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CS2x
from London (United Kingdom) on 2008-05-22 05:20 [#02209201]
Points: 5079 Status: Lurker
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Even though I'd really been enjoying Half Life 2: Orange Box and Halo 3 these last few months, I thought I'd fire up the original Unreal with some new patches enabling it to use (some) of my newer PC's power, to see how it held up.
Perhaps this is just nostalgia talking, but it is still an utterly immersive game, even if its gameplay is pretty archaic. I ended up completing it and then played through the first half twice (which admittedly is far better than the second, bar a stunning level or two), and memories of its atmosphere are still drawing me back for a third playthrough. Perhaps it's the music, or the fact you're always completely alone and only ever hearing messages from the deceased, or maybe its the weird labyrinthine alien temples you explore and the gothic elements thrown into the sci-fi surroundings and lush green environments. I don't know, but it definitely has something that other shooters don't. I even liked how obtuse some environments were and how easy it was to get lost in places, too; it really seemed to work in context and gave the impression of freedom.
Am I alone in wanting a proper, uncompromising sequel to Unreal? Other shooters handle interaction with allies, squad-based gameplay and edge-of-your-seat narrative events far more adequately than Unreal II ever did (what a gash game....) and there's all the Unreal Tournaments up to 3 to handle multiplayer. I just want an Unreal sequel where I'm thrown into another temple-ridden alien world, completely alone from beginning to end, with more of the same lovely music banging away as I go. I don't want to feel lead by the hand and I don't want anybody telling me anything; I just want to step out of a prison ship to a new, beautifully hostile world.
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elusive
from detroit (United States) on 2008-05-22 08:08 [#02209222]
Points: 18368 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag
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Was always a quake-fan, myself. Never had played Unreal and only touched on UT ... but i loved the single player of Unreal 2.
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hedphukkerr
from mathbotton (United States) on 2008-05-22 11:47 [#02209278]
Points: 8833 Status: Regular
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i really do miss the "golden age" of first person shooters when the original unreal and half-life came out - so many good games were made during that time.
or maybe its just nostalgia and the fact that i havent really gamed since then. either way, i second your notion.
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noseburger
on 2008-05-22 11:48 [#02209280]
Points: 1198 Status: Lurker | Followup to CS2x: #02209201
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it was a great game for sho', but my only complaint was the weedy weapons. i mean c'mon, they did suck ass biscuits. rob, being a fan of lba and this, you must surely have a love for Another world? also maybe Universe which for all its flaws, was an immersive experience, thanks largely in part to the inspired musical score.
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CS2x
from London (United Kingdom) on 2008-05-22 14:36 [#02209323]
Points: 5079 Status: Lurker | Followup to noseburger: #02209280
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Yeah, you're right about the weapons....They were fairly atrocious.
I am a massive fan of Another World. It's got the kind of atmosphere that I love in games, though it got pretty frustrating in places. I haven't heard of Universe; what format was it on? Also, have you tried a PC game called Outcast? That's an overlooked gem.
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noseburger
on 2008-05-22 15:01 [#02209332]
Points: 1198 Status: Lurker | Followup to CS2x: #02209323
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i wanted to love outcast, i really did, but iirc the controls and the gameplay was too clumsy. massive shame. another world was quite unforgiving in places, but it was epic. but Universe was for the amiga, (pc too, so one for dosbox) one for an emulator and a rainy day maybe.
listen to the music, its great.
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Ophecks
from Nova Scotia (Canada) on 2008-05-22 15:05 [#02209333]
Points: 19190 Status: Moderator | Followup to CS2x: #02209323 | Show recordbag
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Voxels were so cool back then. They're still cool.
The original Unreal actually seems pretty underrated now, it did have great atmosphere but the presentation innovations/streamlining in Half Life's single-player seems to have completely overshadowed it. Unreal's campaign doesn't talked about a lot anymore.
That scene where you're walking down a hall in the first big structure , the lights go out and you're attacked by a monster while the emergency lights flicker, that was damn scary. But I'm not exactly sure a pure Unreal sequel would work now. The current UE3 engine art ''style'' seems too... gaudy, or something. I'm not sure Cliffy B et al have the right mindset to do something that can match Unreal's ambience now.
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noseburger
on 2008-05-22 15:14 [#02209337]
Points: 1198 Status: Lurker | Followup to Ophecks: #02209333
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did anyother games actually use voxels?> (other than delta force)
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hedphukkerr
from mathbotton (United States) on 2008-05-22 15:15 [#02209338]
Points: 8833 Status: Regular
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oh man, delta force, what a poo that series was.
i didn't like outcast either, the control scheme was just too mucky.
remember system shock 2? brilliance that there one was.
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noseburger
on 2008-05-22 15:18 [#02209340]
Points: 1198 Status: Lurker
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Deus ex.
someone needed to say it.
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hedphukkerr
from mathbotton (United States) on 2008-05-22 15:19 [#02209341]
Points: 8833 Status: Regular | Followup to noseburger: #02209340
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oooh yes, so good. also, thief!?
like i said, "golden age" of fps.
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noseburger
on 2008-05-22 15:25 [#02209345]
Points: 1198 Status: Lurker
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i was too impatient for theif.
i have my amiga 1200 setup in my room currently, and have been playing alien breed 3D2 on it. its so slow its pretty much unplayable. it was dated when it was released really and tried to do too much :-/
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Ophecks
from Nova Scotia (Canada) on 2008-05-22 15:31 [#02209347]
Points: 19190 Status: Moderator | Show recordbag
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The first two Thief games are gaming perfection incarnate, and even the unfairly maligned third one is awesome.
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CS2x
from London (United Kingdom) on 2008-05-22 17:50 [#02209447]
Points: 5079 Status: Lurker | Followup to Ophecks: #02209333
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"the presentation innovations/streamlining in Half Life's single-player seems
to have completely overshadowed it"
Yeah. While I can admit Half Life is superior in many ways, I still have a special thing with Unreal and I think it's a shame everybody has forgotten about it. I actually prefer playing it occasionally to the original Half Life...
System Shock 2 and Thief were indeed wonderful experiences. It's a shame some of you didn't like Outcast; it is a hard going game at first, but it's clearly a labour of love, and the level of detail and freedom is still astounding even today.
noseburger, that Universe music is pretty great! Is there a higher quality version of its tunes someone? Youtube isn't the best quality, and it'd be nice to give em a listen later on the ipod.
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AMPI MAX
from United Kingdom on 2008-06-09 19:28 [#02214810]
Points: 10789 Status: Regular
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Unreal was special. I miss the days when fps games were less self absorbed in military combat style shitness
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