UPDATED: Game's excellent! --- Original: ACG's review is out - good game but overburdened and empty

[Sunbather]

So, some of you have brought up reviews from gaming magazines already. I prefer ACG though since he doesn't mince words and actually has arguments why he did or did not like features.
And unfortunately, ACG has some pretty negative things to say about the game:

1. Overburdened UI

2. some wonkiness in the technical department (bad animations, ridiculous death
animations, cheap blood effects)

3. questionable if gaming loop is for the world seems to be pretty empty and the loot isn't meaningful enough

EDIT:

4. Frustrating and unrealistic hit chances. You could stand in front of someone and still miss. So it's XCOM reboot all over again.



And personally, after I was able to watch some uncut gameplay now, I think the game leans way more towards XCOM2 as they let on.



UPDATE

Now that I've played the game for four intense hours, I can give my own opinion on ACG's points.

1. UI is great. Feels very natural, all the important things are there. And there are a ton of keybinds. Which only means that this game is made for PC first and foremost.

2. Didn't see any of that so far. Death animations could be much better though!

3. Can't say much about the game loop since I only landed on the mainland. But I was very happy about every bit of loot that I have found so far. And although the game is naturally designed in a way that you don't run out of money in the first few weeks, the pressure was still there and I at least had the feeling of making my own choices how to use the time at my hands.

4. So far, I have only encountered a miss from the distance of one tile two times so far. And both times my mercenaries were wounded and stressed and I was clearly told that their accuracy had suffered significantly.

I also wanted to add that so far I have not once missed the hit chances not being shown. In fact, I am very glad about it. Neither have I looked at the + and - which give you a indication if the shot wil land or not, e.g. + already shot at the target - it's nighttime.
You don't even need that. You can just use your common sense, and I think that's what I like the best about this game. Things that should work out IRL will work out in this game (most of the times).


So in the end: no it is not like XCOM2, not at all. But it doesn't go as deep as 7.62 Calibre for example. It plays quick and slick like XCOM2 but the rest is very, very different. It is also a very dark game, despite the ironic overtones. Almost like a cRPG.

[Still]

Here's the IGN review:

https://youtu.be/EQe82eaeHkw

The good: The environments.

Things I don't like: Jokes that aren't funny. Jokes need to be funny. As in, make someone laugh. Like, actually laugh. Characters nobody could possibly like aren't funny. Standing firing animations that look like characters are geriatric and never shot a gun in their lives. Weird pointless combat rules that prevent combat from feeling / being realistic. So game breaking. Not much else to say after that. Too bad.

I just hope there's a sound slider for voice / dialogue. Best to keep that at 0.

[Muckle Puckle]

tanjo two guns původně napsal:

Here's the IGN review:

https://youtu.be/EQe82eaeHkw

The good: The environments.

Things I don't like: Jokes that aren't funny. Jokes need to be funny. As in, make someone laugh. Like, actually laugh. Characters nobody could possibly like aren't funny. Standing firing animations that look like characters are geriatric and never shot a gun in their lives. Weird pointless combat rules that prevent combat from feeling / being realistic. So game breaking. Not much else to say after that. Too bad.

I just hope there's a sound slider for voice / dialogue. Best to keep that at 0.

9 out of 10. Wow.

[Still]

Velvet Eyebrows původně napsal:

tanjo two guns původně napsal:

Here's the IGN review:

https://youtu.be/EQe82eaeHkw

The good: The environments.

Things I don't like: Jokes that aren't funny. Jokes need to be funny. As in, make someone laugh. Like, actually laugh. Characters nobody could possibly like aren't funny. Standing firing animations that look like characters are geriatric and never shot a gun in their lives. Weird pointless combat rules that prevent combat from feeling / being realistic. So game breaking. Not much else to say after that. Too bad.

I just hope there's a sound slider for voice / dialogue. Best to keep that at 0.

9 out of 10. Wow.

Yeah I'm actually not sure about the weird combat / rules game breaking. As I look more into it, I think I might be wrong. I need to see a full on gameplay video.

My question is: can you snipe an enemy, stay in stealth, snipe another, stay in stealth, melee stealth takedown, stay in stealth, etc? Or does it force you out of stealth when you start combat? If I can't stealth my way through missions then the game is a no go for me sorry.

[Still]

Velvet Eyebrows původně napsal:

tanjo two guns původně napsal:

Here's the IGN review:

https://youtu.be/EQe82eaeHkw

The good: The environments.

Things I don't like: Jokes that aren't funny. Jokes need to be funny. As in, make someone laugh. Like, actually laugh. Characters nobody could possibly like aren't funny. Standing firing animations that look like characters are geriatric and never shot a gun in their lives. Weird pointless combat rules that prevent combat from feeling / being realistic. So game breaking. Not much else to say after that. Too bad.

I just hope there's a sound slider for voice / dialogue. Best to keep that at 0.

9 out of 10. Wow.

Right here: https://youtu.be/wYsHtAkhwJU?t=805

13 min, 25 sec into that video. When they sneak up on the enemy, combat starts and every enemy is alerted. Game breaking. That's what X-Com 2 does. It's not Jagged Alliance.

[Lanani]

To expand more on ACG's review, this was the on-screen summary from him near the end:

The Good:
- Complexity
- Environmental audio
- Lots of Mercs
- Tons of options
- Somewhat open world

The not so good:
- Lack of clarity
- UI mess
- Some rough gun samples
- At odds gameplay loop
- Story is boring

[Actionjackson]

tanjo two guns původně napsal:

Velvet Eyebrows původně napsal:

9 out of 10. Wow.

Right here: https://youtu.be/wYsHtAkhwJU?t=805

13 min, 25 sec into that video. When they sneak up on the enemy, combat starts and every enemy is alerted. Game breaking. That's what X-Com 2 does. It's not Jagged Alliance.

This is because he just park himself behind the enemy with an char that is not stealthy at all... MD and another one, and more went wrong.

You can kill this enemy easy in stealth and go right back into stealth,... but you must do so before the enemy detected you.
And since off combat the game is in realtime you should have knife or other melee weapon already in hand and mark/attack the enemy right away and not just sit there and do nothing.

So what was his plan? Sit down MD 1m behind the enemy and then switch to the knife while the enemy is already in the process of detecting him?(from the moment the red "!" pops up the enemy is in the process of detection, game even tell you, its simple)
He need to prepare takedown way before coming that close, have knife in hand and then move up to enemy and make the kill.

This is 100% an user error.

[VoiD]

tanjo two guns původně napsal:

Velvet Eyebrows původně napsal:

9 out of 10. Wow.

Yeah I'm actually not sure about the weird combat / rules game breaking. As I look more into it, I think I might be wrong. I need to see a full on gameplay video.

My question is: can you snipe an enemy, stay in stealth, snipe another, stay in stealth, melee stealth takedown, stay in stealth, etc? Or does it force you out of stealth when you start combat? If I can't stealth my way through missions then the game is a no go for me sorry.

Yes, you can, even with loud weapons, if your shot kills the target, and nobody else can see you, you won't leave stealth.

In fact, you're not ever forced out of stealth, even during combat if you cut LOS with everyone in the battle you can still hide again, and move around while the AI can't see where you are, or predict where you're overwatching.

[Still]

Lanani původně napsal:

To expand more on ACG's review, this was the on-screen summary from him near the end:

The Good:
- Complexity
- Environmental audio
- Lots of Mercs
- Tons of options
- Somewhat open world

The not so good:
- Lack of clarity
- UI mess
- Some rough gun samples
- At odds gameplay loop
- Story is boring

Can you address the gameplay change where you can't take people down one by one? It's fundamentally a different game now. It's a board game. Set piece after set piece.

[Still]

VoiD původně napsal:

tanjo two guns původně napsal:

Yeah I'm actually not sure about the weird combat / rules game breaking. As I look more into it, I think I might be wrong. I need to see a full on gameplay video.

My question is: can you snipe an enemy, stay in stealth, snipe another, stay in stealth, melee stealth takedown, stay in stealth, etc? Or does it force you out of stealth when you start combat? If I can't stealth my way through missions then the game is a no go for me sorry.

Yes, you can, even with loud weapons, if your shot kills the target, and nobody else can see you, you won't leave stealth.

In fact, you're not ever forced out of stealth, even during combat if you cut LOS with everyone in the battle you can still hide again, and move around while the AI can't see where you are, or predict where you're overwatching.

Fair enough. If this is true, game is good to me. I am ready and willing to buy / play, etc. I will try it out. If it sucks, refund :)

[Kan3da.]

tanjo two guns původně napsal:

Lanani původně napsal:

To expand more on ACG's review, this was the on-screen summary from him near the end:

The Good:
- Complexity
- Environmental audio
- Lots of Mercs
- Tons of options
- Somewhat open world

The not so good:
- Lack of clarity
- UI mess
- Some rough gun samples
- At odds gameplay loop
- Story is boring

Can you address the gameplay change where you can't take people down one by one? It's fundamentally a different game now. It's a board game. Set piece after set piece.

This is actually worrying. Its like the new X Com that resets the fight and gives the Aliens a free round to place themselves. Changed the whole dynamic and removed imho the core element that gave XCom the tactical freedom flavor that made it one of the greatest of all time. Just like JA2.

[Purpleetea]

I really concerned about bad UI here :/ im torn appart

[Dark]

tanjo two guns původně napsal:

Velvet Eyebrows původně napsal:

9 out of 10. Wow.

Right here: https://youtu.be/wYsHtAkhwJU?t=805

13 min, 25 sec into that video. When they sneak up on the enemy, combat starts and every enemy is alerted. Game breaking. That's what X-Com 2 does. It's not Jagged Alliance.

Ughh! I'm already pissed about how the combat is working, the guy is literally 10 feet away, takes 4 shots to kill him, and he has no armor on. WTF!!!

[Purpleetea]

Dark původně napsal:

tanjo two guns původně napsal:

Right here: https://youtu.be/wYsHtAkhwJU?t=805

13 min, 25 sec into that video. When they sneak up on the enemy, combat starts and every enemy is alerted. Game breaking. That's what X-Com 2 does. It's not Jagged Alliance.

Ughh! I'm already pissed about how the combat is working, the guy is literally 10 feet away, takes 4 shots to kill him, and he has no armor on. WTF!!!

Dont you get it? He is on LSD :D

[palhanow]

Whata hell is wrong with these reviewers? UI mess up? Is all pretty good to me.

And of course is going to have some bugs on day one. Its normal. And its going to be fixed in any patch.

[Dark]

Purpleetea původně napsal:

Dark původně napsal:

Ughh! I'm already pissed about how the combat is working, the guy is literally 10 feet away, takes 4 shots to kill him, and he has no armor on. WTF!!!

Dont you get it? He is on LSD :D

That might be a joke to you, but for me its very concerning about how the combat is going to be in the game. Guess, ill be playing on easy mode.