Vault Dweller
Commissar, Red Star Studio
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2003
- Messages
- 28,035
Tags: Akella; Metalheart: Replicants Rampage
<a href=http://www.metalheart.ru>Metalheart</a>, an isometric, turn-based, Fallout-wannabe game is out in Russia, and here is <a href=http://www.metalheart.ru/forumen/viewtopic.php?t=82&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0>the first, not overly positive impression</a>:
<br>
<br>
<blockquote>Part 1. Negative:
<br>
<br>
1. minor bugs with movement, dialogs, save-loading, (but still it’s Ok for the version 1.0
<br>
2. missing descriptions of objects, actions, special abilities,
<br>
3. cumbersome and boring (and SUICIDALY boring with slow-moving character) movement across local map,
<br>
4. absence of interacting objects on map,
<br>
5. Unbalanced experience-gaining system (all exp for quests goes for the single character - his level rockets while others stagnant),
<br>
6. Luck of personal character story, luck of personality of characters and inter-character relations. ((I doubt that Baldurs Gate 2 characters relations will be surpassed in the near future. I’ve never forgot ranger Minsk with his immortal “Would you like to see my Boo?†(he was eager to show his hamster Boo to one of female character.)) In the Metal heart there are only scripted dialog scenes.
<br>
7. The single interacting person - Lanthan Signi , the rest of the team will keep silence unless scripted. (they simply "mouthless" - you will see as the game comes to you) You will never know how they talk to others or to each other, how others reacts on them and so on (Don’t mention Fallout, BG2, even in JA2 all characters had ability to talk)
<br>
8. As usial there are 2-3 guns wich render all of the rest useless
<br>
9. Impossible (probably correct is: "very difficult") to understand how the game mechanic reacts on most attributes changes (exept strength and dexterity)
<br>
10. Stange bug happens from time-to-time: NPS refuses to talk to you. (at first i've thought it is scripted) Remedy: Save-Load.
<br>
<br>
Can’t decide linear/non linear story yet, but i have gloomy suspicions.
<br>
<br>
Part 2. Positive:
<br>
<br>
1. Lots of FEDEX quests, but they well-structured and separated from story-line ones.
<br>
2. Ammo issue: At last! There is scarce ammo
<br>
3. There is a long-long waited Fallout atmosphere: ghouls and scorpions - comes directly from times of Chosen One
<br>
<br>
In a whole - not the least RPG.
<br>
<br>
(And one little remark. I've 1.0 Russian DVD version. StarForce protection - be ready it still has bugs)
<br>
Will cont. with description tomorrow.
<br>
<br>
Part 3. Next 6 hours of gameplay.
<br>
<br>
Fuck, Damn, ..... (and smth. entirely unspeakable) The game may lasts for eternity: 60, 120, 240, 480 ..... hours of gameplay. The trick is simple: to scroll the location from one end to other takes 2 seconds, to cross the location with slow moving asshole cyborg takes 5-6 minutes !!! Player have to cross 2-8 locations for every guest. 6x8 =48 min for one story-line guest. 2x6 = 12 min for simple fedex quest. And travelling takes all this time - Brilliant!
<br>
<br>
Transportation between zones (maps) is via active zones, like Fallout. As human characters twice as fast as cyborg and there is NO POSSIBILITY to enter a building without ALL team at the SAME active zone it was absolutely necessary to kill poor cyborg. It is also absolutely necessary to kill the mega-brain who designed every building as separate zone.
<br>
Poor cyborg But now it takes only 2-3 min to cross location
<br>
<br>
I partialy take back my words about exp. gaining system. Now correct phrase is: "Unbalanced experience-gaining system (Sometimes all exp for quests goes for the single character - his level rockets while others stagnant)
<br>
<br>
Linear or non-linear? Haven't happened to meet any "need-decision" situation yet.
<br>
<br>
There are funny gags sometimes. Good. (especially when you press "+" on numpad)
<br>
<br>
NEW IMPRESSIONS ( 4d day)
<br>
1. "scarce ammo" thing gone bad. There is vurtialy unlimited money, and you can buy as much ammo as you want - there are no limits on stack in one slot.
<br>
2. I've load old save and find cure for poor cyborg. "Fast movement" system has no effect on main characters but does have on cyborg. (but "it" still can't run) Travelling time has redused to 4 min. for large map! (still tooooo long)
<br>
3. Linear. No choise ever is to be made by your characters.
<br>
4. Good story-line (formed by chain of VERY simple quests). Nice postapocalyptic setting.
<br>
5. Still can't manage to anderstand the meaning of 2/3 of attributes. Seems that they simply useless. </blockquote>As expected. Anyway, I posted the entire review in case it will be moved later on.
<br>
<br>
In unrelated post-apoc news, <a href=http://www.nma-fallout.com/>NMA</a> has <a href=http://www.nma-fallout.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15021>3 more Fallout 3 design docs</a> for your amusement: a bunker, a raiders' place, and a tribal place.
<br>
<br>
<br>
Thanks, <b>RGE</b> for scouting, and <b>bodhi-sa</b> for writing the review
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<a href=http://www.metalheart.ru>Metalheart</a>, an isometric, turn-based, Fallout-wannabe game is out in Russia, and here is <a href=http://www.metalheart.ru/forumen/viewtopic.php?t=82&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0>the first, not overly positive impression</a>:
<br>
<br>
<blockquote>Part 1. Negative:
<br>
<br>
1. minor bugs with movement, dialogs, save-loading, (but still it’s Ok for the version 1.0
<br>
2. missing descriptions of objects, actions, special abilities,
<br>
3. cumbersome and boring (and SUICIDALY boring with slow-moving character) movement across local map,
<br>
4. absence of interacting objects on map,
<br>
5. Unbalanced experience-gaining system (all exp for quests goes for the single character - his level rockets while others stagnant),
<br>
6. Luck of personal character story, luck of personality of characters and inter-character relations. ((I doubt that Baldurs Gate 2 characters relations will be surpassed in the near future. I’ve never forgot ranger Minsk with his immortal “Would you like to see my Boo?†(he was eager to show his hamster Boo to one of female character.)) In the Metal heart there are only scripted dialog scenes.
<br>
7. The single interacting person - Lanthan Signi , the rest of the team will keep silence unless scripted. (they simply "mouthless" - you will see as the game comes to you) You will never know how they talk to others or to each other, how others reacts on them and so on (Don’t mention Fallout, BG2, even in JA2 all characters had ability to talk)
<br>
8. As usial there are 2-3 guns wich render all of the rest useless
<br>
9. Impossible (probably correct is: "very difficult") to understand how the game mechanic reacts on most attributes changes (exept strength and dexterity)
<br>
10. Stange bug happens from time-to-time: NPS refuses to talk to you. (at first i've thought it is scripted) Remedy: Save-Load.
<br>
<br>
Can’t decide linear/non linear story yet, but i have gloomy suspicions.
<br>
<br>
Part 2. Positive:
<br>
<br>
1. Lots of FEDEX quests, but they well-structured and separated from story-line ones.
<br>
2. Ammo issue: At last! There is scarce ammo
<br>
3. There is a long-long waited Fallout atmosphere: ghouls and scorpions - comes directly from times of Chosen One
<br>
<br>
In a whole - not the least RPG.
<br>
<br>
(And one little remark. I've 1.0 Russian DVD version. StarForce protection - be ready it still has bugs)
<br>
Will cont. with description tomorrow.
<br>
<br>
Part 3. Next 6 hours of gameplay.
<br>
<br>
Fuck, Damn, ..... (and smth. entirely unspeakable) The game may lasts for eternity: 60, 120, 240, 480 ..... hours of gameplay. The trick is simple: to scroll the location from one end to other takes 2 seconds, to cross the location with slow moving asshole cyborg takes 5-6 minutes !!! Player have to cross 2-8 locations for every guest. 6x8 =48 min for one story-line guest. 2x6 = 12 min for simple fedex quest. And travelling takes all this time - Brilliant!
<br>
<br>
Transportation between zones (maps) is via active zones, like Fallout. As human characters twice as fast as cyborg and there is NO POSSIBILITY to enter a building without ALL team at the SAME active zone it was absolutely necessary to kill poor cyborg. It is also absolutely necessary to kill the mega-brain who designed every building as separate zone.
<br>
Poor cyborg But now it takes only 2-3 min to cross location
<br>
<br>
I partialy take back my words about exp. gaining system. Now correct phrase is: "Unbalanced experience-gaining system (Sometimes all exp for quests goes for the single character - his level rockets while others stagnant)
<br>
<br>
Linear or non-linear? Haven't happened to meet any "need-decision" situation yet.
<br>
<br>
There are funny gags sometimes. Good. (especially when you press "+" on numpad)
<br>
<br>
NEW IMPRESSIONS ( 4d day)
<br>
1. "scarce ammo" thing gone bad. There is vurtialy unlimited money, and you can buy as much ammo as you want - there are no limits on stack in one slot.
<br>
2. I've load old save and find cure for poor cyborg. "Fast movement" system has no effect on main characters but does have on cyborg. (but "it" still can't run) Travelling time has redused to 4 min. for large map! (still tooooo long)
<br>
3. Linear. No choise ever is to be made by your characters.
<br>
4. Good story-line (formed by chain of VERY simple quests). Nice postapocalyptic setting.
<br>
5. Still can't manage to anderstand the meaning of 2/3 of attributes. Seems that they simply useless. </blockquote>As expected. Anyway, I posted the entire review in case it will be moved later on.
<br>
<br>
In unrelated post-apoc news, <a href=http://www.nma-fallout.com/>NMA</a> has <a href=http://www.nma-fallout.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15021>3 more Fallout 3 design docs</a> for your amusement: a bunker, a raiders' place, and a tribal place.
<br>
<br>
<br>
Thanks, <b>RGE</b> for scouting, and <b>bodhi-sa</b> for writing the review
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
