Скорошни рецензии на Huels

While the original Kane and Lynch may be remembered for its review controversy, for me, it was a title that really tried to do something fresh and unique in a lot of ways. Kane and Lynch: Dead Men had main characters that were difficult to like, but by the end of the dark and compelling story to save Kane’s family, players felt a bit of Stockholm Syndrome for the duo. The co-op, while offline only, offered a unique perspective for both players, something we rarely see in the age of co-op clone characters. The sequel has arrived and our anti-heroes are back again, this time across the world in Shanghai with Lynch’s story as the focus. But can Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days recapture the same fresh feeling of the first game?

The story of Dog Days has Kane meeting up with his old pal Lynch who promises a job with plenty of riches. Upon Kane’s arrival a simple task for the two turns sour and inadvertently starts a gang war. Soon you realize that your deal is going south as your contact is attacked in an intense highway assault and you make a desperate attempt to escape with all your lives. It wasn’t long after this I lost what was going on, the overall purpose of what the duo was doing.

Despite some great voice acting and plenty of memorable lines - I had completely forgot the purpose of what I was doing midway through the title. “Why am I shooting these army guys again?” I asked my co-op partner. It had something to do with a big Chinese mob boss and not dieing, but beyond that everything is a bit of chaos. Perhaps this is what IO Interactive was going for, as the main character this time is Lynch, who’s not exactly mentally stable. There’s plenty of times Lynch voices over to himself, trying to use psychological tricks to calm his nerves - no doubt from some sort of therapy sessions.

The graphical style and display are going to be the most memorable and controversial piece to this game, the shaky YouTube style camera is either going to be a complete turn off or something people really like. At moments the grainy and over saturated look of the game world makes it look eerily realistic. The neon glow of lights bouncing off reflective surfaces, the distant city line of Shanghai, and the dark alleys all can trick your eye in an almost photo realistic moment. Other times poor textures in certain areas, stiff character animation and improper lip syncing totally break the immersion.

Shortly into my first mission I almost felt nauseous from the camera movement - but it passed. The shaky camera is only really bad while running and once you get used to it, it provides some useful info on enemy position and adds to the immersive effect. Thankfully if you can’t get over it you can disable it, though it’s still there to some degree.

IO Interactive really wanted to have the feeling of intense and gritty shoot outs. They wanted your palms sweaty and your grip tightening on your controller through every twist and turn. To some degree, this holds true. There were times the firefights were memorable, with exploding objects and cover flying everywhere as bullets rained down on Kane and Lynch. The atmosphere is further enhanced by Asian inspired pop music blasting from in game radios and intercoms, giving it an almost John Woo movie feel in certain situations.

Sadly the intensity is broken once you realize the firefights break down into duck, pop up wait for guy to peak his head out of cover, and shoot mechanic. This style of combat is rinse and repeat for most of the game with save for a few battles. Which is sad, because some of the key moments like a helicopter attack on and in an office building and a mission where you need to cover Lynch’s girlfriend in an apartment building across the street are really fun. The level after Kane and Lynch are tortured is one that will be forever burned into my retinas. I just wish there was more of these moments.

Kane and Lynch 2 does make a huge improvement in terms of co-op options over it’s predecessor. Full online play and local play is supported and there’s options for matchmaking too. And while the single player is fun, like all good co-op games, playing this with a friend is much more satisfying. You can really tell that K&L 2 was designed from the ground up for co-op play; level layouts are well crafted into separate paths for cover and flanking maneuvers and there’s a nice balance of weapons to choose from for both close and long range giving players defined roles. One thing that sadly appears to be missing is some of the crazier elements of Lynch from the first game - instance where the players actually see different things. As far as we could tell they weren’t as prominent as the cops/civilians bank scene from the first game.

Co-Op makes the game a bit easier as well. While in the single player game if you get shot you’ll get knocked down and have a chance to get up, a second subsequent knock down will kill you. In co-op this second knockdown is actually revivable by your co-op partner. This can help in some of the trickier situations when the game is throwing what seems like hundreds of guys your way only to be killed by the last group and having to do it all over again. While the checkpoint system seems ok, it never seems to be quite enough, and starting a co-op game will lose any single player checkpoint progress - so you’ll need to restart back at a chapter beginning.

It’s these little nagging issues that constantly remind you that perhaps Kane and Lynch 2 wasn’t quite ready. I hit numerous technical bugs as well - mostly while playing as a guest co-op player over Xbox Live. Cut scenes were missing characters, character animations got stuck, audio cut out on me completely, and the game even crashed at one point. Strangely while playing solo or as the host these seemed almost non existent.

If you don’t want to play Fragile Alliance online there’s a new Arcade mode where you can use all AI guys and try to get the highest score possible. This mode is surprisingly addictive, though, it does get a bit long in the tooth by the 9th or 10th round. The game will up the difficulty with every round and you can keep going until you run out of your 3 lives.

So does Kane and Lynch 2 deliver that fresh feeling of the first game? Sadly I don’t think it does. While IO did a great job of fixing the cover and shooting mechanic, adding online co-op, and deepening the addictive multiplayer modes - it seems the rest of the game suffered as a result. With two characters as memorable and unique as Kane and Lynch, I was sad to see the story - which took only 5 hours to complete - a bit lacking. Don’t get me wrong, Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days isn’t a bad game, it’s just not a great one.

The Co-Op Experience: Team up online or offline through the story in co-op with a friend. Play as Kane or Lynch and work together with a revival mechanic. Online play allows 8 players to rob a bank together in a Fragile Alliance that can turn co-op into competitive.

Co-Op Score: 3.5 out of 5
General Score: 3 out of 5

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 boasts a fast-paced and thrilling campaign, as well as some of the most immersive and exciting multiplayer action around.

There is no shortage of online destinations for those who enjoy first-person gun-wielding combat, but no matter how many opportunities you get to shoot another player in the face, there is always room for one more. Especially when that one more is as exciting and intense as Battlefield: Bad Company 2. The online multiplayer in this modern military shooter is a standout, featuring huge maps, incredible destructibility, powerful vehicles, and excellent sound design. These elements combine to foster the sense that you are fighting on an actual battlefield, making many other online shooters seem more like combat arenas than believable war zones. Multiplayer battles are invigorating and addictive, but they aren't all that Bad Company 2 has to offer.

The sizable campaign takes you to beautiful and exotic locations where you'll be sorely tempted to take a break from shooting bad guys and blowing things up to admire the scenery. Your hilarious and endearing squadmates are great companions, giving the campaign a rich sense of character not often found in the genre. The result is a very entertaining adventure that, coupled with the excellent multiplayer and top-notch technical presentation, makes Battlefield: Bad Company 2 something special in the world of shooters.

The beginning of Bad Company's second tour finds Sarge, Marlowe, Sweetwater, and Haggard stationed in a wintery valley, supposedly serving out Sarge's last tour of duty. Lofty mountains loom high against the bright blue sky as you sneak your way between snow-laden trees and out across a frozen river. As you infiltrate a small village, the snow muffles the sound of your footfalls, and when a firefight breaks out, your ears ring from the concussion of nearby explosives. One daring escape later, you're dropped into the Bolivian jungle, where mosquitoes whine in your ear as you walk in the dappled light of the jungle floor. Gunfire doesn't echo very far in the forest, but beneath the corrugated tin roof of a logging outpost, each bullet is a cacophony unto itself.

This vivid, engaging world is a testament to Bad Company 2's remarkable technical presentation. The stunning landscapes are matched by the diverse, intriguing terrain in both rural and urban environments. The excellent sound design further enriches your sense of place, and each gunshot, footstep, and exclamation fuels your battlefield awareness and informs your tactical decisions. Though there are some blurry textures, occasional screen tearing, and awkward moments caused by the pervasive environmental destructibility, these are mere blemishes on the ambitious look and immersive sound of Bad Company 2.

Of course, just because the scenery is great doesn't stop you from wanting to blow it up. Trees, barricades, vehicles, buildings, and bridges all splinter and break apart when exposed to gunfire or explosives. Not only is it immensely fun to destroy things, but it's crucial to your survival and success. Say there's a sniper perched in a tower covering your approach. You can try to pick him off without exposing yourself, or you can bust out your underbarrel grenade launcher and blow the platform to smithereens. The explosion showers debris in a realistic and satisfying way, and the sniper is taken care of. Destruction is a double-edged sword, however, as you'll learn the first time that the window you are shooting out of explodes and becomes a gaping hole through which your enemies are more than happy to shoot you.

Most buildings can be completely leveled this time around, provided you have enough firepower, though metal structures like shipping containers are nigh impervious. Occasionally the rampant destructibility will get a bit too ambitious, leaving objects stuck in strange positions. Yet the scale of destruction you can wreak is impressive, and the best part about it is how your destructive power becomes a seamless part of your battlefield strategy. It makes you feel powerful in a logical, invigorating way and makes Bad Company 2 unique among its peers.

Humor is another way that Bad Company 2 distinguishes itself. Your squadmates each have great personalities, and their banter is witty and entertaining. You may have to wait for a quiet moment to hear some of their best conversations, but it is well worth it. Haggard's love for the Dallas Cowboys and command of the Spanish language are two amusing subjects, while a conversation about respecting the dead adds enough emotional depth to elevate these characters above one-dimensional stereotypes. They are competent and helpful on the battlefield, and though the squad-based action seems a natural fit for cooperative play, you won't lament playing solo because the men of Bad Company are such delightful companions.

The campaign is a focused, largely linear adventure that takes you to a variety of gorgeous locations. The aforementioned arctic and jungle landscapes are standouts, but other places live up to the high standard. Driving a tank through a countryside in the full bloom of autumn provides eye candy and cannon fodder aplenty, while speeding around a dry seabed in an ATV brings strange sights, not to mention a particularly fierce firefight in the courtyard of an old fortress. You have to be sharp to defeat the smart, aggressive enemies who use destructibility to their advantage and avoid your line of fire. The action is challenging but not overly so, ensuring you have plenty of time to revel in the havoc you are causing. Despite one oddly forced situation, the campaign moves through exotic locales at a great clip, providing ample opportunity to flex your firearms and enjoy some intense vehicle sequences. This is a very entertaining, very exciting adventure.

But the most exciting thing Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has to offer is online multiplayer competition. Up to 32 players compete in squads in a few different match types. In Rush, the attacking team assaults an enemy position in an effort to destroy two targets of opportunity. If the attackers succeed, two more targets open up, as well as an entire new section of battlefield. These progressive contests are fierce and engaging, and each new area offers new challenges to which both teams must adapt. (There is also shorter, equally intense version of this mode called Squad Rush.)

In Conquest, two teams strive to hold three control points while fending each other off. The natural ebb and flow of combat is unpredictable here, as points can be captured by a lone soldier or by a heavy armored assault. These battlefields are more fluid, and because the action doesn't move on like it does in Rush, they tend to be more thoroughly ravaged by destruction by the end of the match. The last mode, Squad Deathmatch, pits four squads of four against each other in a more traditional, yet still very fun competition. Jumping into a random game doesn't always work properly, and you won't always find a good match, or any match at all for that matter. Fortunately, you can easily call up a list of active servers and consistently hop into whatever game type you like. Each mode offers a different take on the core combat, providing a great variety of ways to do battle.

Bad Company 2's technical excellence is on full display here as well, and the spacious, well-designed maps make superb stages for combat. There are dense snowy forests, debris-laden deserts, coastal industrial complexes, swampy jungle villages, and riverside settlements that play host to the intense action. These maps are impressively varied, offering diverse terrain and more buildings than you would ever need to go in. Each weathers the destructive forces of battle differently each time, making the combat incredibly dynamic and demanding constant adaptability.

Keep Reading for the rest of the REVIEW.

Borrowing themes from American invasion epic Red Dawn and TV series like 24, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 attempts to capture the insanity and life-and-death situations of real-life combat. Once again you hop between several engaging story arcs as you globe-trot on missions to stop a war and ultimately bring a madman to justice.

Right from the outset, MW2 fixes one of the issues some people had with the original game's story -- instead of setting the action in a fictional Middle Eastern country, the game opens up at a firebase in war torn Afghanistan. Though pixel counters would say otherwise, this game still looks amazing in action. Whether sprinting down cramped alleyways or racing down the side of a frozen mountainside MW2 moves at a frenetic pace that rarely stutters.

If you tried ARMA and were angry or discouraged by the steep learning curve, Dragon Rising should be more of a welcome to you without removing the realisity aspect of the game. It's four person squad team work at its best. THis game will remain one of my favorite thinking mans shoots till the sequel Red River comes out and hopfully replaces it.

I don't care what the critics say, I don't care how many more copies of Call of Duty gets sold and I SURE AS HELL don't care if this game offends you. I had never played a more realistic campaign of the modern Afghan conflict until I played Medal of Honor. As a soldier myself I really felt like I was back in Iraq(even though this takes place in Afghanistan)

On several occasions I had to pause the campign because I had flashbacks. I'm editing this review in July of 2014 to state that to this date I still have not played another game that made me feel like this one did.

The magic of Civ happens somewhere between the discovery of the wheel, and the discovery of gunpowder. It’s there where you have to start figuring out your path to victory. Where are the AI. Where are the borders? What’s your preferred victory condition. How many continents are there? Do you have allies? Do you have cavalry? What resources do you have to hand. Can you trade for more? Can you fight for more? All these questions set off a cascade of decisions.

And then it’s 3am, and Ghandi is acting like a child over Uranium.

I replayed the whole HL2 series recently, and Episode Two really is the standout of the entire thing. The open air, the Hunters, the ominous march of the Combine towards White Forest. All the Half-Life games are made up of distinct and memorable sections, but Episode Two is the only one where each bit is a joy to play through every time. Even the antlion tunnels – I love the steep shadows, squelchy grubs, and the violent fizz of the acid blobs the workers spit at you. “We must have misunderestimated them!”

I cared passionately about my kill-to-death ratio. My distaste for the enemy was nothing on my livid, roaring hatred for anyone on my team one place higher up the scoreboard than me. NO. GET DOWN. There is a MEDAL for topping that, and I MUST HAVE IT.
I did win some medals – I was a Medic, and I’d supplement my kill count with dozens of revives on dead players. I felt pretty good about myself. I’d even lead squads, risking my neck for my men – so long as none of them were scoring higher than me.
Then, after a long and happy career, I looked at my stats page. Kills to deaths? Not good, but that’s ok, I was a Medic. Score per minute? Not good, but that’s ok, I did a lot to help my team that wasn’t always rewarded. Wins to losses? Oh. Oh God.
Apparently I acted as some kind of bad luck charm, or perhaps just a terrible-teamplay charm, because having me on your side made you about 15% less likely to win. In a 64 player game, that’s impressively bad.

The stars of the first Supreme Commander weren’t the massive experimental units, for the most part. There were three tiers of deathbots before you got to those, each five times more massive, devastating and expensive than the last. It was about building dozens of factories, and streaming out enough deathbots to dominate enough of the map to produce enough mass to afford the next tier up. Then: stream out more.

On a 25 square kilometer map, that’s just a very satisfying, physically simulated version of a normal RTS. On a 6,561 square kilometer map, it’s an apocalypse. Your mind goes into overdrive trying to manage eighteen separate assault groups, balance and defend dozens of income sources while ramping up production to meet your snowballing wealth.

But throughout it all, the game takes care of the boring stuff for you: units defend themselves intelligently while moving, they organise themselves in optimal formations and stay in them come hell or high water.

A Commodore 64-inspired platformer in which you can’t jump, but instead flip your character’s gravity to move between floor and ceiling. Its level design is immaculate, its characters are cute, its writing is funny, its soundtrack is so good I bought it and still listen to it regularly, and although some of its levels killed me a hundred times, I never stopped having fun. It is perfectly formed, and you can buy it now for $5.00.