MEMBER PROFILE FOR MrCandymann
Average Overall Score Given: 7.71429 / 10
Total Forum Posts: 1
Reviews
Deus Ex: Invisible War
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Gameplay: I think I may have included that in the above section, but I will review and say some new stuff. I will use Halo again because everyone who uses this site has played it before. This is Halo, minus the cliched Master Chief, who is replaced by a main character of your chosen name and appearance and play style. This is Halo with the addition of the interaction of most objects, and the ability to roam the streets as your hero and ask questions, explore, throw boxes and plates and explosive crates... Join factions, select and upgrade special abilities, select which weapons to pick up and upgrade with your choice of add-ons (silencer, ammo use reducer, damage enhancer, spreadfire, extra range, emp damage, and glass destabilizer). Very cool environments still, characters, story, ... I feel like playing now. The physics are cool, along with the many different ways to do things (with different rewards).
Graphics: Excellent; little dark for me perhaps, but brighter than the likes of morrowind, (far brighter) than hunter the reconing, unreal champs or ghost recon or... okay so its not too dark, but i like lotsa lights - hell that most of the reason i like shenmue 2. Great graphics, though pushes the xbox maybe a bit too far - not really too noticible, but framerate round 30, and well... again you don't really notice. Dynamic lighting is cool - shoot a hanging lamp and watch it sway and play shadows across the other objects...
Audio: Good. If I notice nothing negative about the sound then its good - doesn't get old, annoying, or in the way. All voice overs, so this is a heavy bonus. Only not perfect cause, out of everything, i believe halo was the most revolutionary in that the music could often pump up or greatly enhance the action, not just slightly supplement it.
Suggestions: 'Get back to where you once belonged...' Uhm. Whats up with making the player feel like he's got choices and keeping him in the game and making him feel like his play is unique? Could've sworn that was your motto when I last checked on you, so whats up with lessening gameplay customization and duration for graphics? I was looking forward to a further enhanced deus ex ever since i finished the first years ago, and have been following the progress of this since then. I would be extremely happy with a rerelease of Deus Ex for xbox - you don't even hafta jazz up the graphics, just get some people to mess around with the level editor for half the amount of time you spent on this game, and I'd pay more for it (just add on that stuff). Please, I cannot wait for as long as it took to make this game again - you guys should move on to another title or character set if you must just to push out a quality game that values the play over the graphics (otherwise games like Age of Wonders would never have been popular). This very much reminds me of the only real innovative mmorpg i played (don't play em anymore) called asheron's call. Great system and complexity, and they release the second game with improved graphics (very, very good) but simplified gameplay, taking out much of what people liked in the first place. This sounds very much like DE2. Sorry
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
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Gameplay: Fun. Takes while to learn when to brake, how to use powerslides or do perfect turns, to learn the car you're driving, etc. The single player game is all I have done so far, to build up my car collection. The Kudos World Series is a good system, queueing up a list of genres of cars for you to work your way through, from the lower end sporty coupes to the 'Ultimate' genre, each has a number of cars (and rumor is that they are adding an entire new genre with a content DL, along with new CITIES - if true, the greatest DL done so far). Very fun game, and cars are very good looking. Even if not yet into cars, this will probably get you into them. Live integration is cool, but I think slightly overhyped. Definately great to have your scores compared to those online, and be able to race the top ghosts, but nothing to buy the game over... get it for the huge number of cars, the showroom (walk around a car dealer and testdrive/buy one of the many inside to add it to your garage of cars), the many many cities/locations (and each city has numerous routs and weather settings and landmarks) and the intense simulation experience - I drive differently now after playing this game.
Graphics: Good for a racer; it is less impressive from inside the car, however, and that is a slight issue for me because that is the best view in my opinion. However, your car and others all sport nice reflection and damage, and the roads - wet or dry - give no sense of anything but reality. I am a fan of lighting though; some cool night races with florecent lights or brights etc on cars would've added much to the atmosphere. Rain was great. Cars are great.
Audio: Good engine sounds, and can play own tracks. Haven't listened to game music much though, because of this feature, so I will give it a 5 because I cannot rate it acurately, and don't want to lower its scores. (My entire system - I gave slightly higher scores to maintain good average). This is truly the best racer ever.
Suggestions: Lights/atmosphere. Show some devotion to the content DLs and get a few of the 'live' rooms in showroom filled; prove to us the Devs dont just put on the sticker. Uhm. Rethink the stats on the Lancer Evo and WRX STi - with a 5.0 and 4.7 zero to sixty times, consecutively, they outperform a great number of porche's that had uber (= 'above' auf Deutch) stats in this game. RS6 Avant? wierd. Uhm. Mess around with a few fantasy or completely extravagant vehicles perhaps. Maybe snow... What else... with games as near immpecable as these, it is only possible to suggest features that would make it even more attractive. Perhaps car customization. Track customization wouldn't be hard (make your own routes). Hmmm. Make a cruise area? Like a city with traffic etc to just drive around in one of your cars... That all.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
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Gameplay: Sailing is just that - takes a while to get used to but not really necessary except in battles. Know that your sails have three standard settings, including rolled up (for storms so they don't tear, or when you wish to stop), battle (less speed but more manuverability), and full sail (speed). Read the manual and any tips the game gives during loading screens and you'll do fine with this & learning curve - complex games yield better rewards. You can control one ship or a fleet, each customized in their officers levels, skills, equiptment, crew's moral, weapons (variety of cannons etc), and ship type/class (each ship has many characteristics, including weapon class alowed for cannons, speed, manuverability, sail efficientcy, cargo hold and weight allowed, maximum crew etc. One can trade on the sea, board enemy ships and steal their cargo and the ship itself, goto the shops or shipyards or tavern for equiptment for officers or ships or for officers themselves. One can perform quests for shopkeepers or the main story (very rewarding), smuggle, pirate, explore, attack whole factions/countries... to be honest I feel I haven't come near experiencing everything this game makes availible. I like the combat system, both on and off land, and also the rpg aspects of the characters - the skills and abilities are well thought out.
IN ALL: I give this my top rating because of the complexity and intrigue - my personal favorite type of gameplay as simplicity can equal repetition, and that bores me. Keep me thinking.
Graphics: Bright, colorful, amazing at first sight, surprising for the xbox, everything - one will not be turned off by the graphics.
Audio: Some don't like the style of music, but I think its apropriate - I have enjoyed it for the most part, havent had to turn the volume down, and don't find myself becoming depressed by repetitious harp music (Mr. Morrowind). Great sound for storms and sea battles too.
Suggestions: Make storms worth lasting and easier to have an effect on, make ship repair less expensive - it nullifies the necessity of sea battles or storms - the expense is too high for the product. Make boarding enemy ships possible (getting close enough is difficult, let alone running alongside them at the same speed - one should be dead by then). Make a faster 'fast forward' button - it would be fun to sail in 3rd person view rather than map. Allow online downloadable content.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
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Gameplay: 3D-Ish Baldur's Gate with simplified combat. For those of you unfamiliar, it is similar to a strategy-rpg; build the troops and issue comands. I liked the puzzles that were included - not frustrating or common, but just enough. The nod to Deus Ex with computer hacking, security spiking, demolitions, implants, etc was done fairly well. They should have given more opportunities to use it though. Lots of dialogue and recieving quests and flying around and customizing equiptment - also plus, fully voiced dialogue.
Graphics: Slightly dissapointing - understanding it comes secondary to gameplay, and the characters/animation was well done, environments must be immersive to prop a game to greatness - although I believe this was due to a weak toolset rather than poor level design. There seemed to be an acceptable amount of environments (although slightly sub-par in quantity and size), but the lighting and presence of blatant 'walls' in all the levels reminded me of Super Mario 64. To be honest, I'm just a huge fan of lighting - I played Shenmue 2 for little more than it's nighttime. But to make a player want to play, he must be immersed - heck I'm gonna play morrowind after I'm done beating this game again - lots to do after one beats the game, and also they are releasing the expansions for Xbox this fall.
Audio: Well done - if I don't notice the music thats a good thing; means its not depressing me or driving me mad with repetition, and that it fits the scene. Sound effects with blasters and wookies and sabers was also well done. Qualitiy in this department. With the full voice support, the only thing this could have improved was to have a moving song at a key situation; I'm by no means a Halo-worshipper, I have far less respect for straight shooters than RPG hybrids, they DID the music right. I can hear it playing loudly while being chased in co-op mode.
Suggestions: Make it possible for the detail gamer to see whats going on in combat.
MAKE NON-JEDI NON-ROBOT CHARACTER's USEFULL. Jedi's can fight BETTER than normal warriors with the lightsaber abilities and bonuses and force enhancements, AND get force abilities. Why take a character that is weaker in every way? Also the class system is stupid - skills are absolutely useless to any character, so why trade combat and hitpoints for skills? Don't - you get a robot early in the game that will get in the 40's in every skill very soon, leaving all those 12 skill crap fighter characters useless.
Only bugs I've seen is after large changes - kudos for including the ability to effect the game world, but allow us to download a patch to clear our questbook of old Kashyyk, Tarris or Korriban quests that can no longer be completed after a game event.
Make a downloadable planet full of new stuff for post-game enjoyment; possibly the republic base? never saw large barracks but saw them all over the place...
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
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Gameplay: Multiplay is where I began, and where I expected the game to shine. I bought it for the xbox live/multiplayer experience, but first tried with just two players. Ouch. I kept hoping the addition of outside players or maybe being able to talk to them with the headset to get my mind off the gameplay would help. It did, but just added frustration. One of those games where there are a few good mechs, and the rest noone but those that are new use; and for the most part, each mech has two weapons - a laser and a rocket, the types of these vary. If your mech has a good rocket, you just use it (over and over and over, and make sure you circle the other guy and hit him more than he hits you!), or if he has a buff laser (PCP or somthin) you use that. There is no real strategy to the game - everyone's mech is essentialy the same, except for aesthetics, and none of them look cool so that doesn't matter. Multiplayer maps are laughable. When somone said 'no landmarks' they ment just a displacement map (bumpy/hilly) with different textures (snow/grass) and one has a river and buildings in it - a total of four of these levels. Whoa. The single player was semi-fun, but I beat it in a night, and ended up returning the game. For those of you that own this, see if you can sell to somone before the mags get out.
Graphics: Decento graphics in models/animation, but ... poor ... levels, level design, lighting, pretty much everything else (except explosions). Sure running into buildings is cool for a while, but if you cannot afford more than a game or two every couple (or even single) months, don't waste the money. If you want a decent online game, get unreal. Fairly good, but many complain it's too hard; if you can get fairly good at shooters, I can guarentee some decent competition for you in this game, and much better graphics. The game's characters had much more variation and UC didn't use it as its selling point. I haven't bought this game - though I probably will. I'm still waiting for some online action rpg or somthing for Live - I can't justify spending 50$ on it for just unreal (I'm not a heavy sports game fan, but if you are, go for it).
Audio: To be honest, I didn't pay too much attention - I was playing my guitar while I fought. Doo-doo-doo walkin out my backdoor... (100 word min)
Suggestions: Customizability, new level designers (seemed stable engine, but either tools sucked or lazy design made boring multi and unoriginal single).
Overall Score: 6.0 / 10
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--I had been following this title since its first supposed release date, back in november 2001 - this game was one of the reasons I bought the Xbox. I am not that much of a console RPGer, some are fun, but so linear that it seems like Mario with armor. The appeal to this game is you could play until next Christmas and not get bored, if your willing to get into it; you can't pick this game up and hope to go out and kill everything like you would in Spiderman or whatever else you are used to - THE (hopefully a) MISCONCEPTION IS THAT ALL CONSOLE PLAYERS ARE 12 YEAR OLD KIDS WITH ADD AND TOO SLOW TO COUNT PAST 15 - while the second accusation I may be applicable for, computer games are very commonly BETTER, because the general consumers are older and smarter, whereas consoles are associated with the younger group - while this is not bad, you can be a very smart youngster or a immature oldy, what I am saying is developers don't make the great games for us because they expect people to say "uhhh... I have to read too much, and you can't punch stuff." IF YOU WANT GOOD GAMES DON'T SHOW DEVS YOUR IDIOTS; this game may not be for you, but I can say that for once, we got top quality stuff - as groundbreaking as a PC game for once, be appreciative that a company is willing to take the risk of our system.---------------
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irst the good, then the bad; if you want to know what the game is like, check gameplay.
(+) Unlimited gameplay;most game for your buck so far. (+) Great attention to detail (when it rains you can see the droplets hit the water, EVERYTHING is interactable with, etc) (+) Customizable play/character(make a character to your tastes and play game however you want; a evil sorceror to a good night who steals from nasty stores and aids the townspeople. Everything is so open IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAKE A SPELL THAT WIPES OUT A WHOLE TOWN or a potion that makes you fast and strong enough to jump over mountains)(+) Massive and varied environments (most games just brag about it;morrowind really has every setting imaginable)(+) Built in minigames (With unlimited choices comes unlimited time spenders; go pick flowers in the mountains for ingrediants for your potions, go diving in a lake to find and underwater gave with a floor laden with clams that have pearls inside if you dive for them) (+)Many possible routes (Want that nice armor? Make the owner look the other way and steal it. Bribe him or persuade him or barter him down to a lower price. Kill him and take the loot; talk to theives guild to get bounty off your head or just take on the guards.(-)Time theif (-)Hard to make first character
Gameplay: You are dropped in a town and are told to go find some guy in another town (after making your character, custom may seem cool but until you have played a bit there is little chance you will make a sucessful character first try, begin with a class premade, very cool ones are availible). After this event, you can do whatever the hell you want - you can ignore your orders and talk to townspeople, do quests for them, ask about rumors (the taxcollecter is dead) and solve some of the issues/quests. You can go swimming and kill some of the beach critters for skill, maybe find that underwater cave while your there and go pearl diving. You can steal from the storekeepers or kill them and take over their house and use it for rest or storage. You can take a 'silt rider'(fast travel) to the larger town and spend (literally) days there doing quests, joining guilds and factions, or exploring and making spells and potions or even just doing laps in the river to gain some athletics skill - all while ignoring the story line. You can go into the mages guild and be transported to a far off city and work there, or go exploring on your own (even many people in the wilderness have quests for you). You can do anything, and you will never be bored or at a loss of fun things to do. Fighting has come under fire; I'm not sure why. Just be efficient and the character will dofine. For example I made a axe warrior who has some conjuration and illusioin - I made him invisible, stole all the appropriate armor and weapons and goods I could, sold some stuff, and bought spells. Now the guy made aspell that summons a sweetlooking/performance armor and axe, and he kills people in the first buncha quests in a few hits, and uses his restoration skill to heal and make his stats better.
Graphics: Very good - character models can be a little strange, and they made some races unnecisariliy wierd looking, but once you getsome cool looking stuff you will be very pleased. Sky looks great, rain and fog are both real weather effects, you can see raindrops hitting the water or the sweet lighting effects of a lantern in a Dwemer dungeon or Daedric guantlets and axe (you willfind out)
Audio: Great effects and voices, the thunder and rain really makes you feel wet - the music I did not like though, too sad and repetitive, do yourself a favor and turn it off, you will enjoy the game much more. A 2.5 because it got half the sound (the effects) right.
Suggestions: Better music, make the characters looks and armors more likeable (the player liking the character is imperative). Umm, only other things is offer the World builder to Xbox users, and make a small arena where two characters can be loaded and you can fight your friend/friends.
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
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Gameplay: Decent gameplay, but it stops there, decent. If you are a decent gamer you will be able to beat this game in 2 rents at mosts, and be glad you didnt spend the 50 required to buy it. I made sure I played through the whole game before I rated it, and while its fun, thats not enough for a single player game - the gameplay is pretty much color coding. ex. "That monster is red, so I'll switch to a blue spell and kill it, while running in circles to dodge arrows." Thats pretty much the whole game, except the colors of the spells and monsters will vary. Get this game for a few night(casters) and get it under your belt. Don't use more than 5 bucks for it.
Graphics: Pretty good spell graphics, and that is probably the best part of the game. Getting higher level spells that look cooler (but not too much else) was the reason to go on. The backgrounds were contantly dark, and you can never see far due to the top-down view, but what you could see was mediocre. Just remember the spells...
Audio: I dont recall the sound, I think I may have turned it off during the process of the game, but you don't buy a game to listen to the music, you can turn on the radio or somthing (I use a mp3 Jukebox, great stuff).
Suggestions: Add some multiplayer (co-op, and if you want allot of fun, allow players to take their characters to others houses and duel or trade items, etc), and more player choices - allow the player to specialize their character. The attraction to being a dark mage or fire mage may be enough to build a fan base, but you as developers controlled what spells the character recieved and how they were. Also, a casting game isn't complete without a variety of spells, instead of many that do the same thing (deal damage) add some spells unique to types. Light - healing, Dark - lifedrain, Water - water elemental summon, Fire - Flame blade etc. Add items or somthing to make the player be proud of their character, make him be his own.
Overall Score: 5.0 / 10
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