New Shadow Warrior from Hard Reset devs - out now

[Valestein]

As for Blood... I'd be happy with a "Redux" version of Blood. No remake, no reboot, just a "Redux" version and that's it.

+1

I'd love for a Blood version of the Duke 3d "Megaton Edition" or (the real) Shadow Warrior's "Classic Redux" to be released on Steam.

 

[sea]

Remember that there are four SSam games: SSam First Encounter, SSam Second Encounter (a direct sequel to FE), Serious Sam 2 and Serious Sam 3.

Most people think of FE and SE as one game, especially since that is exactly what Serious Sam "Gold" is. Serious Sam 2 is an abomination you do not want to touch, ever. Serious Sam 3 is a mix between modern Call of Medal of Warfare Ops-shooter and old-school SSam gameplay.

The "old-school" claim with SSam stems from the sheer number of enemies it can (and will) throw at you: Ever since Quake was released there's been a steady decline in the number of enemies in a game, Serious Sam defied that trend by adding LOADS MORE. The final level of SSam: SE throws about 1200 enemies at you IIRC, the final level of SSam 3 throws 1800 enemies at you.

As for Blood... I'd be happy with a "Redux" version of Blood. No remake, no reboot, just a "Redux" version and that's it.

Serious Sam: The Second Encounter was actually surprisingly different too. It had much more open and non-linear level design, and while it arguably wasn't really "better" it was certainly a different take on things. I don't think Serious Sam 2 is that bad, I think a lot of people mostly dislike the art style changes, while Serious Sam 3 is mostly a return to form after the first few levels (but it takes about 1/3 the game to truly get there again). The series has had ups and downs and most of it seems to be a result of the developer trying to mix up the formula rather than churn the same game out over again - it worked in The Second Encounter, but if it hadn't, would we still be looking at Serious Sam so fondly, I wonder?

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Serious Sam: The Second Encounter was actually surprisingly different too. It had much more open and non-linear level design, and while it arguably wasn't really "better" it was certainly a different take on things. I don't think Serious Sam 2 is that bad, I think a lot of people mostly dislike the art style changes, while Serious Sam 3 is mostly a return to form after the first few levels (but it takes about 1/3 the game to truly get there again). The series has had ups and downs and most of it seems to be a result of the developer trying to mix up the formula rather than churn the same game out over again - it worked in The Second Encounter, but if it hadn't, would we still be looking at Serious Sam so fondly, I wonder?

The Second Encounter was what I call a "straight-up" sequel, which is when the development time is only a year or so. A year gives the developers time to learn from their mistakes, look at what fans and reviewers said and act on it where needed, and add only minimal new content but all without straying too far from the established formula. Some of the best sequels ever made were done in this way. Eye of the Beholder 2, Doom 2, Fallout 2, just to name some examples. I consider SE to be the best Serious Sam game out there, it's challenging, varied, interesting level design and just about the right length, even though the final level can be VERY draining.

Now, as for Serious Sam 2... I don't mind the art style changes that much. It's everything else. The levels are MUCH smaller than in any other Serious Sam game (excluding perhaps the Next Encounter, a console-only title I've yet had a chance to play) and there are invisible walls all over the place as well. Serious Sam FE and SE were praised for their freedom of movement, you could walk out into the desert in FE, you could easily be thrown out of the level boundaries on one early level in SE (so easily in fact that there are bounders all around the map to get you back into the action) but in SSam 2 you'll run into the level boundaries almost smack-on. Only the medieval level has really large areas.

The weapons are... pathetic. All of them. There's a rotary shotgun that's just as effective at point-blank range and picking off distant targets. The Minigun feels like it's nibbling at your ammo instead of chewing through it. They all just feel wrong.

The enemies are just as pathetic. Most of them die if you as much as glance at them. What's worse, while SSam2 claims to have dozens of enemy types, the truth is much worse. There are certain "archetypes" of enemies, and then there are versions of those archetypes for each world. Kamikaze bombers become bomb-wielding clowns on unicycles in the Oriental World, for example. Melee enemies, weak cannon fodder, fast-moving medium troops, big mothas, etc. All have several vareties of them, none of them feel unique in any way.

The humour and cuteness is over the top. SSam has always has humour, but this feels like Serious Kitty: The Greeting. That NETRISCA now talks, and NEVER seems to shut up, is also a downpoint. Do I have to mention the "EXTRA LIIIIIFFE!" sound to make people twitch in horror?

The new vehicles sounded interesting, but the fun was lost for me when I realized that none of the cool tire-based vehicles that were shown in the tech demos made the cut.

SSam 2 is a huge departure from what makes the SSam games stand out. It does explain somewhat why 4 years passed between SSam 2 and another SSam game was released (which turned out to be the HD releases of FE and SE) and another 2 more years until a new title was released (SSam 3).

EDIT: Typo, meant SE, not FE.

 

[Dayyālu]

I'm probably the only one, but I really liked Hard Reset. It's like Serious Sam, only shorter and not as repetitive

Plus, whether you like its graphical effects or not, Hard Reset had awesome art design. It did Blade Runner rip off better than any other game.

I "liked" Hard reset too. It's a game that go in the well defined 7/10 vote bracket: it has some problems, but in the end it's kind of fun. However, the art style for me was a minus: incredibly bland and soulless, standard-blade-runneresque. This reflected into the enemy design, quite soulless too: in Hard Reset you do not remeber or identify enemies visually, but by attack patterns. Sadly, there are only four-five different "enemy patterns" : swarm, "chargers", Standard Long Range or HtH enemy and Artillery Platforms. Limited...

Saying that Hard Reset or SS have a comparable level design to a modern shooter is quite incorrect: SS often tries to spice up gameplay with some weirdly designed arenas, while Hard Reset keeps a bit too much with "corridor-Standard Arena". That said, some of the Hard Reset arenas are kind of well designed: I remember the parking lot and the metro entrance hall. Sure, they're not Barrels O' Fun or 'O' of Destruction!....

The only thing that interested me was the story, but not enough that I want to sit down and plod through the whole game.

Hard Reset is worthy 3 or 4 euros if you find it at that price.Things get spiced up a bit, and some boss fights are interesting. The plot is a incoherent mess, however. It's an... afterthought.
Is SS3 worthy of a buy if found at bargain price? Or even, worthy of money without Special Discounts?

 

[Unkillable Cat]

I got Hard Reset from the Humble Retro Shooter Bundle, so $6 for that, Duke Nukem 3D Megaton and Shadow Warrior Redux was a good deal for me.

SSam 3... I'd say it's worth $5 at the most. It starts slow, but picks up as you get through the first 5 levels or so. The DLC is alright as well if you enjoyed the full game, worth a buck or so.

 

[DalekFlay]

Played the first two levels of this and it's actually not that bad. Fast-paced action, great mouse aim, well-hidden secrets and huge FOV with option for even higher. There is too much bloom for many people I am sure, but there is a particle effects option which I assume lowers it. On the secrets front I went to some pretty off the beaten path areas and still only got 4 of 8, it's not as retard proof as Hard Reset.

Few issues of course. The star of the game is too loaded with cutscenes, but by the end of level 2 it is getting a little better. Hopefully they are more and more limited. Secondly the magic is done with double key-taps, as in WW and LMB for a charge attack, or DD and RMB for healing. It works surprisingly well but definitely takes some getting used to. Lastly while the areas are much more open feeling than Hard Reset they are still pretty small and linear compared to old shooters.

Combat is pretty fun. They definitely put you in larger areas and then have enemies swarm you, but it's a tried and true formula. The pistol aiming seemed weird at first but then I bought the accuracy upgrade and it felt fine. Oh yeah, it has a massive upgrade system... money upgrades weapons, karma upgrades skills, hidden crystals upgrade magic, as far as I can tell. I kept picking up hundreds in karma but still had zero on the upgrade screen, not sure if that is a bug or what. If you hate upgrading you will LOATHE these screens with tons of options on them, but for me it's a nice feature. I got health bonuses first, I like staying alive. Sword is great, enemies actually block and force you to use power attacks, sprinting to a gunner and chopping him in half feels satisfying. Sword might be overpowered actually.

All in all this is worth a try at some point, I think, depending on how much you hate bloom and upgrade systems.

 

[DalekFlay]

Check this out:



You guys should be supporting this game, it's great.

 

[xemous]

shadow warrior redux is unplayable for me. they did not fix the mouse aiming. it's not better than the jfsw port.

 

[chestburster]

You guys should be supporting this game, it's great.

It's indeed pretty awesome.

The sword is too OP though, once you unlock the HP-leech skill. --See a bunch of enemy, perform a 360 swipe, kills enemies and instantly gain full HP. Makes the guns redundant.

 

[DalekFlay]

The pistol seems utterly pointless compared to the sword but once I got dual-SMGs I really enjoyed the shooting. It seems to mow people down quick, and was essential on the first boss I thought.

5 out of 5 secrets on level 2 . Some of them are really tricky to spot and half of them are wrapped inside a neat easter egg kind of moment, be it stuff form the original Shadow Warrior or nice new dialog and such. This game has my full fucking attention, seriously.

 

[chestburster]

This game has my full fucking attention, seriously.

Yeah even the dialogues are surprisingly fun, intentionally campy in a good way. I giggled so hard at some of the fortune cookie notes.

 

[Ninja Destroyer]

I wonder if the bloom can be totally turned off, via editing config files. It looks good, but I don't want another Oblivion experience.

 

[skacky]

Yeah that game is full of easter eggs. I found a remake of Seppuku Station in the second level with Godzilla in the distance. The fortune cookies are hilarious too.
Funny thing: if you see two rabbits fucking, kill the one that's receiving and the other one will still fuck in the air.

I seriously did not expect this game to be this good.

 

[DalekFlay]

Waterfall secret at the end of Chapter 3 was a bitch.

 

[Valestein]

You guys should be supporting this game, it's great.

Not supporting the butchering of Lo Wang, sorry.

 

[bonescraper]

Classy.

 

[DalekFlay]

Not supporting the butchering of Lo Wang, sorry.

IDENTICAL OR DIE!!! Right, bro?

 

[BaconAndEggs]

Looks like Wang's coming for you.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Sad lore rape of Lo Wang's poignant tale

I would have D1P if they gave me a bigger discount coupon. I'm not falling for your 10% bait, Gaben! Splinter Cell Blackcock was released the other day and it's already 25% off.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

My two Shadow Warrior coupons expired yesterday. Suddenly I find myself owning two identical coupons that expire a month from now.

Still not gonna buy it, at least not the foreseeable future.

 

[DalekFlay]

Up to chapter 6 now. Two things to add:

1) Cutscenes go WAY down in frequency. Like one per level, if that, after the intro scenes.

2) Levels get much larger with more branching pathways. Starting around chapter 3 you'll get larger areas with multiple hallways, open spaces, etc. Chapter 5 introduces a large area you must hunt for keys in and things like that. And there are always secret areas to look for, many of them behind longer, branching pathways. It's good stuff.

Shooter of the year, at least.

 

[sexbad?]

I'm hoping you're right. The introductory area looks terrible, but I always have hope that any game will prove itself.

Unfortunately I'm on a PC that can barely handle the SHADERZ that Hard Reset used, so I probably can't get Shadow Warrior to run either. Shame too, since I'm on their PR company's reviewer list, so I could probably get a copy for free if I promised to make a video about it that I probably won't be able to.

 

[DefJam101]

Game apparently hates AMD drivers and has some definite problems but is otherwise pretty fun.

Will post impressions once I can finish it but all you need to know right now is that despite everything you've seen pre-release the game is actually not completely terrible. Depending on how it goes later on (and in "EX Mode") it might even be good.

 

[Valestein]

Not supporting the butchering of Lo Wang, sorry.

IDENTICAL OR DIE!!! Right, bro?

Nah, just don't support watered down politically correct trash.

 

[Boleskine]

Mostly positive vibes for this game around the web from what I've seen.