Recent reviews by Ω Yukich

Not that its a bad thing
30 minutes short campaign
Pretty fun, Expendables cast included

It is what it is.

BROFORCE IS A GAME EVERY REAL BRO EVER WANTED TO SEE

IMAGINE SEEING TERMINATOR, RAMBO, ROBOCOP, PREDATOR, UNIVERSAL SOLDIER, MACHETE AND GOD KNOWS WHO ELSE FROM THE 70'S TO ALL THE WAY TO 10'S. YOUR FAVOURITE ACTION HEROS FROM MOVIES (AND SHOWS) ARE ABOUT TO BRING LIBERATION, DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM ALL ACROSS THE WORLD.

THOSE DAMN TERRORISTS WILL RESPECT PRESIDENT'S BIRTHDAY
THOSE DAMN ALIENS WILL PAY TAXES
THOSE DAMN ACTUAL DAEMONS FROM HELL WILL KNOW PEACE AND JUSTICE
USA! USA! USA!

GET READY TO RUN AND GUN THROUGH A SERIES OF LEVELS, RIDDLES WITH ACTION PUZZLES UNTIL YOU EVENTUALLY BRUTEFORCE THEM AS YOU SHOULD, BE THAT ALONE, WITH FRIENDS OR WITH RANDOM BROS ALL ACROSS THE WORLD

ALL OF THIS IN A MANLY PIXELATED GLORY FILLED WITH EXPLOSIONS, BLOOD AND GUTS ALL OVER THE SCREEN

TONS OF CHARACTERS TO UNLOCK. EACH TIME A BRO NEED TO REST, THERE'S YET ANOTHER BRO TO REPLACE HIM AND FINISH WHAT WAS STARTED

LISTEN TO PATRIOTIC MUSIC FILLED WITH COMBAT TRACKS AND JUST ROCK

THERE'S ABOUT 6 HOURS OF GAMEPLAY IN SINGLE CAMPAIGN, EACH LEVEL TRIES TO GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT CHALLENGE. THERE ARE ALSO SECRET MISSIONS AND COVERT OPERATIONS FOR THOSE BROS WHO HAD NOT ENOUGH FREEDOM DELIVERANCE

BUT NOT EVERYTHING IS GREAT. ACHIEVEMENT HUNTING FOR REAL BROS CAN BE TOUGH SINCE THERE ARE SOME TRICKY ONES. IRON BRO DIFFICULTY IS OVERLY BRUTAL BUT THERE'S A WAY TO CHEESE THAT. FINALLY, THERE ARE ALSO BROKEN CHALLENGE MISSIONS. SO BROKEN IN FACT - YOU CANT EVEN BEAT ONE OF THEM LEGALLY WITHOUT SKIP BUTTON

GREAT GAME
SOME CHALLENGES ARE DESIGNED TO MESS WITH YOU
IMPOSSIBLE TO 100% A CAMPAIGN WITHOUT CHEATS
IRON BRO IS JUST BAD
NEEDED MORE MUSIC VARIETY
BECOMES DULL WHEN PLAYING SOLO OR AFTER YOU UNLOCKED EVERYONE.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXD3nm5UVzI&list=RDbXD3nm5UVzI&start_radio=1

So, Nightdive did it again. They cured my hate for Quake2 and SS1 with its Remasters (and a Remake)
Still, I had doubts about SS2 because I hate RPG elements still and overall Jankiness of the game - I thought there's no way they'll make the game enjoyable for me

They did it
🟡Better controls, stable framerate, better resolution, better resources locations. Although it looks like they just used some of the best community mods, slapped them together, added cheevos, added coop, made some testing and kicked the game onto the release. And its glorious. It still looks dated but at least not as ugly as Original. Models are better, textures are better - but its still looks even older than HL1

The gameplay still the same
Each new game - you're forced through very boring Tutorial level
Then you choose class (from 3)
Then you choose starting skills and stats (about 3 times)
And then the actual game starts.
Through the whole game you gonna look for resources, ammo, coins, upgrade points
Find a way to deal with every enemy, every puzzle and every new objective.

The problem is - the start is really hard to compehend. There's a lot to suck into your mind. There is melee, there are guns, there is PSI powers. You can hack stuff, you need to avoid alarms, Various types of enemies that also have armor aganist certain weapons - there's a LOT OKAY?!
There is also research stuff, guns are jamming, ammo is scarce and the worst thing - each time you find something new - the game c_ckblocks you. Like I want hack stuff - NO you cant. My gun is broken, I wanna repair - YOU CANT. I wanna use new gun - YOU CANT. I wanna research new gun - YOU CANT. I wanna use new armor - YOU STILL F__KING CANT. Because you need to learn a lot in this game and you obviously dont know what is bad to learn, what is useless and what is actually essential for beating the game.

There is also Coin check at the middle of the game - so if you spend a lot - its a softlock.
At the end of the game - if you still dont know hacking - its a softlock
🟡So yeah, there are still problems for the first time players.

🟡Again, like in SS1 - there is a lot of information that literally tells you what to do and where. But, the map is still VERY LOW quality. Levels are dissected into different locations and objectives are scattered everywhere. Worst of all - every time you're getting a vital information - there either a loud Scrillex music coming up - or a very annoying enemy wanting to chat with you. Even worse - where logs are interrupted by other logs or Shodan just wanna talk you for lulz.

For anyone who doesnt know - the plot is about Shodan's Creation - The Many (Overmind from Starcraft) decided to visit Earth and just so happens - a ship flies by and takes it on board as a Taxi. Shodan's fragment survived and is basically using you to get rid of The Many and...transform the Universe into Cyberspace?!.... Obviously spoilers but c'mon its been 26 years already.

🟢So the best thing about this game - is variety. There are tons of guns and melee weapons. Wrench, Laser Rapier, Pistol, shotty, Assault Rifle, Grenade Launcher, Laser pistol, Ion Gun, Plasma Gun, Alien Stick, Alien Virus and Alien Launcher. I think I forgot something but at any rate - you'll probably use only about 50% of those. Because of the RPG system.

As for enemies: Basically zombies with guns, robots and cyborgs, mutants. Each enemy is unique and needs its own way to deal with (or evade). Oh, they also respawn but not as frequent as in SS1 (Impossible experience)
Oh and Shodan is awesome, as are the logs - most of those were very fun to listen too.

🟡Level design - get ready to get lost - a lot. There is also Radiation Tunnels that can ruin your day if you dont know where the hazmat suits are. Enemies respawn (Again). Map is whack, levels are separated by loading rooms - its really jank and also there are some levels that dont even have the map so good luck.

🔴Finally, there's music - with really great ambience that helps you immerse yourself...until Scrillex decides to invade your game session and ruin your day.

🟢It took me about 20 hours to beat the game on Impossible whilst unlocking most of the Cheevos - most of those are about maxxing your starts, using best weapons and Psi Powers, finding all logs and various easter eggs for funsies.
The game also demands to beat it with every class - but I'll do it later.
Overall, I'd say hardest difficulty was frustrating but not Actually Impossible - it was a better experience than in SS1 - mostly because there is No Global Timer This Time - THANK GOD

Also - quick saves are broken so I softlocked myself with them a couple of times (saved right before death)

So, is the game fun and actually worth it now? - YES. No more modern compatibillity problems. No more ugly resolution and patching for wide screen.
Is it still dated in terms of storytelling without guidance and some not really good objectives? (Art Gallery codes) - Yes - but it is what it is you either love it or hate it.
Finally, I was really expecting to suffer through the whole game as I did before when I first played SS2 but...when I booted the Remaster - IT SUCKED HOURS FROM MY LIFE AND NOT EVEN GAVE ME ITS NUMBER - ITS THAT GOOD. I even forgot that I need to eat and sleep between sessions. Holy hell how I dont even know

Got better, fixed a lot of dated things
Still dated
Extremely fun but can be frustrating
Not exactly hard On Hard
Amazing Replay Value
Praise be the Metal Mommy I only wish I could actually join her but I guess.....

Fast Armor with Rich Helmet
Wagh

No Obligatory White Scars Moustache

So now, after I've played the Remaster. I decided to revisit OG Clear Sky

Is it really better or its all just nostalgia?

The short answer is - YES

For the long answer - stay a while and listen:

🟡Just like Remaster I tried this on Master too this time.
And oh boy, most of the game was...decent. But as soon as you hit endgame (Limansk-Hospital-CNPP) - its a pure torture. No medkits, your armor is trash, and your healing artifact just doesnt work. Enemies are everywhere and loadings are long
But hey, it was a fun ride to the end - if not for the fact that Faction War barely works and Artifact Hunting is just bad.

🟡In this game - you're a random mercenary/freelancer dude who managed to survive Emission (new mechanic) twice and thus being clamed - The Chosen One - to go hunt down the MC from Previous Entry in Stalker Series. Since this is the Prologue - we all know how it ends. Its very boring, mid and unsatisfactory. Clearly - the weakest part of the game

🟢As for the visuals - for the 2008 - very impressive, At least in terms of the landscape textures, nature effects and all that. Models and animations are whack but you get used to it

🔴The main problem of this game - is Faction War. And even if you choose to stay away from it - most of the times you'll have to engage with human enemies. Mutants are still here, but very rare in comparison to stalkers. And there's only 1 dungeon and not a single new mutant

🟢New locations, as well as old ones - looks very cool and ambient helps a lot

🟡But for the action music - its okay to listen to it once but - it just breaks all the immersion eventually

🟡Finally, the replay value - its better than the remaster because there is no achivos this time. Still, the lack of random factor with artifacts - and completely broken Faction War - makes this game VERY forgettable.
Also Master - is just not fun

Clearly the worst Stalker game. Still can be fun and challenging
But also can be frustrating and just boring
Better than remaster because - no cut content and actually less buggy.
Shame that performance is pretty bad here.

First things first - Im fully aware that Clear Sky - is not a really good game BUT. Back in the day - I enjoyed it and as a youngling - never understood the hate this game gets. Turns out - I always played on Normal or hard but never on Master - so its on you people for making the obvious worst mistake of your life - playing a slavic game on Hardest Difficulty - are you insane?!

At any rate - Enhanced Edition came out for free so I booted up Master too.
Political+censorship problems aside - I decided to just play the game and compare it with my old memories and answer the Real Question here:

🛑The short answer is NO

I will not describe Clear Sky's plot or visuals or core gameplay - its for another day when I revisit OG version
Today we're looking at what EE is offering us:

I've tried everything. Upscaling - turning it on and off. Grass shadows, reflections, all sorts of effects - it does literally nothing.
Sometimes it gives good and stable FPS counter. And sometimes it not. I dont know why but its frustrating

As for the visuals - its a blurry mess. You totally CAN REDUCE the blur but...you cant get rid of it completely.

🔴So. Clear Sky back in the day could compare with Crysis in terms of level design and visaul effects of surrounding world...but this version? - its a BIG step back.

Same game, same gameplay problems
Artifacts still dont ever respawn and are predetermined each time you enter a location for the First Time.
In other Stalker Games - they were completely random AND with timed respawn
Considering some of the achivos they've finally added - its a pure torture

Huge difficulty spike at the start of Cordon (Machine Gun is a nightmare)

Some key NPCs can leave their place of hanging out and go die for no reason.
Same for Quest Givers.

Stashes are broken. Not completely but sometimes they are empty, sometimes they dont register and sometimes - they respawn.
STASHES CAN RESPAWN BUT NOT ARTIFACTS WHAT THE F~

Strelok Boss Fight is Completely Broken:
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3500298114

Sometimes the game can corrupt your saves - locking you from loading by crashing (Garbage after Basement Quest)
Sometimes the game can corrupt your saves - locking you from loading by Infinite Optimization (Agroprom)
THERE'S NO SAVE LIMIT - that means after a while you gonna have more than 1000 quick saves (about 2 gigs) effectively breaking your loading menu

🔴🔴🔴And so much more

https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3498367958
🟡The game looks good and immersive when it...functions and you just stand still. As soon as your start running or the game is done with its main scripts - its a dull and boring world where nothing happens

Plot is not changed - just like characters

Cutscenes are HD

Music is still nice

🟢Thats all

So I've already told you about Artifact Hunting. There's also other Collectibles which can be screwed by NPCs going to die randomly. - So there's that.

Master - is barely fun
So is Novice - its just boring

Not enough Mutants - too much people to shoot

Oh and Faction War - still broken and still sucks but at least squads are spawning this time - although a bit too much.
🔴🔴🔴🔴

Old bugs are still there+A lot more new ones
Visually - not impressive
Cut Content Is Bad - Boo.
FIX THE DAMN SAVES
Faction War Exists
Make Artifact Hunting Great Again
NPCs are even dumber than in 2008 lmao wut

👎It aint worth it unless you want to get achivos

Pretty cool mission on Paris map (featuring casino)

Different way to beat it SASO
New suits
New silenced pistol
New wire

Lots of dialogues and nods to upcoming Bond game

Super cool but once you know what to expect - its very easy to beat in Arcade mode.

Took a while to meddle with settings but in short - dont ever use FSR - just stick with TAA, make the game compile shaders on Low - then tweak all the options to maximum - the result will surprise you

At any rate, gorgeous Eve with great animations (try to swim in deep when you'll have the chance. DAMN.)
The combat feels....eh, a bit too focused and not exactly free (but I guess the perks system will change that in full version)

The exploration feels like there's gonna be a lot to do in full game

Music is mid, it feels VERY Bayonettish (Female Vocals everywhere)

The plot - no idea whats going on - but hey, sexy ladies are getting wrecked by even sexier monsters

The demo is about an hour if you just run forward which is kinda cool.

Overall - I'd buy that with a discount because Sony's policies are not the greatest and I feel that the combat is not fun enough to be engaging. But hey, great port tho. I knew that koreans can make sh_t work. Even if its UE4

So, I decided to give it actual chance
Didn't knew what to expect
Especially since Clear Sky remaster was a disaster

But I gotta admit - it was fun....until it was not

🟡No bloom, barely working rain effects, broken physics and blur everywhere
Yeah the performance is great but at what cost?

🟡Same gameplay, but I feel like Strelok is MUCH faster now, Played on Master - had a blast overall. Although there is some grind when you decide to 100%

🟡Nothing is changed except for cut content and rus locale

🟡For better or worse

🟢This game feels much more alive than Clear Sky. A-life doing its thing still. You just dont know what to expect each new game. Sometimes you encounter a lone bandit. Sometimes a giant pack of dogs is attacking you.
And sometimes a squad of mercs spawns right in your face so yeah.

🟢Nuff said, nothing is broken here

🟡So the main problem with achivos here - is the artifacts. Again, as in Clear Sky - they dont respawn but at least you have better chances to find them all. Still, you need to collect a LOT of different artifacts, do some combos of them and also do every Art-Quest for Sidorovich IN ONE GO or else. After you've done - its a breeze to the end.

Could've been perfect if not for butchered visuals, cut content, also add artifact respawn. Also ALSO add more ambient music and optional combat tracks ffs.

Why negative tho? 💔
I think you know why ⚡⚡