MEMBER PROFILE FOR HostilePolygon
Average Overall Score Given: 6.40000 / 10
Total Forum Posts: 0
Reviews
NHL Rivals 2004
Overall: Worthless. As a few others have stated, your teammates skate away from the puck, or curl away from the play/pass. Graphics are at best average. The music is flat-out lame. Scoring is almost impossible due to the fact that one-timers are virtually impossible, since your teammates are never in position.Gameplay: Again, bad player AI. Shooting is to difficult to move and aim while attempting either a one-timer. Checking is almost non-existant. Poke checking is TOTALLY non-existant. The "speed" or "power-boost" that certain players have don't equate to the actual player (aside from the fact that the CPU controlled players are much faster than your players.) Coming in on a break away is darn difficult since control of your player seems to slip as you try moves... god I could go on forever.
Graphics: Average. Nothing special. I can't see how M$ can "make" their own XSN Hockey game on their OWN system and hav eit come out with AVERAGE GRAPHICS... I don't get it.
Audio: Piss poor. I put it on mute and listen to something else. God to be playing ESPN NHL Hockey 2K4 and be listening the the best duo in hockey, Thorn and Clement... Oh, wait; I can: **pushing eject to swap in NHL 2K4**
Suggestions: Jeeze, do developers really read this this stuff??? Take a clue from your rivals. EA and SEGA have you beaten you like a rented mule! Get a clue.
Overall Score: 3.0 / 10
XIII
Overall: Read the other posts. Another FPS this time cell shaded. Basically a conspiracy against you as you are accused of killing the President. Average. I just wasted 2 hours (on realistic mode) playing the same !&%$@#* level OVER and OVER. The same game feature is the WORST I hav ever come across. You see each "level" has checkpoints. You get through to a check point, then you die, you start back at that checkpoint. Fine. HOWEVER even if you save the game 5 feet from the END of the level when you return at a later date you start at the BEGINNING of the DAMN LEVEL; which could be HOURS behind where you had "thought" you saved. Who ever designed and agreed to use this saving design should be shot and then flogged! Makes the game a total waste of my time. Oh, speaking of a waste of time, you can't even FAST FORWARD/SKIP those damn cut movie scenes!!! ANOTHER WASTE of my time when I've seen the scene 30 times in the last 2 hours!!! Gameplay: Basic FPS. Basic weapons. Though using, shovels, shards of glass as throwing stars, etc. is pretty darn cool, aiming with those can decide whether you end up with 50% health after the ordeal or are flat out gunned down. So, its pretty much a waste to use things like that later in the game. Switching weapons is WAY TOO SLOW. RELOADING is too slow, especially when you're already being gunned down from behind and in front of you. Switching weapons is un-intuitive is HOT situations. Grenades never are thrown when you switch to them in the heat of battle and once you do, you'll usually forget to "prime the fuse" and it'll miss its mark.
Graphics: Cell shaded goodies. This must be the reason why I keep playing this average game.... yeah, that's the reason... Basically you just gotta see a cell shaded game in action to appreciate it.
Audio: VERY average. Though I do like the 70's feel of some of the tunes. Makes you feel like your in James Bond film or something like that.
Suggestions: GOD, Ubisoft, PLEASE read this!! You have GOT TO FIX THAT SAVE FEATURE TO SAVE THE GAME WHERE I WANT IT TO SAVE!!!! Also, add a LOAD GAME menu option instead of "MAIN MENU"... Oh, it might be nice to make the MAIN MENU a little more OBVIOUS as to what the heck each window actually does. Oh, better yet, make the CONTROLLER 110% custumizable like RED FACTION. Then we HARD CORE gamers can really set the controls as to our liking; instead of having to CROUCH EVERY WHERE as I try to quickly MOVE AWAY from getting mowed down; realizing that I can't since I'm squatting and moving slower than a SNAIL!!!!!!
Overall Score: 4.0 / 10
True Crime: Streets Of L.A.
Overall: We all know the desription. A GTA3 wanna be. Except this time your a good cop/bad cop. Doing so adjusts the story line as the game missions progress. The story rocks. The characters have a little life in them so it makes the game easy to get into and gives you a reason to play.BUT... The engine sucks. I've been able to get a perp stuck in a vehicle that he hijacked, yet when I LEFT trigger my character to get into the car with the Perp, the perp gets stuck in the truck. I can't shoot him, I can't handcuff him or nothing. The map and the game still say he's at large, but he's technically STUCK! Secondly, I've been able to "lock my car" in an accident, thus prohibiting me from getting back into my car, either because the car is too damaged, or the wreck cause the game engine to do something preventing me from getting back into my car. So I have to "borrow" some innocent bystanders car to return to my garage to get my normal car BACK! So sad. So lame! Plus its way too easy to run over people as your trying to turn your car around to chase after someone or to head in a different direction. You lose so many Good Cop points that yu might as well be evil the entire game.
Whats surprising is the sound tracks. Straight-up swearing and cursing in the songs. B!tch this B!tch that! WOW, or more or less, uh I hope some 12 year old doesn't get their hands on this game. I know this game is rated M... hmmm interesting, lets desensitize the rest of the population.
Gameplay: Engine could be much better. the hand-to-hand engine is pretty sad. Minority Report has an excellent fighting engine with tons of different moves that you can actually pull off and visualize. TC makes it a requirement to just mash buttons to beat your foe.
Like everybody else, the targeting system is too whacked! The FP perspective is cool, only if it was a seperate button. Its to much effort to really bother pcking up weapons dropped onto the ground. If you've played GTA3 this is practically the same...
Graphics: Visuals are tight. It's LA in my living room! Hard to say what you'd what to do to the visuals aside from the typical "supe-up" the graphics for the next installment.
Audio: I love the sound tracks from real artists, too bad the game suffers from bad engine design and execution.
Suggestions: Go ahead and make True Crime: Streets of New York or something. Just FIX the game engine! Why are people running me over in the street. I would think if people see someone in the street that they would swerve to avoid hitting them?!? Remove the FP gun mode, don't need it. The hand-to-hand engine needs to be redone completly. Take a note of Minority reports fighting engine (not the game).
Overall Score: 5.0 / 10
Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes
Overall: Everybody knows that this is a Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance clone. With that said it does have a few things going for it. You can have 4 players on screen at once dueling it out with the dungeon denizens, and uh, it has the D&D license...Gameplay: Reminiscent of BGDA, you run around from a birds-eye view and hack-n-slash, arrow-to-death, jar-bomb a variety of different D&D licensed creatures. The camera, I must admit, to my likness is better than BGDA. I just think it swings better and zooms in better; however, as the first reviewer mentioned it does not zoom-in and tilt up far enough for you to see who is in front of you! A tad bothersome when you know some powerful creature is somewhere in the near distance and you can't see him without zooming out. With that said, see my grafix description*.
When you create a character, you basically don't. The 4 PC are already pre-rolled which take out a little of the fun in creating a D&D character. You also have the basic BGDA upgrade slots that you can with bonus leveling points; which is a blatant rip from BG. One thing thats at least done right is that when you place armor on your character, the model does change to that look.
Graphics: Average. If you zoom out, you can totally see the tile set used for the floors and the walls. Even the secret areas all use the same wall design. Makes it fairly easy to find "hidden" items. There is just nothing to really say about the graphics that'll make then any better. Since your camera can't zoom-in and up to any helpful degree your left pretty much staring at the ground, which to say is just plain dull. A simple effect would've been to add dust trailing off the characters feet as you ran in circles running away from Magic Missles or dodging a large underground lizard. Simple, but eye-candy is always a well come thing.
Audio: Again, average. Nothing to write home about. Though, if you turn the volume up enough, you do get a little more immersed into the game and the dark dungeons.
Suggestions: Ok, a decent first showing. And with the D&D license you can have practically any scenario, design, story, setting, anything at your grasps; so use it!
Make the next installment more RPG than hack-n-slash. Let us create our own characters, make a more interactive experience than just me pushing A, X, and B repetitously. And lastly fix the camera. Make it zoom-in and tilt-up to a more higher degree.
Overall Score: 7.0 / 10
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Overall: Man, I can't believe it. I was somewhat hyped over this game coming out and now I finally have it in my hands and I can't believe I'm actually playing a Star Wars RPG! After 26 odd years waiting for an actual true to life Star Wars RPG; comes not one but two (Galaxies). I must say, though I've only played the game for 3-4 hours, I'm hooked, awed and flabbergasted that I'm even playing such a true gem of a game. Bioware simply knows what it takes to make a game fun, enjoyable, beautiful, true, and appealing to all gamers. Add their tallent with the Star Wars mythos and you have probably the best known sci-fi universe ever created teamed with one of the best game developers this side of Tatooine! Funny, though I've only played it for a very short period of time, I don't want it to end. I just can't really describe this game to anyone, you just have to go rent it from Blockbuster or Hollywood Video or even Gamefly, to get a taste of what an A+ title really is.Gameplay: Gameplay is simple. Left thumbstick walks/runs and the Right thumbstick looks, albiet left and right only. I do wish that I could've looked up and down. The scenery of Taris city is grand and it would've been grander had I been able to look at the whole picture. Battles are conducted in realtime, yet, and option can be set to pause before the battle begins; similiar to Baldurs Gate (PC) battles. Que up a few attack skills and unpause, continue adding battle skills into your que as your character attacks the designated target(s) and the action never ends until one side is eliminated. Now, if Final Fantasy had this feature, turn-based battles will be a thing of the past. Also, you have a reticule cursor infrnt of you at all times which signifys whom you can talk to and/or things you can operate/mess with. Simply press the L or R triggers to cycle through all visible "hot spots" of interaction. Switching between characters is fairly simple. Press the black button. Though I only have one other character in my party now, you can have 9 total; at the sametime, I do not know. But it shouldn't be a problem to switch between multiple characters.
Graphics: I think the graphics are pretty darn smooth. My character is an asian chick which looks similiar to Lucy Liu. Darn hot! Textures look fairly decent and detailed. Somewhere inbetween the plain look of Halo and RTCW. Like before, I just wish I could really look around and gape in awe at the craftsmanship of the game. What a bummer. One bad thing though that is prevalent within the first hour or so playing is that when you begin to talk to NPC for information you talk to the same modeled character over and over! Litteraly there are like 2 males and 2 female NPC models once out on the city and they are all the same. Even the skins on the models are the same. The developers could've at least had a random skin appear on the models to break up the dullness of looking at the same person over and over!!
Audio: The sound is practically on par with John Williams and Lucasfilm. Well, pretty darn close man! And I'm pretty sure a lot of the sounds came out of Lucasfilm directly anyway.
Suggestions: I havn't even played 1% of the game and yet I want more. A sequel needs to be made or at least a follow up to the end. Which should be fairly easy considering we're 4000 years before Episode I anyway. For the downloadable content, aside from the obvious weapons, armor, tools etc, new missions would really be a treat. Don't know if that's really possible, since you'd have to down load one heck of a file or so just to get a basic mission. But it could be possible if done right. That would really make Live and KOTOR a gem to have.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
State of Emergency
Overall: Hmm, a buddy of mine (Nemesis808) told me that the game is boring and/or gay in his view. Funny, I actually think the game is very fun aside from the obsessive killing. The fact that the game is designed in a cartoony look and doesn't take anything seriously make the game a blast to look at and play at the same time. Though I havn't played it on the PS2 (which is probably good, since the graphics would be an eye sore) I must say that for first timers, that the game has a great over all appeal to it.
Gameplay: There are a few control issues with it but that's probably due to the fact that I havn't mastered the controls as of yet.
There are plenty of modes to play and beat, and its just fun trying to destroy everything and collect time icons in trying to continue your rampage before time runs out.
There a weapons a plenty and some of the more powerfull ones are hidden in more remote locations for you to find, but are definatly worth searching for.
Graphics: The graphics, I think are pretty darn cool. The polygon civilians and enemies are of basic design, yet the colors used are vibrant and defiantly are an asset to the eye.
I think if the textures and colors were more of a realistc look it would take away what the game is trying to accomplish: a fun shooter in just blasting away.
Audio: Nothing to special here. Just lots of screems. Weapons sound fairly real though.
A custom soundtrack would've been nice to add to the overall look and design.
Suggestions: Online play would've been an intersting feature. I'm not really sure how it would make the game more playable. Though, downloadable maps, weapons, characters might've been a nice addition.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Red Faction II
Overall: Game starts off fairly basic - infiltrate compound. The cool thing about the start is that you are introduced to the Geo-Mod engine that runs Red Faction. Everything is destroyable; walls, towers, vehicles. Need a hole to shoot someone through? Grenade the wall and create your own hole. How cool is that. As you procede through the game I got a sense of a Halo/Minority Report style setting. Nothing too special but there is something beneath the whole package that I have yet to find.
Gameplay: Gameplay is fairly reminicent of other FPS. The really cool thing is that you can make a TOTALLY customize your controller configuration, by remaping every single button available. This is what everygame needs to include.
The mouse-look is smooth and responsive, though not as responsive as the best FPS I've played on Xbox so far: Return to Castle Wolfenstein.
Since you can remap the controls there's really no reason to complain or gripe about the game play since you can setup the game to your hearts content.
Graphics: Feels and looks like Halo 1.5. The Geo-Mod engine make the game react more visually to the explosions making damage control a new profession! ;) Some of the textures seem pretty plain and others add just a little spice to an average look.
Audio: Nothing real special here. Though it is really cool to have Bishop, oh I man, Lance Henriksen as your groups leader voicing his orders and comments every so often.
Suggestions: Game's not bad. System Link was definately needed, as we all know that it was taken out of the development plan not so long ago. VERY BAD IDEA.
RF3 = System Link, Xbox Live. 8 - 16 Players.
Overall Score: 7.0 / 10
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Overall: I'll admit that I was sceptical at first. A Baldur's Gate RPG on a Console system!? Even the screen shots still had me a little on edge if you will. Regardless I've been playing the game for weeks now enjoying every minute of it! Sure, as some other reviewers are pointing out that "Dungeon Siege" and "Diablo" this game is not, yet comparing this game to those two is somewhat of an unfair comparison. As we all know, DS and Diablo were MADE for the PC, not for a console system, so the gameplay of those two games shines. BG-DA was MADE for a console. Considering we only have eight buttons to work with on a controller, an RPG can only go so far, unless of course you use the typical turn-based RPG combat system (i.e Final Fantasy). So, if we are to make any comparison this game is close to games like Alundra, and Zelda and any other game that has a real-time combat system. Now at the same time this game can become a basic hack-n-slash game just like Diablo -- nothing wrong with that. Black Isle and Snowblind Studios pulls it off perfectly. The weapons are all balanced out, the three characters work well, and at the same time you can adjust the character you've chosen to be something other than what they are listed as. (My Elven sorceress has a +15 strength wearing full plate mail)and yet can still whip out 144 points of Lightning Ball damage!!) Anyway, once you come to understand what this game offers and the thrill of hacking away at tons of different monsters, collecting the load and loads of different types of weapons, armor, magic rings and amulets you definately begin to feel the fun this game has to offer.Gameplay: Game play is totally easy. Left thumbstick to move, right thumb stick to move the camera and the camera is set to move the correct direction, none of this push left and camera goes right crap. Triggers are for potions, and there's even a jump button, yet you hardly ever use it. Anybody can get into this game within 15 minutes or less.
Graphics: The graphics are fairly well done. The ice caverns are really the high point of the game. The reflection effects or just the way the ice looks, I dunno, but its really cool to look at. I do wish however that the camera could be moved down a tad bit more so you can see a little farther ahead.
Audio: This is where the game could use some help. The sound is perfect for the game, but it just seems that it could've been some grand considering the story does deal with the town of Baldur's Gate. Something epic or something.
Suggestions: Ok, easy. Make a sequel. Include a larger Baldur's Gate city to explore. Include more people to talk to. Include side quests. Leave the camera the way it is, but make it possible for it to maneuver a little more lower and behind the player character. Change the naked person to a paper outline of your character to show everything worn, or better yet, include both ideas. The music needs to be grand. Use the Xbox's Dolby Digital feature to really lay it on us. Instead of Save Pedestals, we should be able to save at anytime.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon
Overall: THE GOOD ==> Cool. The game has the same appeal as did the PC version. Oh, if you have the PC version don't bother with this version. Much easier to play, navigate, move, and setup on the PC. Besides, there's 2 additional add-ons for the PC version. Thats expandability.THE BAD ==> Its $50 frickin' bucks...
The UGLY!! ==> I'll mention here first: Multiplayer SUCKS! The box description is so vague in describing multiplayer its almost false advertising.
You get 2 player split screen for Co-op missions (which does NOT work with System Link). And for System Link, EACH person needs there own Xbox along with a copy of GR and TV. So as the box implies 1-16 players, what you don't know is that you would need 16 SEPERATE Xboxes to get it up and running. I don't know anybody that has a room large enough to setup 16 XBoxes in their house!!!
If it was 2 Player Split screen WITH System Link capabilities then the game would be playable.
Oh, and another thing, the MANUAL is crap! It has NO pics of the Server setup screen and what each setting is, does, and how to configure it! I spent and hour trying to figure out the server config and eventually gave up.
The End...
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I give this game a low score because its a port. I've played it on the PC. Where it belongs. If it weren't for the graphics and the true military aspect of the game, the score would be even lower.
Gameplay: Game play seems ok. Problem is, is the fact that I wasted 1 hour trying to figure out why we could'nt configure a Solo match with 3 people. Again, System Link is 1 PLAYER PER XBOX!!! Lame. And its only 2 player split screen. LAME! My god, man; 1 PLAYER PER XBOX for System Link!!
* What moron decided to do that? *
Graphics: Graphics rock! The levels are highly detailed. Yet may be a little large for Solo play. Don't recall what the PC version graphics look like, but very good nontheless.
Audio: Hmm, I suppose so... Great rifle sounds, and explosions. Fairly decent sound all around. Hugging the ground even creates the feeling of crawling.
Suggestions: READ THE OVERALL APPEAL ABOVE...
The fact that its 1 Player per Xbox for System Link, which the manual and box don't really specify, I won't play the game again. I'll stick to the PC version. Why else would I truly want to play this, excpt for System link. This is just a port!
Overall Score: 5.0 / 10
MechAssault
Overall: I used to play BattleTech (paper and pencil version) in college on a daily basis. Having a game such as this being in 3rd person view blasting other mech's to pieces was just too good to pass up! Now, I'm not a die hard BattleTech freak or anything, I just like Mechs in general be it Anime style of Fasa style. The game is fun. Online is fun. Game though is just too short. Defating certain Atlas' on the later levels and finally the "main" mech at the end was actually easier than I thought. Especially if you use the right mech. 25 levels and I'm left waiting for 25 more. Quite a bummer really. $50 for a game that lasted all but 3 days to beat (on and off playing of course ;)
Gameplay: The game itself is killer. The presentation is awesome. Getting into the actual missions is simple. But not being able to actually modify your mech with the weapons YOU want, the body type (light, medium, heavy) the armor alotment, or adding jump jets, chaff, etc. is quite a bummer. Knowing that there is a demo for Quantum Redshift on the DVD tells me that there was plenty of space left on the DVD to add a ton more features to the game, if not those 25 missing missions I mentioned above.
Aside from that, the gameplay plays superb. Light mech's haul !&%$@#* and Heavy mech's are stationary targets for the most part.
You can destroy all buildings and lava piles, planes, choppers, and little stupid soldiers all to your liking.
Graphics: Wow! pretty darn spiffy if you ask me. A little bit of fogging is used but that just helps speed the gameplay up as you go along, which is forgivable. On the snow levels, when its snowing is really fun, and life like. Though you're not playing in 1st person, you still gt the feeling that its really snowing.
Audio: The sounds are sweet. Weapons sound like they're supposed to. PPC sound of energy, missiles sound like real missiles, machine guns sound like they're coming out of an A-10 Tank Killer!
The voice acting is perfect for this type of game. You get a female voice for us male gamers (sorry girls) whom has a good sarcastic and intelligent demenor about her. And your mechanic whom is more the silent type adds a sprinkle or dash of humor to a game of Mechanized war.
Suggestions: What to do, what to do...
1) There should have been maps and mechs even additional missions available for download immediately following the release of the game and Xbox Live.
2) Mechs should have been modifyable. Players should have had the ability to modify each mech's weapons, armor via a tonage gauge. Would have been fairly easy to implement.
3) Add those 25 missing missions.
4) Online play needed more options to add to hosting a game. Filter options, like, this mech only, or this weight class only or the ability to add bots as well as people.
Overall Score: 7.0 / 10
