The Bottom Line [Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway]

I'm going to use this thread for all of my impressions. I'll update the title to include the newest game, and list the full lineup in the original post. I have half finished my Pure write up, and will be posting that along with my Soul Calibur IV impressions at some point this week. I'm still playing through BiA3 so that will follow later along with my Crysis Warhead impressions and videos.

I have just bought a HD capture card so i'll be recording a fair amount of 720p footage, and possibly doing a voice track instead of writing my impressions. I've been really busy moving into my new place recently that i haven't had time to get everything sorted out yet, but I sould be back up to speed soon enough and have some interesting stuff in the pipeline ;)

In the meantime...



Star Wars: Force Unleashed

I get excited when new Star Wars games are announced. All you have to do is get the game design and mechanics right and you have a killer title... everything else is already there for you. From the different races that populate the universes' planets, to the weapon and enemy designs, to the over-arcing back-story. It's all already been meticulously laid out by other people in the form on 6 movies, countless comics, multiple novels... and other games. It can't be hard to make an awesome Star Wars game. Or at least that's what I tell myself every time a new title is announced.

Apparently, it's not as easy as you might think. Or at least, that's the way the countless awful games set in the Star Wars universe make it appear. 9 out of every 10 games has been a dud, with the first two Rogue Squadron games, the first Jedi Knight and the first Battlefront game being the only real standout titles. The Lego Star Wars series, while cool... can't really be counted.

When I heard that LucasArts had a game in development where the main character was a Sith - Darth Vader’s apprentice no less - I was overcome with joy. When I first saw the game in motion, I knew they were creating something special. Now that I’ve played the final retail version through to completion, I can safely say that Force Unleashed is the best Star Wars game I’ve ever played, and one of the best games I’ve played so far this gen.

LucasArts had the die hard fan inside me with the very first level. Playing as an incredibly powerful Vader, on a mission to find and kill a rogue Jedi... it's every Star Wars fan's dream. From there on in, the game only gets better. The visuals are superb - full of colour, with nice textures and excellent lighting/shadowing. There are a few murky textures [for reference I have the PS3 version] - but these are usually limited to surfaces off in the distance. There's no aliasing, which is nice, ...and everything jogs along at a fairly stable 30fps. The framerate dips occasionally when there's a lot going on in a scene... but those moments are few and far between. It never crawls to the kind of pace seen in Ninja Gaiden II - and it looks better.

The character models and particularly the apprentice are superbly detailed. The armour and clothing design, which changes with every level you play - to fit the different environments and hazards you encounter - are all well done. The animations are superb and the Euphoria powered physics both add to the overall experience. There have been times where I’ve literally said "holy shit!". It's that good.

Now, I’m not saying that the game doesn't have any flaws. Every game has niggles, and Force Unleashed is no exception. The camera and lock on targeting can be mildly frustrating, but I can't think of anything else that the game falls down on. The lock on targeting, which usually isn't needed anyway, is a little inaccurate - fixing onto enemies behind the guy right in front of you. It's not a huge issue because when you're throwing large rocks or whatever, the game does a good job of making them go in the right direction. The camera is user controllable like in most 3rd person action games, with a single click of the right stick centring it behind the player... but with so much going on, and a few claustrophobic environments; when you're jumping about and trying to avoid incoming fire, it can get a little messy.

The controls have been well thought out, although they are slightly complicated at first. Before you know it you'll be flinging Storm Troopers into groups of others without even thinking about it. The force grip power is not only the most useful but also the most fun. Gripping an enemy and lifting them into the air before throwing and impaling them with your lightsabre is unbelievably badass, ...as is hurling massive rocks at AT-ST's and watching them lose their footing.

Sabre combat is relatively simple, ...with mostly assigned to one button. There are lots of available moves, but it's nothing like Ninja Gaiden or Devil May Cry. It barely even touches God of War or Heavenly Sword... although the availability of force powers makes it just as entertaining.

While most sabre combat is pretty basic, it can be infused with the force for more deadly moves. You can for example course lightning through your blade – briefly making it far more powerful.
Throughout the game you collect force points. Killing an enemy with simple sabre attacks will net you a minimal amount, …but kill and enemy with a devastating force combo like say using force grip and push in conjunction to fling hapless storm troopers into one another, or force dash and push to turn yourself into a brutal wrecking ball of momentous energy.
The more force points you earn the quicker you level up, and levelling up gains you force tokens. You get three tokens, one for each of the Apprentice’s skill trees. You can upgrade your existing force powers, or unlock new ones in the power tree. Then there’s the talent tree where you can upgrade your attributes; health, force bar etc. Lastly there’s the combo tree which gives your access to new moves.



It’s not a complicated or even in-depth combat system, but it works, and more importantly… it’s fun.


There are no projectile weapons available for use. You have your lightsabre and your powers and that’s it. Not that you need them anyway, …the AI isn’t exactly anything special.
 
There are elaborate finishing moves which can be triggered when you’ve reduced one of the bigger and more dangerous enemies life bar to nearly zero. They look cool, but one or two just don’t quite sit right, being a little too OTT. But then, …exactly how OTT can you get when taking down an Imperial Walker or mental Rancor???
 
You can collect different lightsabre crystals which either give a bonus effect – like added electrical damage for example – or simply change the colour of the beam. You can also change into any of the unlocked outfits at ay time during any level… but if you change mid level it restarts you in your new togs at the previous checkpoint. Slightly annoying, but if you don’t want to wander around a humid jungle planet nearly topless then you don’t have to.
 
The story is pretty good, with what appears to be very minimal retconning. It fills the gap between the 3^rd and 4^th movies and there are events that transpire throughout the course of the game what will make you see parts of the original trilogy slightly differently. I’d always wondered why Admiral Motti had thought he could be so arrogant towards Vader in A New Hope… and now I know.
 
The voice-acting is top notch and none of the characters seem out of place. A lot of love and care has gone into this game and it clearly shows. The score in particular is stunning, as expected. The right music kicks in at the right time and It looks and feels like you would expect a Star Wars game to feel.
 
Overall I’m extremely happy with the final game. The demo was good, but the retail version is just excellent. For Star Wars fans it’s a dream to play… and for those that aren’t that bothered about the series but like action games it’s far better than most available. If you haven’t played the demo then you should, and if you’re a fan of the series then it’s a certifiable must-buy. Granted we’re at that point of the year where every publisher is trying to get their game into gamer’s hands, and gamers only have so much money to spend… but out of the batch of titles I’ve been playing over the past fortnight [Pure, Mercenaries 2, Soul Calibur IV, BIA3 and Force Unleashed) …this is the one that’s really stood out in my mind. Maybe the dark side has clouded my vision… or maybe it’s just a fuck awesome game. Either way, I’m happy with it.

I played the demo and the only thing that impressed me gameplaywise was throwing objects.  Somehow they made this cool, everything else felt like Star Wars lite however polished.  I'm not a huge fan of the movies but I like the mythology.  Lightsabers, the Sith, Yoda, Vader, the Force are all fucking cool.  I haven't played the game but the demo didn't give me a big enough taste to feel excited enough to pick up the game.  In particular I wasn't impressed with the lightsaber fighting.  Like you said it was very simplistic.  Why can't they ever do this right?  I want a game with hundreds of different lightsaber animations not half a dozen.  They could have multitiered situational animations.  This external condition plus this external condition plus this external condition combined with this button press at this experience level/class will give this animation.  Wake me up when we've at least reached this degree of complexity with animation. 

Actually that's probably too much to ask.  Just give me Kotor 3...I want it yesterday.

"This is sad. There's no other word for it. The person who invents a way to punch someone in the face over the Internet will make millions from the demand generated by people like this." Youtube comments

Good write-up.  But you wouldn't include Knights of the Old Republic in your list of great Star Wars games?

X-wing and Tie fighter are the best star wars games ever made. Kotor is a close follow up.
 
Also the first Dark Forces game was as good as Jedi Knight (which was Dark Forces 2)
 
I want this game, just cant afford it, might free up a laptop i can sell so give me enough cash for 3 games, one of which may be this, but considering i want Gears2, Fable 2, Fallout 3 and probably a lot more titles, im not sure i will go for it.

Dark forces is olde.

So is VX. 

"This is sad. There's no other word for it. The person who invents a way to punch someone in the face over the Internet will make millions from the demand generated by people like this." Youtube comments

I mean it's like bringing up PONG in a modern videogame argument.

It's like saying "Yeah I sure like Fallout 3, but I gotta tell ya, PACMAN is the best game ever."

Let's jump back into this century Vx.

emofag


I mean it's like bringing up PONG in a modern videogame argument.

It's like saying "Yeah I sure like Fallout 3, but I gotta tell ya, PACMAN is the best game ever."

Let's jump back into this century Vx.

In all fairness to PONG, it shits all over pacman

I dont want to celebrate, I want to sell you hate.

Well Emo the point Vx was making was that it was a good game, which was referring to Nitro mentioning the only star wars games he thought were good, so you are trying to say if we were discussing good platformers i couldn't bring up mario bros cuz its too old?  Well anyway off the tirade I really liked Dark Forces myself and it can't be that damned old if I've played it. ;D

Lol

Sure its old, but if you bring Jedi Knight into the discussion, you can bring Dark Forces as well since it was the predessesor.

And it is old, like 1996 old.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW8yk_eIHJU

Torr, Dark Forces was released in 95 when you were about 3. It's an old game.

But that's beside the point because i also said that 9/10 games set in the Star Wars universe have been duds. Since there have been over 100 Star Wars games... I'm allowing for 10 good ones.

I probably should have mentioned KOTOR though as Zoy said. I have no idea why but when thinking about Star Wars games it completely skipped my mind. Empire at War and Battlegrounds were pretty good too.

Now... with regard to the combat system...

In my hastiness to get this posted i forgot to mention the levelling system and unlockable moves. This has now been added to the original post. Appologies.

I was 5 thank you and I loved that game(mind it was like the 4th game I had played at that point), but yeah it is starting to be aged, but I still count it as a good game.  Also 10 games sounds about right, maybe a few more if you are being generous.  I would love to play this game and I loved the first two levels, now I am just waiting on my xbox to start working again(Eddie is working on it, kinda).  Overall I say nice review and it makes me want to play it just a little more.

There's no PC  version for this?  Tsk tsk.

emofag


There's no PC  version for this?  Tsk tsk.

The control scheme works well on a controller, I dont think it would translate well to a m/k.

I dont want to celebrate, I want to sell you hate.

360 controllers are the best PC controllers, no excuse.

I'm probably gonna rent it tonight, the videos I saw do look pretty bad ass.  But I hate the lack of vsync, it makes alot of games unplayable for me so I don't think I will be able to stand much if the screen tearing is too bad.

I really enjoyed TFU, one of the better Star Wars games - but not the best.  It was a nicely polished experience but not the best game I've played this gen.  I think they could've put the euphoria effects to better use.  It really stayed in the background, only coming into play obviously when stormtroopers are reacting to objects you're trying to hit them with!

Did however notice the Wilhelm Scream in one cutscene!

Tbh, I rented it and completed it in a few days.  Best Star Wars games imo are KOTOR, Tie Fighter and Jedi Knight.

I really liked this game, but as for it being a buy I don't think so.  I am glad to have played it but once it makes the rounds through my friends its gettin sold back to gamestop.  For me the replayability isn't great considering the storyline was a big part of the game for me.  Either way you cut it, this game was TOO FUCKING SHORT(I beat this game in a day and a half).  Overall if you like star wars at least give it a look, it is by far worth a rent.

Brother's in Arms: Hell's Highway
 
When is a World War II game not just a World War II game? When it's a Brothers in Arms game? That was the case with the first two games in the series and Gearbox are hoping that it's the same for the third entry; Hells Highway.
 
The problem Gearbox are faced with is that the formula and gameplay mechanics no longer feel fresh. It's no longer a unique experience. The console and PC versions of Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (and their subsequent sequels) and Rainbow Six: Vegas (and it's sequel) have entered the fray and made aspects of Hells Highway's gameplay mechanics a little redundant. Granted, the tactical shooter genre isn't exactly a new development; Rainbow 6, SWAT and Hidden & Dangerous had already explored squad based gameplay years before Brothers in Arms burst onto the scene, but the presentation, accessibility and well-roundedness of Gearbox's games set new standards for not just squad-based console shooters, but the genre as a whole.
 
You see, what stopped 2005's Road to Hill 30 and it's same year sequel - Earned in Blood - from being simple World War II shooters were their tactical approach to gameplay. Suppressing and flanking the enemy, battling through heavily defended choke points and the constant risk of losing your teammates to enemy fire made for a tense and relatively unique experience in the first-person shooter genre. Running and gunning was impossible, the script writing was fantastic and although they each had their own "issues", the first two BiA games felt refreshing.
 
Fast forward to today and the much anticipated release of Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway. Is the gameplay still compelling enough on it's own to warrant purchase in light of increased competition in the squad based shooter genre manifested in the form of commercial mega-hits GRAW/2 and RV6:V/2? And if it isn't, do the story, presentation and attention to detail make up for it?
 
The answer should have been a resounding yes... and then some, ...but it isn't. Or at least, not quite. The game does have a lot of great qualities though so i'll start with those.
 
The game, on both PC and consoles is visually stunning. I've played it on 360 and i own both the PS3 and PC versions. The OTT depth of field when aiming down the sights can be a little annoying, but that's probably the only negative as far as the graphics go. The texture quality and lighting are superb and the environments are convincing. The ingame character modeling and animations are spot on and you get a good sense of momentum when running or hopping over walls and fences. The weapons look great and the particle effects are better than average. All in all it's a great looking game, especially on consoles. It looks better on PC for obvious reasons, but compared to it's format peers, it could have been better. On consoles it's one of the best looking titles available.
 
The games AI is fairly impressive. Enemy lines of sight and viewing distance are pretty forgiving in advance of firefights starting so that you are able to find a position you can work with. Stealth plays its part though and obviously the closer you can manoeuvre your men and yourself before being spotted the more effective your initial contact will be. Looking at the overhead map allows you to plot your line of approach, view objectives, squad status and enemy positions. Unlike the PC version of GRAW you can't action your teammates moves, or firing arcs from the map but it's certainly helpful when your pinned down and can't see a way to flank the enemy from where you are. When combat initiates enemy soldiers will bolt for cover and then pop out to fire at you. If they then see you moving to flank them they will move again and find alternative cover that protects them from the 2 or 3 different positions you and your troops hold. It's not overly complex stuff, but it's a solid system and far superior to the basic AI routines that we see in games like Call of Duty 4.
 
Unlike some squad based shooters, utilizing your teammates effectively is a necessary requirement if you want to make any progress in this game. One of the ways Gearbox achieved this is by making you're weapons pretty damn inaccurate, ...the idea being that it would simulate the incoming suppression fire. It does work well, but it can also be a little frustrating. It forces you to use your fire-teams properly though so it can't really be viewed as a negative.
 
Combat is mostly fun but can sometimes feel a little tedious and repetitive. The environments are open enough to allow you to handle each battle a number of different ways, but it still manages to feel a little limiting and unrealistic. The slow motion headshot and grenade killcam's are nice, but a little random. They're very cinematic though and achieve the desired result, however the grenades can be hard to place properly depending on your view and the aiming is very inaccurate so these moments are hard to trigger off the cuff. There are some interesting vehicle and solo sections to break the pace up and plenty of cinematic - hold x button to view moment(s) that add to the grandness and scale of the whole thing.
 
The basic commands that you can issue to your squad (dig in, rally, move to etc...) are intuitive... but i had hoped for more. The friendly AI does a good job of looking after itself, but i'd expected more. I suspect that if the game was PC-only they would have gone for a more complex system and that the nature of console gaming and the need for an acceptable balance between hardcore and mainstream so as not to alienate the masses is the cause. It's a shame really because the framework is solid and would really lend itself to a fully fledged FPSRTS... if you will. In the PC version of Advanced Warfighter you can command your team through the UAV, telling them exactly where to move and when, setting multiple waypoints that can be executed either one at a time or in a string. You can set your allies firing arcs, aggression state and you can recover downed teammates. I'm not saying that i wanted Hell's Highway to be quite as strategic as the PC GRAW, but in it's current form i feel there's still more that they could have done with it.
 
The game's biggest problem is the narrative. There are too may characters, jumps in the timeline and too much irrelevant dialogue to keep track of exactly what is going on. It's just like watching The Thin Red Line; fantastic production value but confusing as hell. Then there are the console controls that take a short while to get accustomed to and the ridiculous turning circle when you're sprinting that will see you dead more than once as you attempt to dash for cover and struggle to turn whilst moving. It's better on PC, but that doesn't detract from the fact that the console versions should have been better. The close aiming an on/off toggle too like in Resistance: Fall of Man, as opposed to a trigger squeeze and release like in most other shooters. It works, but they should have adopted the superior method used in other games. Likewise, sprint is assigned to a button rather than pushing down on the analog stick like in CoD4. Again, it works but it kind of feels like they have made if different just so it is.
 
As a whole the game is impressive. It probably could have done with another 6 months development and some more playtesting. The script could have been better and the controls could have been tweaked. I won't even comment on the multiplayer... because it's not worth bothering with. What i will say is that unless you've really built this game up in your head and need to play it ASAP... i'm not sure i could recommend it at full price.
 

Dont change thread tittles, btw I got the force unleashed and I like it.

My review was nearing completion, but after three weeks, and two reviews prior, I don't see any point in posting the full transcript. I'm an enormous fan of the Brothers in Arms series, so to compliment Nitro's review, I have to make note of some of the flaws I found in the title. With that in mind, this isn't my complete opinion of the title, simply talking points to contrast Nitro's fantastic write up.

Andy Eddy from Team Xbox described Hell's Highway as a schizophrenic masterpiece, and while I spent quite a bit of time trying to succinctly repeat that idea without plagiarizing, there was simply no better wording.
AI
Gearbox's enemy AI design more often than not turns engagements into brutally entrenched stalemates. The enemy, vastly outnumbering you and your allies, should naturally take action by advancing on your position and attempting to flank you in return.
 
Instead, your Teutonic adversaries will advance to natural points of cover, and simply stick around, opening fire sporadically to inflict a few potshot wounds on you, or eliminate a foolhardy ally. I found that their path and end cover points varied, however I only discovered this due to the frustrating nature of the engagements. Their lack of dynamic action provides for a repetitive (though not alltogether unenjoyable) set of firefights fought behind buildings, brick walls and mounds of dirt.

Tank Missions... 
The solo British tank missions are fucking awful. I've never been all that hot on tank levels in first person shooters. They feel tacked on, and added only to add another half an hour to the game's play time (which was alltogether unnecessary. The game is satisfyingly long as it is).For a game that relies on historical accuracy, it's inexcusable to toss you into an arcade-style shoot 'em up and expect the flow of the game to remain. You jump from your protagonist, Matt Baker, to a British soldier, controlling an entire Sherman by his apparent lonesome, taking on countless tanks and infantry, reverse-Blitskrieging through villages, towns, and across open fields, leaving behind a trail of destruction and death in it's wake. The entire tank experience would have been far less frustrating to me had it been inserted in the middle of the campaign, as a diversion (as the vehicle levels are in the Call of Duty series), instead of peppering the entire campaign with them, including the very last, very anticlimactic level.

Multiplayer
Nitro summed it up. Don't hit the button at the menu. Just ...don't.

The weaponry is intricately detailed. The audio is superb, surpassing even DICE's fantastic efforts in Bad Company. The authenticity of combat, when it does work, is unparalelled, and during these moments, I found myself fully absorbed in Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway. If nothing else, shooter fans should rent it, and experience it for themselves.

The close aiming an on/off toggle too like in Resistance: Fall of Man, as opposed to a trigger squeeze and release like in most other shooters. It works, but they should have adopted the superior method used in other games.

The aim-down-sight is toggle-able from the menu option, though I believe it involves using the Call of Duty control scheme.

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