Game News Silent Storm dubbed GameSpot's Best Game No One Played

[Sotka]

To me SS was real fun (less minor disappointment with management absence) until the point where panzerkleins entered. BS. The plot (whatever) came into mischief. And tactics indeed may be spoiled with duck sniping.

Still, gameplay and engine are excellent, just imagine what game would look after some polishing (i.e. professions and equipment balancing, management, research, those features Exitium mentioned). Wouldn't this add to rplay value? Of course it would, and probably JA funs would play SS instead. Game is very promising, we'll see what Nghtwatch will offer. Too bad, now I don't feel an urge to replay SS, RIP

As for UFO: Aftermath, it was neither disappointing nor entertaining, just honestly mediocre (and bug-ridden, too). I can't say anything conscious here, it does not raise any emotions except I can compare it to Power of Law, another tactics game which looks equally hollow. Well, it is better and buggier.

 

[Circuitbreaker]

Aftermath was UTTER SHIT in one of the most important factors. I actually did a bit of flip flopping of my own when I played it. I thought it was great. Until I suddenly got bored beyong bored. If I could, I would delete the memory of playing it as well.

Everything in that game was great except combat. No matter what some people may say, most of the greatness of the UFO games was the combat.

Although obviously inspired by the X-Com games, the storyline of UFO:Aftermath was great, like the "truce" option where the aliens recognized you as a serious opponent at some stage in the game. As soon as the real aliens joined the fray and you had to enter UFO's, combat became quite annoying/boring indeed. Later additions like the Alien Rocket Launcher made things even worse. I managed to finish the game but that was only through tremendous effort (all these constant boring missions forced upon the player). The final battle was uninspired as well.

I'm curious what the sequel/follow-up will bring though. Hopefully they've learned some lessons.

 

[Circuitbreaker]

As for UFO: Aftermath, it was neither disappointing nor entertaining, just honestly mediocre (and bug-ridden, too). I can't say anything conscious here, it does not raise any emotions except I can compare it to Power of Law, another tactics game which looks equally hollow. Well, it is better and buggier.

In UFO Aftermath, I didn't encounter any bugs in version 1.4 of the game. But then again, the real bugs are those f*cking aliens with unbalanced weapons and suicide "tactics" that frustrate the game.

Apart from the PK's, playing SS is fun and after I finish the game I'll continue with Sentinels.

 

[Sotka]

I managed to finish the game but that was only through tremendous effort (all these constant boring missions forced upon the player). The final battle was uninspired as well.

I'm curious what the sequel/follow-up will bring though. Hopefully they've learned some lessons.

I'm impressed with your eh .. unyieldingness. You should really try Power of Law, it's more designing. For the version of UFO I just don't care, guys simply exploited x-com success having reduced it to mocking.

--
HDD: Kult: Heretic Kingdoms, Anarchy Online, Ricochet:Lost Worlds Recharged.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

The PKs in SS wouldn't have been so bad if they had given you an option like Jagged Alliance 2 did where you could choose whether or not you wanted the Sci-Fi. I mean, how hard would it have been to make an alternate REALISTIC campaign?

Besides, I would have much preferred an Indiana Jones style route involving mysticism and the supernatural if non-realism was the only choice.

 

[Jinxed]

Although obviously inspired by the X-Com games, the storyline of UFO:Aftermath was great, like the "truce" option where the aliens recognized you as a serious opponent at some stage in the game. As soon as the real aliens joined the fray and you had to enter UFO's, combat became quite annoying/boring indeed. Later additions like the Alien Rocket Launcher made things even worse. I managed to finish the game but that was only through tremendous effort (all these constant boring missions forced upon the player). The final battle was uninspired as well.

I'm curious what the sequel/follow-up will bring though. Hopefully they've learned some lessons.

After playing through a dozen carbon copied base attack missions I got incredibly bored.

The game had something going for it... Well, I thought so, until I realised that it was crap which was not worth a lunchbrake amount of time.

 

[EEVIAC]

If you were disappointed with Aftermath, you might want to check out UFO : Alien Invasion. Its turn based, its free, and there's a Christmas Edition tech demo with five maps and some new weapons.

 

[Sotka]

Huh, any comments before download?

--
HDD: Kult: Heretic Kingdoms, Anarchy Online, Ricochet: Lost Worlds Recharged

 

[Jinxed]

If you were disappointed with Aftermath, you might want to check out UFO : Alien Invasion. Its turn based, its free, and there's a Christmas Edition tech demo with five maps and some new weapons.

I know, I try to keep up with it. It's too bad that it doesn't allow envirement destruction. About the only thing that doesn't make it my must get list.

 

[Jed]

If you were disappointed with Aftermath, you might want to check out UFO : Alien Invasion. Its turn based, its free, and there's a Christmas Edition tech demo with five maps and some new weapons.

Ah, Quake 2 Engine--is there anything you can't do?

 

[Ortchel]

Though I've probably spent more time screaming at it than any game in recent memory, I really enjoyed (what I played of) Silent Storm. I played up to the (axis) mission where your squad is given PKs, with only pistols, so I don't know about this snipe-fest assertion, though I imagine it's certainly easier that way. Eventually, I couldn't stomach all the retard mech combat and eventually had to throw in the towel, though I might give Sentinels a shot. I'm completely confident that Silent Storm 2, if and when it's ever released, will be the TB strategy title to beat, without question. They just got so much right.

 

[Avé]

From what I can tell, this is SS's US box cover
http://www.mobygames.com/game/covers/ga ... eId,11117/

Well first off, we're talking games, not reality and gameplay always trumps reality, especially when the leap isn't that great.

First off we are talking squad based tactical games, which loses a hell of a lot of its appeal if it loses things like prone/crouch/running taking different AP's, having differing accuracy in different states, it also loses a lot of its appeal if it's simplistic or overly artifical.

Strafeing in FPS's has been exaggerated but are conceptually not unrealisitic. Anyone can run in one direction while looking in another...and this includes firing a weapon regardless of how terrible their accuracy would be.

Strafing isnt running in one direction while looking in another, it's walking/running sideways(and likely tripping and skulling yourself)

Strafing in the literal sense..sidestepping...of course exists in reality, and if attributed soley to combat tactics, methinks you need to take a look at some police/swat/military maneuver handbooks.

Police/SWAT I have no idea, I do know it's considered a TERRIBLE idea to even try strafe in combat, due to:

1) Showing 40% of your body before even being able to see

2) Likelihood of tripping yourself over debris(this is combat) while sidestepping

3) Presenting highly visible target

3) Generally getting wounded quite fast.

Now on to the point, I felt this to be a VERY strong feature in SS, as it made LOS clear and workable. You always maintain heading thus maintaining your view on a very specific point no matter the movment.

LOS wasnt clear and workable in JA2?

It certainly seemed to be.

You run around a 90degree corner at someone not moving of course you are at a disadvantage.

This allows for +modifiers to first contact(or at least avoid -modifiers to ambush). You're able to convincingly and confidently establish a moving permimeter with your team to make sure you cover multiple areas of potential threat.

Sidestepping, you are likely to show:
Your leg, your arm and parts of your chest before you are able to see and bring your weapon to bare, so I dont see why sidestepping shouldnt have massive drawbacks.

Both pity and utter amazment that SS only sold 20k copies *gulp*. Dear lord.

Not really, 10hour campaign, terrifically unconvincing plot, crap sci-fi angle, hackneyed and irritating voice acting, poor performance & severe disparities in balance.

All it really had going for it was a nice engine & a WWII setting which they absolutely trashed.

 

[EvoG]

Two things :

<about sidestepping and tripping and implausibility>

1. Do you know what "slicing the pie" is? Rethink your stance on sidestepping before assuming its 'unrealistic'. Unless of course you have an alternative which by all means, share with me, but I'll tell you, nobody walks into a room THEN turns to face a threat.

LOS wasnt clear and workable in JA2?

2. Huh? I was solely talking up the merits of SS and why its tactical elements worked, not comparing which game is better nor taking anything away from JA. But to address this, I find SS superior in terms of visibiity and control.


Cheers