System Requirements:
Video: 3D Accelerator. That's all you need to know.
Well, it had to happen sooner or later, but I didn't want it to be so soon. Alien Arena 2010 is a sucky online first person shooter not even worth hard drive space on your computer; but before you decide not to download it, I'll give you some reasons why.
User Interface:
The menus in this game are very poorly designed, and navigation and option selection is a pain. How hard is it to make a menu? Well, with some random clicking I figured out how to navigate through the menu, and realized there were a couple good features. You can select a character model, change your color, change the handedness of your character (as a left-handed person I've always complained how all first-person shooter characters are right-handed), and you can change the reticle shape. But figuring out how to access these features is harder than it has to be, and they don't make up for the overall suckiness of the game.
Joining games is a pain. It's hard to tell what game mode a certain lobby is, and it's not easy to know how to join one. Sometimes when you double click on a game it does nothing, and there's no 'join' button.
Exiting the program is just nonsensical. Every time you go to exit, the game stops responding and windows closes it down. What heck was that? They couldn't program something into this game to close it down automatically? They had to get Windows to do it for them? Lame douche bags.
Gameplay:
This game sucks even more than the menus do. First of all, you have a 50% chance of the game closing down on you if you try and start a new game, and a 25% chance of having the game freeze up and do nothing, which can only be remedied by and Alt-F4. So right off the bat your chances of being able to play a game are slim. When you manage to join a game that isn't faulty, you realize how bad of a decision it was to start playing. The lag is inconceivably inconvenient. It's impossible to shoot at enemies with a normal blaster, and your only hope is with the chain gun. The controls are normal, and the fact that weapons have more than one ability is great, but who cares if you can't navigate? It's not that my connection was bad. Crossfire plays just fine, and I'm on a hard line instead of a wireless connection. So why in the name of all that is unholy do I fail to receive information from the server? Maybe it's the other peoples' connections. If so, that means everyone else's connections are bad, and there's no reason to play if that's the case.
And speaking of 'everyone else,' I'm surprised people still play this piece of s**t game. I mean, there's even a forum for it, as if the designers thought this globulation of cow feces would be considered riveting enough for people to join a community. I logged on to the IRC, and to my expectation no one was on. I'm sure anyone on the forums, if there is anyone, is probably a basement-dwelling urine-bather and isn't worth the time.
Tangent aside, this game is not worth playing offline. There is offline practice with bots, but that grows boring very quickly. They're not too hard to beat. There were other game modes that I was surprised existed, but for fear of my eyeballs burning from their sockets, I decided not to delve into the cess pool of Alien Arena 2010.
Graphics:
The graphic quality of this game is gut wrenching. All I need is a 3D accelerator card? There got to be something wrong with that. But that doesn't mean bad graphics. Lego Racers (my first 3D accelerator game) had pretty good visuals, unlike this game. Maybe I'm giving Lego Racers too much credit, but this game is an eyesore. Character models are okay, but weapons, objects, and scenery look pretty terrible. and you have to take this into context: this is Alien Arena 2010. Maybe you're thinking they made this in the 90's when we thought we'd see aliens by 2010, and they were trying to make the game more futuristic-sounding. Nope. This game was actually made in 2009. They should have been able to make a better-looking game, even if it is free. I usually say that I get what I paid for, so I shouldn't complain about a free game. But the hard drive space is not worth the loss. And the time you spend to download, install, play, and realize the waste of time is not worth it when you could spend time playing games like Crossfire or the Halo Free Trial.
Sound:
The sound in this game wasn't that bad. It is arguably the most flawless aspect of this game. The alien gun noises are very alien gun-ish. But they get annoying. Fast.
Verdict:
My verdict is this: what the heck was I thinking when I downloaded this? Did I think I found a hidden gem? I don't know. I just wasn't prepared to its suckiness. But I will give this game props for having a left-handed character ability. Being a lefty, I like knowing someone out there cares; I just wish that someone could make a game right. I'll give this one a 3/10. I'm not putting a link for this game. If you're the kind of person who would like to find out what I'm talking about, then just go to cnet and search it. But it's on your head. If you find it's better than I said, let me know. Otherwise, don't say I didn't tell you so. As a friendly warning, don't play this. Good night, young people, and heed my words.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
My first review: Cross Fire
System Requirements (always minimum):
OS: Windows XP/Vista/7
CPU: 1.5 GHz or better
RAM: 512 MB
Video: GeForce 5600 equivalent or better
Hard Drive Space: 1.2 GB
Internet Connection: Better than dial-up
Download link: http://download.cnet.com/Cross-Fire/3000-7441_4-10907539.html?part=dl-6282928&subj=dl&tag=button
The first game review on the list is of a Modern Warfare rip-off called Cross Fire. Cross Fire is an online first-person shooter with a distinct "poor man's Call of Duty" flavor.
Gameplay:
Cross Fire is an obvious Modern Warfare clone, and you'd imagine the game is a poor facsimile of the game it is modeled after. The game screams Modern Warfare clone with everything starting with its leveling up system which allows the purchase of new weapons at higher levels, "prestige-ability", and allows extra 'bags' (or Custom Classes). The weapon purchasing system is unique, and you gain GPs by playing the game, or you can purchase ZPs to buy content in the game.
Aside from the game's interface and various systems, the game still looks a lot like Modern Warfare. The font used in the game is pretty close to Modern Warfare's, and medals appear on the bottom of the screen for headshots and killstreaks. However, there are no killstreak awards like chopper gunners or nukes, which is a let down for such an obvious clone.
Another differences from Modern Warfare is the inability to aim down the sights of your weapon, or even go prone. These abilities would be helpful in the game, but because they're not in it, it accounted for many of my deaths. All the accuracy you gain from aiming is impossible to achieve, so if you're using an assault rifle your aim will be far off. Of course, some guns have scopes which you can aim through, but aiming through the scope is more of a Halo-style set up where you have to click the zoom button once to aim, another to zoom further, and once more to exit. This makes it difficult to aim in a fast-pace modern deathmatch. Accuracy in the game is limited, so people who are used to Modern Warfare would not like getting used to this game.
All those things aside, Cross Fire has a few game modes that differ greatly from Modern Warfare's usual game modes. There's normal team deathmatch, free for all, elimination, and other such goodies, but two main points in these game modes are the Mutation and Ghost game modes. Mutation is similar to Halo 3's infection, in that it has one player who becomes the mutant, and runs around infecting people with the mutant virus until all people are infected or the time runs out. The difference is that mutants, by gaining points, can evolve to a higher state of mutation. With each stage comes new abilities, and they come in handy when picking off the last few soldiers.
Ghost mode is a game mode where one team has invisibility (which fades with movement) and knives, and they try to plant a bomb in one of the locations on the map. The other team is visible but can use all types of weapons, and they try to disarm the bomb, or kill the opposite team before the bomb is planted. The adrenaline flows as you shoot at a corner you think your assassin is hiding in, or you hear a knife slice the air behind you. Thrill greets you as you assassinate an unsuspecting member of the bomb squad. This game mode keeps me coming for more.
The normal game modes have good replay value, and keep the adrenaline coursing as bullets fly and you bring your team to victory (or in my case, defeat). Even though it is very unlike Modern Warfare, it is still a fun game and is worth playing for an hour or two.
Sound:
The sound of the game is pretty average. The gun sounds are pretty similar to each other. The sound falls below average notably with the Desert Eagle, whose blasts are so phonetically pleasing in Modern Warfare. Cross Fire is another story, and the Desert Eagle sounds like a generic pistol. This is also true for assault and sniper rifles; the gun sounds don't vary much.
Visuals:
For a free online game, the visuals pleased me. They were clear, and teams were easily differentiable by color. The maps used in the game were good-looking. Sometimes a bit boxy, but you get what you pay for.
Server Quality:
As long as you have a good connection, this game runs fine. Hackers can be kicked shortly after they're found out, and pose a very minimal problem, unlike in the Halo Free Trial (my former online FPS). You shouldn't have very many problems with this game.
Verdict:
This game does not measure up to the Modern Warfare that it copies, but it still is a good game. Sound could be improved, as could the visuals, but it is a free game, so it's to be expected. Assuming you don't have Modern Warfare, I suggest you download this game. For it's faults and strong points mentioned in the review, I give this game an 8/10. Have fun budget gaming on this one!
OS: Windows XP/Vista/7
CPU: 1.5 GHz or better
RAM: 512 MB
Video: GeForce 5600 equivalent or better
Hard Drive Space: 1.2 GB
Internet Connection: Better than dial-up
Download link: http://download.cnet.com/Cross-Fire/3000-7441_4-10907539.html?part=dl-6282928&subj=dl&tag=button
The first game review on the list is of a Modern Warfare rip-off called Cross Fire. Cross Fire is an online first-person shooter with a distinct "poor man's Call of Duty" flavor.
Gameplay:
Cross Fire is an obvious Modern Warfare clone, and you'd imagine the game is a poor facsimile of the game it is modeled after. The game screams Modern Warfare clone with everything starting with its leveling up system which allows the purchase of new weapons at higher levels, "prestige-ability", and allows extra 'bags' (or Custom Classes). The weapon purchasing system is unique, and you gain GPs by playing the game, or you can purchase ZPs to buy content in the game.
Aside from the game's interface and various systems, the game still looks a lot like Modern Warfare. The font used in the game is pretty close to Modern Warfare's, and medals appear on the bottom of the screen for headshots and killstreaks. However, there are no killstreak awards like chopper gunners or nukes, which is a let down for such an obvious clone.
Another differences from Modern Warfare is the inability to aim down the sights of your weapon, or even go prone. These abilities would be helpful in the game, but because they're not in it, it accounted for many of my deaths. All the accuracy you gain from aiming is impossible to achieve, so if you're using an assault rifle your aim will be far off. Of course, some guns have scopes which you can aim through, but aiming through the scope is more of a Halo-style set up where you have to click the zoom button once to aim, another to zoom further, and once more to exit. This makes it difficult to aim in a fast-pace modern deathmatch. Accuracy in the game is limited, so people who are used to Modern Warfare would not like getting used to this game.
All those things aside, Cross Fire has a few game modes that differ greatly from Modern Warfare's usual game modes. There's normal team deathmatch, free for all, elimination, and other such goodies, but two main points in these game modes are the Mutation and Ghost game modes. Mutation is similar to Halo 3's infection, in that it has one player who becomes the mutant, and runs around infecting people with the mutant virus until all people are infected or the time runs out. The difference is that mutants, by gaining points, can evolve to a higher state of mutation. With each stage comes new abilities, and they come in handy when picking off the last few soldiers.
Ghost mode is a game mode where one team has invisibility (which fades with movement) and knives, and they try to plant a bomb in one of the locations on the map. The other team is visible but can use all types of weapons, and they try to disarm the bomb, or kill the opposite team before the bomb is planted. The adrenaline flows as you shoot at a corner you think your assassin is hiding in, or you hear a knife slice the air behind you. Thrill greets you as you assassinate an unsuspecting member of the bomb squad. This game mode keeps me coming for more.
The normal game modes have good replay value, and keep the adrenaline coursing as bullets fly and you bring your team to victory (or in my case, defeat). Even though it is very unlike Modern Warfare, it is still a fun game and is worth playing for an hour or two.
Sound:
The sound of the game is pretty average. The gun sounds are pretty similar to each other. The sound falls below average notably with the Desert Eagle, whose blasts are so phonetically pleasing in Modern Warfare. Cross Fire is another story, and the Desert Eagle sounds like a generic pistol. This is also true for assault and sniper rifles; the gun sounds don't vary much.
Visuals:
For a free online game, the visuals pleased me. They were clear, and teams were easily differentiable by color. The maps used in the game were good-looking. Sometimes a bit boxy, but you get what you pay for.
Server Quality:
As long as you have a good connection, this game runs fine. Hackers can be kicked shortly after they're found out, and pose a very minimal problem, unlike in the Halo Free Trial (my former online FPS). You shouldn't have very many problems with this game.
Verdict:
This game does not measure up to the Modern Warfare that it copies, but it still is a good game. Sound could be improved, as could the visuals, but it is a free game, so it's to be expected. Assuming you don't have Modern Warfare, I suggest you download this game. For it's faults and strong points mentioned in the review, I give this game an 8/10. Have fun budget gaming on this one!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
DC's Reviews: Reviews for the Budget Gamer
Not to be confused with the comics or shoes. DC is an abbreviation of my usual name, darkcrusader. I'm going to be doing reviews of free PC games. Most of the reviews will be for downloadable games, but I will probably bring you virus-phobes some reviews of play-in-your-browser games from sites like addictinggames.com. My first review is going to be of a game I am currently playing, called "Cross Fire," a free Modern Warfare knockoff. Expect a review at least every week, and subscribe if you want info on good free games.
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