>>892-Setpieces-
Every game made after Half Life needs to have a setpiece in every stage, and this one is no exception. This one serves as the climax of the stage, only a somewhat violent walk to the exit left after it.
To put it simply, it served its purpose well. It's good at creating tension, feeling explosive, and making me shit my pants my first time through. I would do a play-by-play but I really don't want to spoil it, for those who want to try it out. It is a demo after all.
Honorable mention to the part in the caves where the music gets all quiet before you get into a long combat section and it kicks up the tunes a bit.
Speaking of...
-Music-
The music is super good too. Not Ultrakill nonstop orgasm good, but it's atmospheric, catchy, and good all around. There isn't too much to say about it though. It's stylized in just the right way, and feels fitting for the setting.
-Story-
This is more of a set up than anything else. You're a detective that's investigating a long string of strange disappearances, until you get kidnapped and brought to the source of all your troubles. It's about as complex as throwback shooters get, really. It's still an enjoyable way to frame the conflict though, and it's nice to see a throwback shooter protagonist who isn't driven by blind rage and anger. Moreso just a desire to survive than anything else.
-Other-
One thing I didn't mention in my last post that I absolutely should have is how good the movement feels. It's pretty standard stuff, but it's just right. Movement is quick, but not Wolfenstein 3D quick, the jumping is a bit high but feels nice and chunky while still getting the job done, and your movement abilities are used frequently enough that it doesn't feel like another game where jumping is more of a formality, like CoD. Same thing with the crouch. There are a lot of little sections and secrets that require you to crouch, and it drives home a cramped atmosphere very well.
Another that I didn't really touch on was just how brutal bullets are. The comparison to Blood is not just because of atmosphere and style. Even a few seconds out of cover will have you riddled with more bullet holes than a piece of Swiss Cheese that was used in a firing range. They do a lot of damage, but crouching doesn't decrease enemy accuracy and enemies drop a lot of nice thick health pickups so it creat
Post too long. Click here to view the full text.