http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/showthread.php?t=13924&page=10
Thats my post with all the info on them
And now the newsis posted...my opinion
Why couldn't that scratchbuilt Talos on the last page have been real? The new one...is cool i guess...and i'll be getting at least 1...but the scratch built looks much nicer
And maybe its just me being silly...but the sprue preview for the Talos and cronos look identical. Not sure why its not just 1 kit? (Turns out it is 1 kit...just being sold as 2)
Venoms and Scourges are perfect. Can't wait to get my hands on some. I like the scourge has 2 choices of cockpit...it can be open so you can see the driver
And the battleforce is nice I guess...but contains no new models, so why it wasn't released at launch I don't know
The customisation in them all looks amazing.
Rumour is a 2nd wave of models in the next 2 weeks as well
Yippee!
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Game Review - Portal 2 (cont)
Co-Op time!
Having had a bit longer with the game I have now played co-op through (3 times with 3 seperate people in fact) and got all 1000 gamerscore, first time i've managed that with a full retail game in a while.
Co-op...is a bit good and a bit bad.
The good is the puzzles. Adding a 2nd player, and another 2 portals to play with, the puzzle get big, and complex. By the last few they are a real puzzler for a good while.
The C-op controls are great as well. In addition to normal controls you can view your friends view in a PiP screen at the push of a button. You can also "ping" locations on the course using a button, to highlight what you're talking about or where you want portal. You can also set up a stopwatch function, so you time actions exactly. This last one is particularly useful, as sometimes there can be lag between speaking and the other person hearing it, but accoridng to Valve, the clock is consistant between players
The Bad? Its not as engaging. Yes i've played it through 3 times, but mostly by chatting away. After the first play through you've seen and heard it all, and unlike the single player, it doesn't hold re-playability. Glados' commentary and comments are no where near as engaging as in the single player in Portal 1 or 2, and often fall a little flat.
First time play through? 6-7 hours. Every successive play through, thanks to knowledge on the puzzles...3-4.
Portal 2 Co-Op - 7.5 out of 10
So overall Portal garners an 8.5 out of 10. It's funny...if they'd just released the single player it would have got a higher score...even though its shorter!
Also Valve today announced free DLC for the game, in the form of single and multi player challenge chambers. And apparantly it's going to be free, which is always a big tick in my book...seeing as i'm paying 1200 points for CoD maps in a few days...
40k stuff, I will hope to get an update tomorrow, and soon a review on the Gears 3 beta....
Having had a bit longer with the game I have now played co-op through (3 times with 3 seperate people in fact) and got all 1000 gamerscore, first time i've managed that with a full retail game in a while.
Co-op...is a bit good and a bit bad.
The good is the puzzles. Adding a 2nd player, and another 2 portals to play with, the puzzle get big, and complex. By the last few they are a real puzzler for a good while.
The C-op controls are great as well. In addition to normal controls you can view your friends view in a PiP screen at the push of a button. You can also "ping" locations on the course using a button, to highlight what you're talking about or where you want portal. You can also set up a stopwatch function, so you time actions exactly. This last one is particularly useful, as sometimes there can be lag between speaking and the other person hearing it, but accoridng to Valve, the clock is consistant between players
The Bad? Its not as engaging. Yes i've played it through 3 times, but mostly by chatting away. After the first play through you've seen and heard it all, and unlike the single player, it doesn't hold re-playability. Glados' commentary and comments are no where near as engaging as in the single player in Portal 1 or 2, and often fall a little flat.
First time play through? 6-7 hours. Every successive play through, thanks to knowledge on the puzzles...3-4.
Portal 2 Co-Op - 7.5 out of 10
So overall Portal garners an 8.5 out of 10. It's funny...if they'd just released the single player it would have got a higher score...even though its shorter!
Also Valve today announced free DLC for the game, in the form of single and multi player challenge chambers. And apparantly it's going to be free, which is always a big tick in my book...seeing as i'm paying 1200 points for CoD maps in a few days...
40k stuff, I will hope to get an update tomorrow, and soon a review on the Gears 3 beta....
Friday, 22 April 2011
Game Review - Portal 2
40K's been on the back burner for a bit...work, games, in-laws visit.
But heres a review for one of the best games i've played in a loooong time. Portal 2
Portal 1 was a revelation. A tiny tech demo almost, that didn't have a story until towards the end, that sparked a huge amount of interest. The humour was sarcastic and dark, perfect for my SoH. The puzzle were mostly great, requiring thought in 4 dimensions and timing on top of that. Some of the exacting timing puzzles were a pain.
Luckily they're mostly gone in Portal 2. No more high energy bouncing pellets to time opening doors for perfectly. Just lots more 4D puzzles. With over 50 test chambers, as opposed to the 19 in game 1, and lots more behind the scenes action its a lot longer. Still, its a little short (about 7 hours) but thats just the single player, i haven't touched co-op yet.
Portal 2 starts with you waking up after being asleep at the end of portal 2 for 9999999... days. You're woken up by the wonderfuly...odd Wheatley (voiced to perfection by Stephen Merchant), who warns you theres a slight chance you might have a severe case of brain damage. From the minute hes asks you to say your name and all you do is jump, the game sets off more of the savagely dark, sarcastic and hilarious comedy.
As the years have passed Apaerture science is in a bad way. But the test chambers from portal 1, act as a tutorial for the game, and seeing them in a new light (usually firelight) brings a lot home. Eventually you go kilometers under the earth and see the original testing centres from when Aperture opened, and was mostly a shower curtain manufaturing company. Here you're guided by Cave Johnson, again perfectly writen and voiced (by the chap who plays J. J. Jameson in the spidermans).
Shortly put this game is brilliant. Theres much more comedy this time, the story is more developed and the puzzles less annoying, but more challenging.
Waiting for my mate to get his copy so i can jump into co-op, but just on a single player front, definently worth a buy, if not a rent.
You won't regret it
9/10
But heres a review for one of the best games i've played in a loooong time. Portal 2
Portal 1 was a revelation. A tiny tech demo almost, that didn't have a story until towards the end, that sparked a huge amount of interest. The humour was sarcastic and dark, perfect for my SoH. The puzzle were mostly great, requiring thought in 4 dimensions and timing on top of that. Some of the exacting timing puzzles were a pain.
Luckily they're mostly gone in Portal 2. No more high energy bouncing pellets to time opening doors for perfectly. Just lots more 4D puzzles. With over 50 test chambers, as opposed to the 19 in game 1, and lots more behind the scenes action its a lot longer. Still, its a little short (about 7 hours) but thats just the single player, i haven't touched co-op yet.
Portal 2 starts with you waking up after being asleep at the end of portal 2 for 9999999... days. You're woken up by the wonderfuly...odd Wheatley (voiced to perfection by Stephen Merchant), who warns you theres a slight chance you might have a severe case of brain damage. From the minute hes asks you to say your name and all you do is jump, the game sets off more of the savagely dark, sarcastic and hilarious comedy.
As the years have passed Apaerture science is in a bad way. But the test chambers from portal 1, act as a tutorial for the game, and seeing them in a new light (usually firelight) brings a lot home. Eventually you go kilometers under the earth and see the original testing centres from when Aperture opened, and was mostly a shower curtain manufaturing company. Here you're guided by Cave Johnson, again perfectly writen and voiced (by the chap who plays J. J. Jameson in the spidermans).
Shortly put this game is brilliant. Theres much more comedy this time, the story is more developed and the puzzles less annoying, but more challenging.
Waiting for my mate to get his copy so i can jump into co-op, but just on a single player front, definently worth a buy, if not a rent.
You won't regret it
9/10
Saturday, 9 April 2011
Duke Sliscus, the Serpent
Man I've been busy
Heres my scratchbuild for Duke Sliscus, the Serpent. Hes got a lot more colour on him now, but can't get a good picture on him till I get back
The legs come from one of the raider passengers, with the torso removed at the waist.
The body is part of another raider passenger, using the front half of his torso, trimmed down to fit at the waist.
The cloak comes from a Dark Elf Corsair kit, needed quite a lot of the back already in it removing before it fit, but did in the end, with minimal greenstuffing.
The head comes from the Reaver pack
Blast Pistol and Sword come from the Warriors (I think - They were in my bits bag)
And then hes standing on a pile of skulls from the GW Skulls pack. Was gonna use the individual skulls and some greenstuff, but it came with this pile, that was just the right size
Additionaly finished my succubus and started my 2nd archon.
But now alas, I am off to a IMechE conference in Leeds tomorrow,so not a lot of painting for a few days
Heres my scratchbuild for Duke Sliscus, the Serpent. Hes got a lot more colour on him now, but can't get a good picture on him till I get back
The legs come from one of the raider passengers, with the torso removed at the waist.
The body is part of another raider passenger, using the front half of his torso, trimmed down to fit at the waist.
The cloak comes from a Dark Elf Corsair kit, needed quite a lot of the back already in it removing before it fit, but did in the end, with minimal greenstuffing.
The head comes from the Reaver pack
Blast Pistol and Sword come from the Warriors (I think - They were in my bits bag)
And then hes standing on a pile of skulls from the GW Skulls pack. Was gonna use the individual skulls and some greenstuff, but it came with this pile, that was just the right size
Additionaly finished my succubus and started my 2nd archon.
But now alas, I am off to a IMechE conference in Leeds tomorrow,so not a lot of painting for a few days
Friday, 8 April 2011
Phantom Titan...now going toe to toe with a Warlord!
Phantom Titan is up for preorder
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhamme...ITAN-BODY.html
Shipped 26th April
The experimental rules for it are up as well...and they ARE different to those seen at the open day. Its now more expensive!
New rules are awesome!
13/13/11, Init 3, 3 attacks (Eldar get a AV13 unit! Ha!)
Permanant 5+ save
4+ save if it moved
3+ if it moves flat out and fires no weapons
Pulsar is 4 shots
D cannon now has D3 rolls on the superheavy chart for each hit
Star Cannon is now S6, it was 7 at the open day
The AA weapon is now S 7 ap 3
Missile battery is 4 shots
But its now 2500 points!
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhamme...ITAN-BODY.html
Shipped 26th April
The experimental rules for it are up as well...and they ARE different to those seen at the open day. Its now more expensive!
New rules are awesome!
13/13/11, Init 3, 3 attacks (Eldar get a AV13 unit! Ha!)
Permanant 5+ save
4+ save if it moved
3+ if it moves flat out and fires no weapons
Pulsar is 4 shots
D cannon now has D3 rolls on the superheavy chart for each hit
Star Cannon is now S6, it was 7 at the open day
The AA weapon is now S 7 ap 3
Missile battery is 4 shots
But its now 2500 points!
Monday, 4 April 2011
FW Open Day - From Someone who was there!
Just a quick recap of what I remember from yesterday...posted this on BoLS Lounge yesterday, but wouldn't let me sign in here, so doing it today!
Theres a few other bits of news coming out, but since I've not been told them, you'll have to track them down!
Phantom Titan
WS 3, BS 4, 12/12/11 Init 2, Attacks 3
8 Structure Points
Don't expect it on sale till Gamesday (which is September here in Blighty).
Comes in at a hefty 2300 points. Features the Cobra cannon, the pulsar (which is 3 shots), the starcannon (3 shots instead of 2), which can be swapped for a pulse laser for free. Also has missile battery (S8 AP3 4 shots) and a AA mounted missile battery (S5 AP5 AA Mount). Usual 4+ invuln if it moved, but can chose to turn driver stunned into gunner stunned, so should only stop moving if it gets immobilised. Has the usual rules for fleeting titans as well, and weapons have a 12" minimum range. Only current other weapon is the sword seen previously. Will hasn't finished making it yet, but the sword comes with a 2nd twin linked starcannon built in. He also hasn't ruled out expanding the line of guns
The lady with the rule book (who i'm sure is an important person, i just don't know her name) said the reaction today towards the rules was mixed, so might be changing. (Personally I'm in the mind they are a little too expensive. 2000 points seems a better point...that fleeting instead of shooting rule is overated IMO)
As for magnetising and weapon swapping, the "torso" component comes with the body, the arm, the elbox joint and the hand. The "Gun" comes attatched to the forearm. So either can be magnetised at both ends, or drill through the arm and have a massive pin/rod from elbow to hand
So those of you wondering this phantom, stood wide legged and stationairy is 24 inches exactly from bottom of base, to top of vanes
Warlock Titan
Will Hayes wants this. And it will happen. But probably not till the next FW Eldar book (his words) so means we get another Eldar book! it'll be the same size as a phantom, but more ornate, with more wraithbone extrusions. He joked about having the psycannon mounted on the side of the arm, so both hands were free for a giant spear
IA11
Few months off yet, still finalising the fluff at the beginning. Focuses on Eldar, with some guard and a tiny smidge of Wolves. All eldar models ever made have rules in it, so no need to carry multiple books.
Also the big one...not all models in the books will have models. I asked if there were rules for any models we hadn't seen yet ( a sneaky way of asking if there were more kits for us to see yet). The reply was "Yes, a few more. Also some will have rules that were aren't planning on producing" The Phoenix lord of the spectres was then gestured to. So maybe not getting a model yet?
Artwork is amazing. The pictures of the eldar squadrons stalking through the tundra, with the nights sky are simply astonishing
Shadow spectres get Phoenix Lord, didn't read the stats
Corsairs get Allied DE with craftworlds, and a few new unique units and HQ choices
Solitaire is one of those new HQ. Doesn't make quins troops, is a 0-1 no matter how big the army, not an IC and can carry a vortex grenade in Apoc for 75pts
Apoc data sheets, including one which is a 550pt Avatar, has 2D6 wounds, a 2+ armour save and his wailing doom is upgraded to a Strength D 10" template. However hes still a monstrous creature, not a gargant. He's important in the story as its the avatars last stand so he goes out in a literal blaze of glory. So at the end of the game he takes D6 wounds with no saves of any kind allowed
Phantom Titans rules are above
The Wraithseer is a HQ wraithlord, his physic powers include one which force an enemy unit to take a moral check at -1 or fall back immediatly. Another gives one wraithlord or wraithguard near him fleet (!). And the other, if a friendly wriath unit within 6" dies roll a D6. On a 6 its still alive, with one wound left. It also has a 4+ invulnerable
IA12
Dark Eldar
Initial Production and Evaluation on bits has begun. The model on show (with the double hull) is likely to be a light super heavy. I mentioned my theory that DE superheavies would look like Jabbas sail palace from Return of the Jedi he laughed and said they probably would...
Lots of concept art for DE skimmers, one of which was a super charged Ravager, that had 2 floors, each with 3 Dark Lances on both sides
Modular Boards
With the first Fw board expansion available (its very nice) someone said they were looking at expanding a lot more now they've got the technology down, with buildings, ammo dumps, train lines and trench systems forthcoming
Theres a few other bits of news coming out, but since I've not been told them, you'll have to track them down!
Phantom Titan
WS 3, BS 4, 12/12/11 Init 2, Attacks 3
8 Structure Points
Don't expect it on sale till Gamesday (which is September here in Blighty).
Comes in at a hefty 2300 points. Features the Cobra cannon, the pulsar (which is 3 shots), the starcannon (3 shots instead of 2), which can be swapped for a pulse laser for free. Also has missile battery (S8 AP3 4 shots) and a AA mounted missile battery (S5 AP5 AA Mount). Usual 4+ invuln if it moved, but can chose to turn driver stunned into gunner stunned, so should only stop moving if it gets immobilised. Has the usual rules for fleeting titans as well, and weapons have a 12" minimum range. Only current other weapon is the sword seen previously. Will hasn't finished making it yet, but the sword comes with a 2nd twin linked starcannon built in. He also hasn't ruled out expanding the line of guns
The lady with the rule book (who i'm sure is an important person, i just don't know her name) said the reaction today towards the rules was mixed, so might be changing. (Personally I'm in the mind they are a little too expensive. 2000 points seems a better point...that fleeting instead of shooting rule is overated IMO)
As for magnetising and weapon swapping, the "torso" component comes with the body, the arm, the elbox joint and the hand. The "Gun" comes attatched to the forearm. So either can be magnetised at both ends, or drill through the arm and have a massive pin/rod from elbow to hand
So those of you wondering this phantom, stood wide legged and stationairy is 24 inches exactly from bottom of base, to top of vanes
Warlock Titan
Will Hayes wants this. And it will happen. But probably not till the next FW Eldar book (his words) so means we get another Eldar book! it'll be the same size as a phantom, but more ornate, with more wraithbone extrusions. He joked about having the psycannon mounted on the side of the arm, so both hands were free for a giant spear
IA11
Few months off yet, still finalising the fluff at the beginning. Focuses on Eldar, with some guard and a tiny smidge of Wolves. All eldar models ever made have rules in it, so no need to carry multiple books.
Also the big one...not all models in the books will have models. I asked if there were rules for any models we hadn't seen yet ( a sneaky way of asking if there were more kits for us to see yet). The reply was "Yes, a few more. Also some will have rules that were aren't planning on producing" The Phoenix lord of the spectres was then gestured to. So maybe not getting a model yet?
Artwork is amazing. The pictures of the eldar squadrons stalking through the tundra, with the nights sky are simply astonishing
Shadow spectres get Phoenix Lord, didn't read the stats
Corsairs get Allied DE with craftworlds, and a few new unique units and HQ choices
Solitaire is one of those new HQ. Doesn't make quins troops, is a 0-1 no matter how big the army, not an IC and can carry a vortex grenade in Apoc for 75pts
Apoc data sheets, including one which is a 550pt Avatar, has 2D6 wounds, a 2+ armour save and his wailing doom is upgraded to a Strength D 10" template. However hes still a monstrous creature, not a gargant. He's important in the story as its the avatars last stand so he goes out in a literal blaze of glory. So at the end of the game he takes D6 wounds with no saves of any kind allowed
Phantom Titans rules are above
The Wraithseer is a HQ wraithlord, his physic powers include one which force an enemy unit to take a moral check at -1 or fall back immediatly. Another gives one wraithlord or wraithguard near him fleet (!). And the other, if a friendly wriath unit within 6" dies roll a D6. On a 6 its still alive, with one wound left. It also has a 4+ invulnerable
IA12
Dark Eldar
Initial Production and Evaluation on bits has begun. The model on show (with the double hull) is likely to be a light super heavy. I mentioned my theory that DE superheavies would look like Jabbas sail palace from Return of the Jedi he laughed and said they probably would...
Lots of concept art for DE skimmers, one of which was a super charged Ravager, that had 2 floors, each with 3 Dark Lances on both sides
Modular Boards
With the first Fw board expansion available (its very nice) someone said they were looking at expanding a lot more now they've got the technology down, with buildings, ammo dumps, train lines and trench systems forthcoming
Monday, 21 March 2011
Game Review - Homefront
Game Review - Homefront (or why you should never buy a game which advertises its best review coming from a lad/softcore porn mag)
Homefront, for those of you who don't know is an FPS set around the American Underground resistance in a North Korean Occupied United States. Its story was written by the same guy who wrote the movies "Red Dawn" and "Apocolypse Now". So as far as stories go, it should be promising.I'm a guy that loves a strong narative in a game, which is why Bioshock is so highly held in my eyes, as it the overarching Gears of War and Halo series are.
And it is good...sort of. Without giving too much away it features some grand set ups, some good developments, but at the same time some "twists" that are so obvious if you didn't see them coming the Korean Propaganda has obviously worked,
Never the less the single player is a good well rounded game, with some huge problems.
1) Its way too short - I played through normal in under 3 hours because i couldn't find how to change the difficulty (its hidden in the options menu, only accessable from the front menu)
2)Ordered Sequences - There are some times in the game where you need to climb down a ladder, or crawl through a hole. So you try to. Only problem is your teammates need to go through first. So you're left standing next to the hole you want to crawl through, while your teammates slowly wander over and climb through. Even worse is, if you stand in front of the door your supposed to walk through, even if guy number 1 has gone through, if you block guy number 2 he can't go through so you can't go through. It just heavily breaks the feeling of immersion
3)Special Grenades. In single player (we'll get to multi in abit) it introduces you to special greandes in the first mission. Here its C4 you throw through a window and blow up an APC. Great. You never find any or use it ever again. Or any other special greande. Kinda wonder what the point in that was.
4) Walking/Dialogue sections - In the early game there are sections of long dialogue where you slowly walk around the village, or ride a bus. These take about 5 minutes and are unskippable. If you want all the achievements in the game, you'll probably need to play each mission at least twice (unless you're a gaming god and can complete each mission on the hardest setting without dying once). They just take forever and break it up even more.
5) The Ending. Through out the early game you have control of "Goliath" a drone APC that fires it machine guns at enemies automatically and you fire its missiles at targets you designate. Eventually goliath bites it. At the very end of the game, the last 2 things you do are - Fire a Predator UAV at some white blobs in a unchallenging boring version of the C130 bits from CoD. And then you become the gunner on an APC and have to blow up the enemy Goliath. So basically the last great firefight moment is an onrails shooter, with a infinite ammo machine gun and pressed the button to activate missile countermeasures (on a Humvee? Really?) every 10 seconds or so. And then the highly cliched predicatable ending rolls.
They (the developers) have said there will be 2 single player DLC content packs, with 3 new missions each. So in 2 packs, you get the same number of missions as the game itself has.
Multiplayer
The Multiplayer isn't bad. Could have used a bit more testing, and the menus are annoying (pressing B doesn't drop you out, you have to go and select the option...just irritating).
Also it can't seem to decide if it wants to be a realistic military shooter (like GRAW, or Operation Flashpoint) or a more arcadey style (like CoD). Guns are better set at their ranges, so SMG win at short range, assault at mid, snipers at long (I'll get to snipers in a minute) and going prone helps aim and chances, but at the same time a guy running round with a pistol has a good chance of beating you at long range and runing, jumping and circle strafing work just as well
Snipers...are another problem. They're strong (1 headshot, or 2 torsoshots), they have virtually no recoil, aiming down the sights has little to no movement for "breathing" and are semi automatic. Brilliant for people who snipe. I call those people...something I can't repeat. Yes accurate that snipers rule open areas, but with no drawbacks they seem to rule anything they want.
A good idea in the game is "BP". Working like XP you earn points for every kill you make, objective you capture etc. Each class comes with 2 special purchase slots, which range from UAV sweeps and extra armour, to bombing runs and gun drones. This is a really good system for rewarding good gameplay, as even if you don't get a high killstreak, you still earn points towards goodies, meaning people who win the matches just by claiming objectives get rewards as well as those who run in crazy and get kills.
These BP can also be spent on vehicles in some matches. From the humble humvee (which seems to be missing the missile countermeasures suddenly) to APC's, Tanks and 2 types of helicopters. The game also offers a brilliant option of spawning in the secondary gun seat in someones vehicle, so if you buy a chopper you donj't need to waste time on the ground waiting for someone else to get in.
However the vehicles (particularly the choppers, especially the missile spewing AT chopper) don't seem balenced. Almost impervious to small arms fire thanks to height and armour they have only 2 weaknesses...proximity rockets (rockets that fire in straight lines, but explode if they sense they're close to something) and AT drones, which have lock on missiles. However the neither of these purchaseables are unlockable until about Level 30. The AT drone isn't in any of the premade selections, and the proximity launcher in one of them. Oh and the chopper does have counter measures, which recharge faster than the rockets on the drone do. Also at a high enough level you can have a perk which means you vehicle automatically repairs itself. I understand that the chopper is a significant BP investment (about 2000 points, when you get 130 for a kill) but its just doen'st seem to die. At least drones have a battery life before they fail.
It also seems to favour the higher ranked more than other FPS games do. At higher ranks you unlock better things, like better airstrikes, perks and customised vehicle slots. These just make it easier to dominate the lesser being who are just starting. Example? When you start you have the option of a hell strike purchasable. 2 single shot missiles that damage light armour (kill a humvee in one though)and kill infantry if you hit them directly. At rank 17 you get a white phosphorus mortar round. large area, kills lot of infantry (rarely do I see one of these that doesn't kill at least 2 people) but doesn't do much against vehicles. At rank 40ish you get cluster bombs. Large area, kills anything under it, infantry or vehicles included. Now I understand you need to reawrd hgiher ranking players, but it just feels like a newcomer to this game in say, a month is going to have a serious uphill struggle to get into the game.
Also some of the capture and control maps seem a little one sided. In all the game i've played on most of them one team always wins that round. But maybe thats just fluke.
Anyway in review Homefront isn't a bad game. Its just short, with some good multiplayer innovations, but could use a few tweaks.
And its arbitary grade out of 10? 7.5. Rent it, borrow it, see what you think, then if you like the multiplayer buy it. But do it quick before every online is ranked Lv50.
Homefront, for those of you who don't know is an FPS set around the American Underground resistance in a North Korean Occupied United States. Its story was written by the same guy who wrote the movies "Red Dawn" and "Apocolypse Now". So as far as stories go, it should be promising.I'm a guy that loves a strong narative in a game, which is why Bioshock is so highly held in my eyes, as it the overarching Gears of War and Halo series are.
And it is good...sort of. Without giving too much away it features some grand set ups, some good developments, but at the same time some "twists" that are so obvious if you didn't see them coming the Korean Propaganda has obviously worked,
Never the less the single player is a good well rounded game, with some huge problems.
1) Its way too short - I played through normal in under 3 hours because i couldn't find how to change the difficulty (its hidden in the options menu, only accessable from the front menu)
2)Ordered Sequences - There are some times in the game where you need to climb down a ladder, or crawl through a hole. So you try to. Only problem is your teammates need to go through first. So you're left standing next to the hole you want to crawl through, while your teammates slowly wander over and climb through. Even worse is, if you stand in front of the door your supposed to walk through, even if guy number 1 has gone through, if you block guy number 2 he can't go through so you can't go through. It just heavily breaks the feeling of immersion
3)Special Grenades. In single player (we'll get to multi in abit) it introduces you to special greandes in the first mission. Here its C4 you throw through a window and blow up an APC. Great. You never find any or use it ever again. Or any other special greande. Kinda wonder what the point in that was.
4) Walking/Dialogue sections - In the early game there are sections of long dialogue where you slowly walk around the village, or ride a bus. These take about 5 minutes and are unskippable. If you want all the achievements in the game, you'll probably need to play each mission at least twice (unless you're a gaming god and can complete each mission on the hardest setting without dying once). They just take forever and break it up even more.
5) The Ending. Through out the early game you have control of "Goliath" a drone APC that fires it machine guns at enemies automatically and you fire its missiles at targets you designate. Eventually goliath bites it. At the very end of the game, the last 2 things you do are - Fire a Predator UAV at some white blobs in a unchallenging boring version of the C130 bits from CoD. And then you become the gunner on an APC and have to blow up the enemy Goliath. So basically the last great firefight moment is an onrails shooter, with a infinite ammo machine gun and pressed the button to activate missile countermeasures (on a Humvee? Really?) every 10 seconds or so. And then the highly cliched predicatable ending rolls.
They (the developers) have said there will be 2 single player DLC content packs, with 3 new missions each. So in 2 packs, you get the same number of missions as the game itself has.
Multiplayer
The Multiplayer isn't bad. Could have used a bit more testing, and the menus are annoying (pressing B doesn't drop you out, you have to go and select the option...just irritating).
Also it can't seem to decide if it wants to be a realistic military shooter (like GRAW, or Operation Flashpoint) or a more arcadey style (like CoD). Guns are better set at their ranges, so SMG win at short range, assault at mid, snipers at long (I'll get to snipers in a minute) and going prone helps aim and chances, but at the same time a guy running round with a pistol has a good chance of beating you at long range and runing, jumping and circle strafing work just as well
Snipers...are another problem. They're strong (1 headshot, or 2 torsoshots), they have virtually no recoil, aiming down the sights has little to no movement for "breathing" and are semi automatic. Brilliant for people who snipe. I call those people...something I can't repeat. Yes accurate that snipers rule open areas, but with no drawbacks they seem to rule anything they want.
A good idea in the game is "BP". Working like XP you earn points for every kill you make, objective you capture etc. Each class comes with 2 special purchase slots, which range from UAV sweeps and extra armour, to bombing runs and gun drones. This is a really good system for rewarding good gameplay, as even if you don't get a high killstreak, you still earn points towards goodies, meaning people who win the matches just by claiming objectives get rewards as well as those who run in crazy and get kills.
These BP can also be spent on vehicles in some matches. From the humble humvee (which seems to be missing the missile countermeasures suddenly) to APC's, Tanks and 2 types of helicopters. The game also offers a brilliant option of spawning in the secondary gun seat in someones vehicle, so if you buy a chopper you donj't need to waste time on the ground waiting for someone else to get in.
However the vehicles (particularly the choppers, especially the missile spewing AT chopper) don't seem balenced. Almost impervious to small arms fire thanks to height and armour they have only 2 weaknesses...proximity rockets (rockets that fire in straight lines, but explode if they sense they're close to something) and AT drones, which have lock on missiles. However the neither of these purchaseables are unlockable until about Level 30. The AT drone isn't in any of the premade selections, and the proximity launcher in one of them. Oh and the chopper does have counter measures, which recharge faster than the rockets on the drone do. Also at a high enough level you can have a perk which means you vehicle automatically repairs itself. I understand that the chopper is a significant BP investment (about 2000 points, when you get 130 for a kill) but its just doen'st seem to die. At least drones have a battery life before they fail.
It also seems to favour the higher ranked more than other FPS games do. At higher ranks you unlock better things, like better airstrikes, perks and customised vehicle slots. These just make it easier to dominate the lesser being who are just starting. Example? When you start you have the option of a hell strike purchasable. 2 single shot missiles that damage light armour (kill a humvee in one though)and kill infantry if you hit them directly. At rank 17 you get a white phosphorus mortar round. large area, kills lot of infantry (rarely do I see one of these that doesn't kill at least 2 people) but doesn't do much against vehicles. At rank 40ish you get cluster bombs. Large area, kills anything under it, infantry or vehicles included. Now I understand you need to reawrd hgiher ranking players, but it just feels like a newcomer to this game in say, a month is going to have a serious uphill struggle to get into the game.
Also some of the capture and control maps seem a little one sided. In all the game i've played on most of them one team always wins that round. But maybe thats just fluke.
Anyway in review Homefront isn't a bad game. Its just short, with some good multiplayer innovations, but could use a few tweaks.
And its arbitary grade out of 10? 7.5. Rent it, borrow it, see what you think, then if you like the multiplayer buy it. But do it quick before every online is ranked Lv50.
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