could get shot to death in Bloodlines or beaten up to death. I also thought it was rather silly that you could die in Revenant, when I'm pretty sure revenants don't die.

 

[Naked_Lunch]

I also thought it was rather silly that you could die in Revenant, when I'm pretty sure revenants don't die.

I always wondered about that, too. I have the manual somewhere, I'll have to root around for it and see if that sheds some light on this pressing issue.

Fun game, btw.