(They certainly like their periods.)
I didn’t see another thread on this, but it comes out on the 10th, and the demo is up on Steam. I played it for about 20ish minutes before BSG started, and I was very much impressed with it. The game looks great, the atmosphere is very creepy, and it had some ‘jump in your seat’ moments. The combat was fast and visceral. I think I should be thankful for my 1098 tax form so that I now have the money to pick this up.
Frankly, I was nonplussed by FEAR 1 but the movies I’ve seen of FEAR 2 have impressed me enough to at least give the demo a try.
You can see my thoughts on the game in this other thread. This new thread is more appropriate now I guess, although the other one is still valid, since the game still isn’t getting much attention.
I liked the demo. Granted, I was a fan of the first one so it didn’t take much to sell me.
The mech bit was a nice little romp through the city.
Didn’t the old one let you blow chunks out of walls? I tried the demo and the absence of wall-chunk-blowing disturbed me. Some neat creepiness though (your partner’s comments over the radio, f’rex) and it looks like a solid effort.
It did? I don’t remember a lot of wall-chunk-blowing in the first game that wasn’t scripted, though there was a lot of glass-breaking-into-1000-pieces goodness along with bullets ripping tiny holes in walls.
The game had a fascinating 3d “this chunk has been blown out” texture, that you could apply to a wall by blasting it at close range with a shotgun. It followed you around, like moving eyes in a painting.
I do not think that word means what you think it means. :) I do, however, share your sentiment.
-Tom
No. Guildboss really was bewildered by it. That’s the only reason he could say he didn’t like it.
(I do find the misuse of nonplussed pretty funny though)
How could there be a gazillion Killzone 2 reviews out a month before its release, while F.E.A.R. 2 is being released in just a few days and there’s only this Game Informer review out there?
Because Killzone 2, as we all know, is the savior of the PS3!
My biggest complaint from the demo is that it seems like every single gun has the brightest, biggest muzzle flash in FPS gaming. When looking down any kind of sight at your target, if you pull the trigger, you’re basically blind for a moment. With anything automatic, this becomes a bit of a problem.
The clunky mech section wasn’t all that great, either.
So I tried this on Steam. Not too shabby, but 1) is it always and forever in widescreen? My PC monitor is a 20" Viewsonic 4:3 model, and so “normal” (old style) aspect ratios are preferrable; and 2) what’s with the non-mouse enabled interface items scattered throughout–little things like having to hit a key only and not being able to click on the icon for the key or anything else, in a few cases?
Generally it felt like, well, kinda shopworn, if competent. I’ve been in a creepy building with weird sounds and Alma before…
It is weird, but it’s how Sony set it up. Killzone 2 review builds went out nearly a month ago, and Sony told us the embargo for reviews was lifted on Feb. 2nd, I believe. Which is kind of weird given the game’s not out until the end of the month (the 27?). They did something similar with God of War. My guess is they’re confident enough in the buzz and critical reception that they want early reviews, but I’d think it would serve them better if the reviews hit closer to the release date. Who knows.
F.E.A.R. 2 is a much more conventional situation. Review builds have been out for a month or so, but the reviews are embargoed until the day before its release. Expect a flood of reviews Monday.
-Tom
Oddly, I have a PR sheet saying all FEAR 2 reviews are embargoed until 5PM Tuesday.
That sounds right. I was just assuming Tuesday release, so embargo lifts on Monday. It’s probably a Wednesday release, embargo lifts on Tuesday. I tend to throw those sheets away and just wait until reviews start appearing before I talk about a game. :)
-TomFor some reason I thought reviews usually were up earlier than the same day (or the day before) the release, although I’ve never really thought about it before. But I do guess it makes sense to ensure that the reviews are on the front page of every gaming site (including metacritic) the same week as the release.
Looks like IGN UK already have their review up:
Maybe they didn’t get the memo? Anyway, they gave it a promising 8.5.
I think it’s past midnight in the UK. So they’re no longer embargoed.
It’s not past midnight there yet, and they put it up around three hours ago. Also, nobody else have put up any reviews.