More reviews

[Aku]

In a prolific fury I have written two new reviews. I have posted Mechwarrior 4 (a VGR first - three reviews in one!), and have finished reviewing Thief 3, which is now in editing.

[Hieremias]

May they bring you much satisfaction and free games, young padawan.

I shall go read them now.

[Aku]

I'm still holding on posting the one for Thief 3 until I read through it one more time. I should probably space them out a little bit anyway.

[E.T.]

Cool, Im just finishing up that EB compilation of the Mech series.

[Mercanaries had best draw for me, enjoyed the tease of resource management throughout campaign mode, wish more strategy elements were offered though].

[Aku]

I was very particular about managing my mech inventory in the first half of Mercenaries, then it got to the point where I had more money and mechs than I knew what to do with. "Wow, I've got 20 medium pulse lasers I'm not using....guess I'd better sell them!". I was buying extra mechs I didn't need just to try them out in the tournaments, lol.

[photoasylum]

it got to the point where I had more money and mechs than I knew what to do with.

This sounds like my experience with T3. I whimped out the first time and didn't play on the hardest level, and by the middle of the game Garret was almost always maxed out on weapons and still had a ton of money with nothing to spend it on... :D

I look forward to reading your impression of T3. It took me quite a while to get into it, but once I did I enjoyed it competely. No, not the same as the first two, but IMO a great game nonetheless...

[Mochan]

I got maxed out on stuff with Garret at like mission 2 or 3. I'm currently loaded to the max with all his equipment and I have like 20,000 in loot in my pocket. I really do have a strong back!

I guess my fault is I keep trying to solve the missions without using equipment (or using as little as possible). It's true that the carry over of loot and equipment puts me into "conserve" mode. This is really just a problem with my own mentality especially when the game tells you to spend it all as there is no point in hoarding.

But I just found it easier to use stuff in the old Thief were equipment did not carry over and money only carried over to the next mission. Since the stuff would be gone in the next mission anyway, I felt no compulsion to conserve my stuff.

[photoasylum]

I too, tend to hoard supplies in games. Maybe a shrink could find a good reason, heh heh. But in Garrett's world, I think that's realistic.

I mean, health potions are a perfect example. Most of the game I had the max he could carry, which meant I could "mix it up" with half the city guard at any time if I had wanted to, and still be alive with the option of just buying as many more HPs as I needed.

But I just can't play the game that way. For me, all the Thief games mean playing with as little confrontation as possible. So, I hardly took any damage...

I also think being true to the "spirit" of the game means Garrett wouldn't waste any of his weapons or supplies if he could help it.

Your point about the mission method of the first two games (not being able to carry munitions and supplies over) is interesting, and yes, surely affected how I played the game. I really liked the old way, as it forced me to really give my inventory selection some thought (not to mention incentive to steal as much loot as possible!), but I had no problem adapting to the new system.

BTW, when you were loaded with supplies and cash in T3, did you still rob folks blind? I know I did! After all, that's what a thief does... :D

[E.T.]

I guess my fault is I keep trying to solve the missions without using equipment (or using as little as possible). It's true that the carry over of loot and equipment puts me into "conserve" mode. This is really just a problem with my own mentality especially when the game tells you to spend it all as there is no point in hoarding.

I too, tend to hoard supplies in games. Maybe a shrink could find a good reason, heh heh. But in Garrett's world, I think that's realistic.


This must be a common trait amongst gamers...I use to wonder about my need to conserve in game resources too, but see Im not alone.
When I started out playing HL2, I would make the effort to run back & forth on maps, piling up health & ammo like a pack rat.

BTW, good review Aku! I agree on most points, especially the more difficult/frustrating Black Knight missions, & the outdated graphics. Mercanaries was best of all offerings in this compilation, IMHO. THUMBS UP!

[Aku]

Thanks. I have to finish proofreading Thief 3 and post it. This weekend it's Thief and Thief 2 fan missions and UT 2004 (what a slick game!).

[E.T.]

Re: UT 2004, sounds like its worth picking up, yes?

[Aku]

Yes, it's UT on steroids. I haven't even tried all the game modes yet (but I did try Onslaught, and it's fun as hell). I got the DVD version, which is nice since you can install it from one disc (versus six CDs). When I get broadband next month, I'll have to play it online.

[E.T.]

Location for UT 2004 on DVD ? My local EB has notta [only CD's]

[Aku]

The one I go to in S.F. had the the 2 DVD special edition. What happened was there was a used copy of the Editor's Choice DVD version for just $25. I wasn't even paying attention when the guy stuck a bundle of discs in a bag with the box. I get back to my office, and I see that it's a bunch of CDs, and it's not the Editor's Choice version. So I go back and the guy sees his mistake and looks for the right discs, but they're not there. So, some EBX employee gave those out mistakenly (or pocketed them, heh-heh). So, the guy offers me a new copy of the 2 DVD (regular) version for the same price, which wasn't quite as good a deal, but $5 cheaper than it's regular price, so I took it. Anyway, the Editor's Choice content can be downloaded from the Unreal website, so it's no big deal.

[E.T.]

Prices for 2 DVD Collector set of UT 2004 seem to hover between $35-$50 for now.

If anyone finds it for less, please post here:
http://forums.videogamereview.com/showthread.php?t=4145

Thanks!

[Aku]

Okay, Thief 3 review is posted. Two reviews in a week - that's a record for me. I won't be writing another one for many months.

[moya]

That was a good review Aku, although I felt you lingered perhaps a little too long on the negative points when on the whole you seemed to think the game was pretty good.

I don't know what you mean about the AI either: in the first two games I have been in situations where guards walk right past and if I'm in the dark I stay hidden. In this one if the guards get too close, they spot me, even if I'm in total darkness. I never experienced the situation you described in the review.

[Mochan]

My negativity rubbed off of him, lol.

[Aku]

I don't know what you mean about the AI either: in the first two games I have been in situations where guards walk right past and if I'm in the dark I stay hidden. In this one if the guards get too close, they spot me, even if I'm in total darkness. I never experienced the situation you described in the review.

The A.I. in the first two games has numerous flaws. Guards get hung up on walls and furniture, don't always notice things they should, call off the chase too quickly then forget you were ever there, etc. But when a guard gets on your trail and chases you into a dark spot, and start circling closer and closer to you, they will find you. In TDS, a guard can see me, I'll run about ten fett and turn a corner, hide in shadows, and I'm safe. In the first two games, you can be in shadows, but if the corridor is too narrow and a patrolling guard walks too close, they will see you. In TDS, just press yourself against a wall and a guard will never see you no matter how close he gets. Even if you're pursued, just run to the shadows, press against the wall and the guard won't see you, even if he's right behind you.

Actually I was being a tiny bit generous in the review. I probably rate it closer to 3.5, 4 if they come out with the editor. ;)

[E.T.]

I played TDS right after DE: Invisible War & found both failed to hold my attention & as such, were shelved early on [yawn].

I was looking for a reason to finish TDS. Aku's review offered some encouragement.......

[Aku]

Guards are also more relentless in the first two games. How many times have you played a game where a guard is right behind you, then another, then another, and you have a pack of guards chasing you while one of them is sniping you with arrows? In TDS, it's usually one guard on your tail, and you can easily shake him off. Maybe with an editor we'll see missions with more guards in more strategic placements, creating real sticky situations if you get caught. But I still think that the guards/enemies pursue much better in the first two games. Maybe giving all guards in TDS the stats of haunts/Cradle inhabitants would do the trick. It would definitely make the game more challenging, because you wouldn't be able to easily outrun anyone anymore.

[moya]

Hmm... Well I can distinctly remember occasions where I've been pressed up against a wall in the dark and a guard has got too close and spotted me (in the first mission, no less). Point conceded on the relentlessness of the guards, though. That definitely was more of a challenge in the first two.