Really? You're saying the game's TITLE justifies your limited review focus. C'mon Tom. That's weak sauce.
As a loyal reader, and someone who regularly looks to your reviews, I'm just saying I'm disappointed. In the future, regardless of what a game is called or whether a niche audience enjoyed it (how many pc copies were sold?), review the game with a wider audience in mind.
In this case, I think it's a disservice to say "fry it" based solely on your opinion of Dark Athena (or half of it). I don't care what it's called - you know as well as we do that the game had more than just Athena. It has:
* Escape from Butcher Bay (remade with better graphics and textures)
* Dark Athena
* Mulitplayer
Your audience is best served not digging up past reviews but trusting that as a professional game reviewer you are making your ultimate suggestion based on a comprehensive whole, not just the pieces that are new to you / interest you.
The movie? It's fairly weak but I'm going off an entry on Vin Diesel's IMDB page. Add to that they've been talking about a new movie whose budget will probably be on par with the first movie and I think it's a decent bet it's in the works.Originally Posted by alexlitel
Actually, it's not on his IMDB page (was I imagining things?) It's listed here though.
I disagree. A full review for Butcher Bay is not necassary. It shouldn't be too much trouble to go find one online. Tom reviewed the new content so we would know what we are getting that is new. I don't think a remake with a facelift deserves another review unless there are significant, game changing features added.
In that case, I did my job exactly as you seem to think I should have. I don't recommend Assault on Dark Athena, regardless of the fact that it includes Escape from Butcher Bay. I think I made that pretty clear.
Otherwise, I don't understand what you're asking for. A complete discussion of Escape from Butcher Bay included with every review of Assault on Dark Athena? That's absurd.
-Tom
Mulletplayer? Is this the Redneck simulator I've waited so long for?
It's actually an 16-bit platformer where you play as Billy Ray Cyrus circa 1992 and attempt to collect Achy Breaky Hearts.
I must be painfully bored in class but this amused me much more than it should have.
I paid $60 knowing I was basically getting the PC version of Butcher Bay on console + some additional shooty content.
Nothing stops the man-crush.
I posted this in the bargain thread, but this is a good place too. Newegg has the 360 version for $39.99 w/ free shipping.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ari-_-74119017
Does that mean that you don't feel Escape from Butcher Bay is worth playing to those who haven't done so yet? I mean, I think that's what you're saying, but that does seem a little strange to me. If I go into a purchase knowing that it's basically a remake of an older game with some additional content, if the original game is the same or better than it was before, then that's what I'm thinking about when I buy it.
Is it perhaps the price point? Like, it feels cheesy to pay full price for a game that is largely old content? Double-dipping kinda sucks, but for those of us who haven't, ah, dipped, would you still say it's a bad deal?
I might be in the minority here, but most of Dark Athena I enjoyed quite a bit, minus one particularly annoying elevator descent.
The second half was a different flavor, certainly, but I don't think it was any less fun honestly, though it was more frustrating than the last game at a few points. DA on the whole was harder, really, but I think the game's overall path of stalking to having to tread very lightly to avoid horrible death and back to hunting was great. Sneaking around the shadows and firing off one or two shots before sliding around to flank the enemies hopefully still shooting where you last were was great. I enjoyed the deliberate pace of finding a shadowy vantage point, picking out the laser sightlines from spiders and drones, figuring out my path when trouble starts, and making the move.
It's not as good as Butcher Bay, but it's still a good game with moments of greatness, and I'll be playing it again no doubt. Although I am disappointed there weren't more...well, open RPG style areas like BB. If I see someone in the open, I know they're bad, by default. It works with the setting, admittedly, but I'd have liked a little more interaction besides people locked in crates. Still a lot of fun, though.
Then again, I'd have bought BB alone, so getting two good games at the $60 mark is great.
Now, who's with me on Alien Vs Predator Vs Riddick? Anyone? Just me?
Last edited by ZekeDMS; 04-13-2009 at 02:30 PM.
Seconded!
Naw Riddick would just do that ghetto "animal thing" with the Alien and you'd find them up in Airshaft B with a double deuce in one hand and a blunt in the other
just got the pc game.
drm:
took 3 seconds to activate and best of all - no cd check! Best thing a pc game publisher has done and should have been implemented for other games years ago.
efbb:
they're still using the same models from the old game but the lighting on this revamp is great. I like the motion blur effect too.
what's missing:
It's funny that the original PC version had 64-bit support while this one doesn't. 64 bit games seem to have better memory management, would have liked an x64 exe.
Funny you mention the DRM. IIRC, it has a install limit.
It is the reason that I still have not purchased this game.
I remember reading somewhere that you can revoke authorisation like in itunes. So if you installed the game on a Pc and it exploded, you can revoke the authorisation that was activated on that PC.
I do a complete PC overhaul every 6 years so it doesn't bother me at all.
Looks like this has gotten a "premium" multiplayer map pack for 800 points.
http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/ga...494707ee/?of=3
Whilst the Predator nipped down the shops for beer!
I finished Escape From Butcher Bay today. This was, once again, a wonderful experience. This game has been totally worth getting, even though I haven't touched the Dark Athena campaign yet (and I'm not sure I will).
Even though I had already played through Riddick five years ago, I had forgotten all the details of the game, and I took delight in it's twists and turns because they took me by surprise once again. I vaguely remembered how varied the gameplay was, but I'd forgotten just how they varied it up so much. Sometimes you're playing with no weapons and sneaking through the shadows. Sometimes you're have a minigun and are gunning down Riot guards and Heavy guards like they're butter. Sometimes you're gunning down little critters with a shotgun. Sometimes you're leaning around corners using a tranquilizer gun, neutralizing the guards.
And on and on and on. It's just amazing just how the various gameplay elements all work so well, and everything feels so great. An absolutely masterful game, that looks incredible, and has some stellar voice acting that's the cherry on top of everything else that's great about the game. A wonderful game. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a pretty unconventional shooter/stealth game.
Honestly, if Starbreeze never makes a masterpiece like this again, every one on that team should be extreme proud of this accomplishment, which will stand the test of time. I think people will still be able to enjoy this game in another five or ten years, and appreciate it for the classic it is.
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