Recent reviews by BlueMountain

(100% completed on Medium Difficulty on September 15, 2022)

As a Star Wars fanatic, Shadows of the Empire is a game I long wanted to play, so it is very satisfying to have now done so. It's similar in style to the Dark Forces/Jedi Knight series, though that series has more depth and polish. Shadows of the Empire's biggest strength is its clear Star Wars aesthetic, and that is the primary trait I desire in a Star Wars game.

Gameplay-wise, there's fun to be had. Locations, enemies, objectives, and mission types are varied enough to keep me invested. From a critical standpoint, the gameplay ranges from decent to sub-optimal. The shooting mechanic means spamming the fire button as rapidly as possible in the general direction of your target. It rewards you for shooting enemies from as far away as possible to avoid the significant damage that you risk receiving in closer range - which makes the game less exciting. The controls are wonky; it's difficult to move your character where you want him to go and to see what's happening. It's easy to die in a number of places, and after losing enough lives you have to restart the level, which can be frustrating because the game's design doesn't make that very fair. Some levels are better than others; the best ones are pretty fun and the worst ones are painful without reading tips from a walk-through. The game would have been more impressive at the time of its release 25 years ago. Now, it's adequate enough to be fun despite its shortcomings. I disagree with some reviews claiming the shooting levels are weaker than the vehicle levels; I'd argue the opposite. The level designs are fine for the most part.

If you are like me and Star Wars is your favorite franchise, Shadows of the Empire is an exciting and at times challenging must-play. If you are only a casual Star Wars fan, there are better games to spend your time with - such as Jedi Knight 1, 2, and 3.

Enjoyment: 3.125 out of 5
Critique: 2.375 out of 5
Total: 5.5 out of 10

Clunky, but there's fun to be had. Worthwhile for a short story playthrough only if you haven't already played its sequels. 6/10.

Fun sandbox game rife with opportunities for social gaming, creativity, and humor. I recommend it for any gamer seeking those features, and I've only scratched the surface of possibilities provided by the game. Its campiness and clunkiness doesn't entice me to play it often, but with friends it can be a hoot. PropHunt (Hide'n'Seek) is a particularly fun minigame with an enthusiastic community. 8/10.

Having begun my first playthrough around 2018 - two decades after Half-Life released - I finally completed the game on March 7, 2022.

Half-Life is the essence of the turn-of-the-millennium PC shooters I initially grew up on, but Half-Life did that style best. Its level of creativity and execution is rare even now. Its atmosphere and story is compellingly suspenseful, serious, and intriguing; its design and pacing is balanced, original, and effective; its gameplay is accessible, challenging, and engaging. Half-Life's age is apparent, and only occasionally frustrating, but never enough to outweigh its other attributes.

Play this game all the way through and immerse yourself in the thrilling ingenuity of its time.

Enjoyment: 4.5 out of 5
Critique: 4.5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10
Summary: Must-Play

P.S. If age is too big a factor for you, then check out the impressive labor-of-love fan remake, Black Mesa, now released as a full commercial game on Steam.

I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THIS GAME
-best of the Battlefront series
-one of the best Star Wars games
-widely appealing
-essential for Star Wars fans
-I've been playing this game since it was released about 13 years ago, and it's still fun today
-my favorite and most-played game of all time (prior to Steam, way more hours played on PC disc and Xbox/Xbox 360