Clive Barker's Undying is a peculiar game. In my very modest opinion it's a flawed gem, with a ton of interesting ideas, brought down by a simple not easily solvable problem.
Why Undying
could have been good? Setting is nice and almost well-written. "Plot" is serviceable, the levels are atmospheric and the first levels are rather unnerving (particularly the underground cellars with low-light conditions and Howlers). Enemies are
theoretically varied and in many cases fun to fight, Bosses are not bad. The "different dimension shows different things" gimmick is very nice. Time travel is done well as a plot point. Oneiros is a very nice take on Xen-like levels.
Graphics are serviceable for their era, and in many cases are even nice, particularly the texture work. Sound design is quite good, with creepy sound effects and a effective soundrack (I don't remember if it was re-used or if Undying copied the soundtrack of something else, I'm too old). Weapons are imaginative and the combo system is kinda interesting (you can use guns with different kind of bullets and a very interesting magic system. It would have been qualified as an RPG by contemporary gaming media
).
So, my man, graphics are "good", sound design is very good, atmosphere and "plot" are well-written, gameplay elements could have been great (enemies, weapons). Why Undying is mediocre at best?
Bar the initial levels and some rare strokes of adequate, the
level design and the
pacing are
horrendous. It's like they ran out of money after developing the basics and the first third of the game. You spend a
ton of time in the first "act", hunting down the first Boss (the white-dressed lady) and fighting Howlers, HtH enemies. There is occasionally some variety, but after a while you are sick of 'em. Then, the level design gets even worse. You can perceive the fact that they cut , cut and cut and re-employed resources in a desperate attempt to build something working. The other Bosses/siblings are found and fought
much faster than the first one, (the Pirate brother is fought in a nondescript
room after it teleports in in a cutscene!).
Then, it becomes
painful to play. The ending levels (Eternal Autumn or something) are drivel, utterly annoying and badly designed. I liked the end boss, but that's me. Maybe because it was FUCK THE PAIN AWAY IT IS OVER
Still better that Jericho.