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PC shoot'em ups are great fun but often it is difficult to know which ones to buy. Below is a guide to the ones on the market at the moment:
Return to castle Wolfenstein:
Return to Castle Wolfenstein is set in Nazi Germany and follows a rather surreal story line involving the raising of the dead. Its single player is very lifelike and intense with great atmosphere and different settings ranging from Crypts to brilliant urban settings with a lively and atmospheric soundtrack. Wolfenstein is the classic blast'em up and follows a linear but very playable level layout however overall the one player mode is disappointingly short and not overly challenging on any of the difficulties to the experienced gamer. In terms of multiplayer gaming there is little support for network gamers but there is a large amount of online support and a large online gaming community to play against on many different levels.
Verdict: Disappointingly short but worth buying especially if you are into online gaming.
Half-Life
Half life is the Daddy of the modern FPS. It has a long single player which follows a gripping story line backed up by powerful and futuristic firepower. The gameplay is good although the blasting of aliens is arguably less enjoyable than bashing your way through legions of human foes. The multiplayer lacks the huge range of choices available to more recent games but this is more than made up for buy the constant updates and add ons made available to it due to its massive following online. Good on a large network but the absence of multiplayer bots can make network half-life less interesting.
Verdict: The most popular online game by far, vastly enjoyable definitely worth buying.
Unreal Tournament:
Unreal Tournament is a high-speed action packed multiplayer fest. A rather poor offering of a single player this is the best of the multiplayer aimed games. Plenty of options and choice of levels. Very playable with fast fluid action and Bots which can be set to a very wide and challenging range of abilities. Large on line following but excellent in practice mode or on a network this is the best of the multiplayer games by a long way. Also very good value as it has now been released In classic form and should only cost about a tenner or so.
Verdict: Into multiplayer games: This is for you
Deus Ex:
Deus Ex has a brilliantly written story line, which drives the game, however unlike many heavily scripted games the story line is very non-linear. Set in the near future you play J.C. Denton a government agent who is trying to stop the spread of a mysterious plague, but as the story line develops the truth about his past and the world he lives in cleverly unfolds. The thing that really makes Deus Ex unique, apart from the gripping story line, is the way you can develop as a character. J.C. can be developed using different “mods” which improve his physical capabilities, or the weapons he use can be enhanced in terms of scopes, recoil mods, or accuracy. Deus Ex allows so much freedom and you actions, in one part of the game effect what happens later. A timely intervention can save the life of an ally who will remain in the game later who may have died then. Its lay out provides a challenge for gamers of all standards and often requires careful thought of how to approach a situation rather than rushing in all guns blazing.
Verdict: Brilliant story driven and involving single player shooter. Definitely worth buying and now is a “classic title”, so can be bought cheaply.
Quake 3:
Quake 3 has the classic PC shoot’em up feel following in the footsteps of quake and doom. Personally I feel that this is a poor relation to unreal tournament. As it feels less real and requires less tactical movement. Atmospheric and likeable it maybe for you if you are into the old style shooters.
Verdict: Not as good multiplayer as unreal but solid overall.
Medal Of Honour Allied Assault:
Medal of Honour is set during the Second World War. And moves over many different landscapes as you aid the allied cause. Traditional WW2 weaponry and interesting mission objectives make for intensive and exciting gaming. The sheer intensity of the single player is second to none. From the Beach landings on D-Day or the stealth attacks with the French resistance this game shows depth and quality. It is the best length of the modern shooters and there is no shortage of things to do. The Multiplayer is pretty good and the online community is expanding rapidly this is by far the best of the modern shooters.
Verdict: This has a brilliant action packed single player and is definitely worth buying. Great value for Money
Operation Flashpoint:
Operation Flashpoint is the game for you realism fanatics, it is supposedly designed so that real world tactics, graphically sharp and runs well. It is really the modern version of Medal of honour, but with all your friendly modern day gadgets to play with! I personally didn’t find it as atmospheric and as instantly playable as MOH but it is still first rate entertainment.
Verdict: The game for the modern army military fan. The most realistic of the lot in terms of tactics and planning.
Soldier Of Fortune 2:
Another adventure in the role of John Mullins a special forces agent for a secret organisation called “the Shop” an extremely effective anti-terrorist organisation. Essentially a tactical shooter, SOF 2 provides rapid action, hefty firepower and brilliant atmosphere. Multiplayer is reasonable but by no means up to Wolfenstein or MOH standards. All though slow to begin with this game really absorbs you and grips you to the end. The story line is fairly basic and most of the objectives are “find/kill X” but this is a very enjoyable action packed game.
Verdict: Great Single Player, not for the feint heated and one of the more challenging games due to its limited save function.
Project IGI:
Although not the first game people think of when talking about First person shooters it should be considered as it is amongst the best single player games out there. The story line may not be enthralling but the action takes place over beautifully created and meticulously planned levels. Although there are some flaws in the game such as limited AI and regening guards this is easily compensated for by the smooth flowing gameplay and the long levels. This is not a game for those with short attention spans as there is no save feature with in each level but it is done on a "save at the end of a level" type save.
Verdict: Cheap and addictive single player action
No one lives forever:
You play Cate Archer, “a brilliant young female operative” in 1960’s Britain, hailed as the Austin Powers of shoot’em up, it really fails to live up to this accolade. Whilst it has its moments it quite frankly isn’t very good. It has long winded cut scenes which aren’t overly funny and gameplay which hardly grabs you by modern standards. I found this game highly disappointing and will definitely have to have try out the sequel before buying it, as there is an awful lot to improve on.
Verdict: Disappointing game you will feel cheated if you buy this ahead of any of the others
(Third person shooters):
Max Payne:
In this gripping third person shooter you play the title role, as a drug squad cop whose world collapses around him with the spread of a mysterious drug called Valkyr, Payne loses everything his family and is on the run after being setup as a suspected murder. Using clever storyboards the truth unfolds as Payne goes for revenge and to prove his innocence. Max Payne is to say the least totally enthralling and brings you into Payne’s world the action is well created with a wide selection of weapons and well-crafted levels, which create a perfect gaming atmosphere. Perhaps the most interesting thing in Max Payne is the invention of “bullet time” an unexplainable ability with which Max Payne can react quickly in a slowed down world, which represents super reflexes. This is one of the truly innovative ideas which have found there way in to modern shooters. Max Payne also has a wide range of gaming difficulties the most interesting of which is “New York minute” in which you have a single minute to complete each level but gain extra time for each enemy you kill. One of the few criticisms of this game I might have is that it is not very long, but these additional game modes help add to its life span.
Verdict: Max Payne is truly innovative, and blends action with new features and a carefully planned story line. The Deus Ex of third person shooters.
Grand theft auto 3:
Although not strictly a shoot'em up, it does involve a lot of guns 'n' violence. GTA 3 quite honestly is a brilliant game it is basically Max Payne with cars and missions and is quite simply brilliant. Liberty City were you take up your life of crime is huge. There is so much to explore, people to meet, guns to find and people to waste. It is a game strongly driven by plot and as you progress you interact with different gangs who require your "services". The AI is very good and the cars and levels are very well designed. The only draw back of a near perfect game is the absence of a multiplayer which would have had so much potential! but this is to be remedied in the sequel GTA 3: Vice city
Verdict: A must for all PC owners. If your next £30 isn't spent on this, you'll be sorry!
Hitman: Codename 47
Hitman is a very unique game. Whilst played in the third person it has a very enclosed feeling to it. Each of the levels is cleverly created to provide a different kind of challenge and thought is definitely required on how to approach each challenge. Personally I enjoyed it but it is seriously glitched. Graphically it is very foggy and some of the AI does have the equivalent IQ to an amoeba in computer terms. Now a classic title and available for a fiver its probably worth buying however I personally would wait for Hitman 2 in a few weeks time which looks very promising.
Verdict: Cheap but very glitch, wait for the sequel!
Conclusion:
I hope this helps anyone who is in the market for PC shoot’em ups. If you need help in deciding what to get I’d recommend GTA3 or Medal of Honour if you are in the market for a single player game. Unreal and Half-life have the biggest online communities and are probably the safest bet, however Wolfenstein has excellent online features. It’s also worth noting that the new unreal game is out at the end of the month and is definitely worth buying. If you only have enough money for 1 game then it has got to be Wolfenstein or MOH for all round entertainment. I have completed all the above games and hope (sad I know) and have found that they all have a lot to offer, each game is very different in terms of plot, atmosphere and weaponry and different people prefer the different types of shooter. I prefer the more realistic type, such as MOH or IGI, as opposed to others who are more into Quake or Doom.
Future titles worth looking out for in the near future are Doom 3, Unreal 2003, Hitman 2, and IGI 2, these sequels are all looking very good from what I’ve seen and heard of them and should definitely warrant further investigation.
Anyway I hope this helped you!
Ashley
Return to castle Wolfenstein:
Return to Castle Wolfenstein is set in Nazi Germany and follows a rather surreal story line involving the raising of the dead. Its single player is very lifelike and intense with great atmosphere and different settings ranging from Crypts to brilliant urban settings with a lively and atmospheric soundtrack. Wolfenstein is the classic blast'em up and follows a linear but very playable level layout however overall the one player mode is disappointingly short and not overly challenging on any of the difficulties to the experienced gamer. In terms of multiplayer gaming there is little support for network gamers but there is a large amount of online support and a large online gaming community to play against on many different levels.
Verdict: Disappointingly short but worth buying especially if you are into online gaming.
Half-Life
Half life is the Daddy of the modern FPS. It has a long single player which follows a gripping story line backed up by powerful and futuristic firepower. The gameplay is good although the blasting of aliens is arguably less enjoyable than bashing your way through legions of human foes. The multiplayer lacks the huge range of choices available to more recent games but this is more than made up for buy the constant updates and add ons made available to it due to its massive following online. Good on a large network but the absence of multiplayer bots can make network half-life less interesting.
Verdict: The most popular online game by far, vastly enjoyable definitely worth buying.
Unreal Tournament:
Unreal Tournament is a high-speed action packed multiplayer fest. A rather poor offering of a single player this is the best of the multiplayer aimed games. Plenty of options and choice of levels. Very playable with fast fluid action and Bots which can be set to a very wide and challenging range of abilities. Large on line following but excellent in practice mode or on a network this is the best of the multiplayer games by a long way. Also very good value as it has now been released In classic form and should only cost about a tenner or so.
Verdict: Into multiplayer games: This is for you
Deus Ex:
Deus Ex has a brilliantly written story line, which drives the game, however unlike many heavily scripted games the story line is very non-linear. Set in the near future you play J.C. Denton a government agent who is trying to stop the spread of a mysterious plague, but as the story line develops the truth about his past and the world he lives in cleverly unfolds. The thing that really makes Deus Ex unique, apart from the gripping story line, is the way you can develop as a character. J.C. can be developed using different “mods” which improve his physical capabilities, or the weapons he use can be enhanced in terms of scopes, recoil mods, or accuracy. Deus Ex allows so much freedom and you actions, in one part of the game effect what happens later. A timely intervention can save the life of an ally who will remain in the game later who may have died then. Its lay out provides a challenge for gamers of all standards and often requires careful thought of how to approach a situation rather than rushing in all guns blazing.
Verdict: Brilliant story driven and involving single player shooter. Definitely worth buying and now is a “classic title”, so can be bought cheaply.
Quake 3:
Quake 3 has the classic PC shoot’em up feel following in the footsteps of quake and doom. Personally I feel that this is a poor relation to unreal tournament. As it feels less real and requires less tactical movement. Atmospheric and likeable it maybe for you if you are into the old style shooters.
Verdict: Not as good multiplayer as unreal but solid overall.
Medal Of Honour Allied Assault:
Medal of Honour is set during the Second World War. And moves over many different landscapes as you aid the allied cause. Traditional WW2 weaponry and interesting mission objectives make for intensive and exciting gaming. The sheer intensity of the single player is second to none. From the Beach landings on D-Day or the stealth attacks with the French resistance this game shows depth and quality. It is the best length of the modern shooters and there is no shortage of things to do. The Multiplayer is pretty good and the online community is expanding rapidly this is by far the best of the modern shooters.
Verdict: This has a brilliant action packed single player and is definitely worth buying. Great value for Money
Operation Flashpoint:
Operation Flashpoint is the game for you realism fanatics, it is supposedly designed so that real world tactics, graphically sharp and runs well. It is really the modern version of Medal of honour, but with all your friendly modern day gadgets to play with! I personally didn’t find it as atmospheric and as instantly playable as MOH but it is still first rate entertainment.
Verdict: The game for the modern army military fan. The most realistic of the lot in terms of tactics and planning.
Soldier Of Fortune 2:
Another adventure in the role of John Mullins a special forces agent for a secret organisation called “the Shop” an extremely effective anti-terrorist organisation. Essentially a tactical shooter, SOF 2 provides rapid action, hefty firepower and brilliant atmosphere. Multiplayer is reasonable but by no means up to Wolfenstein or MOH standards. All though slow to begin with this game really absorbs you and grips you to the end. The story line is fairly basic and most of the objectives are “find/kill X” but this is a very enjoyable action packed game.
Verdict: Great Single Player, not for the feint heated and one of the more challenging games due to its limited save function.
Project IGI:
Although not the first game people think of when talking about First person shooters it should be considered as it is amongst the best single player games out there. The story line may not be enthralling but the action takes place over beautifully created and meticulously planned levels. Although there are some flaws in the game such as limited AI and regening guards this is easily compensated for by the smooth flowing gameplay and the long levels. This is not a game for those with short attention spans as there is no save feature with in each level but it is done on a "save at the end of a level" type save.
Verdict: Cheap and addictive single player action
No one lives forever:
You play Cate Archer, “a brilliant young female operative” in 1960’s Britain, hailed as the Austin Powers of shoot’em up, it really fails to live up to this accolade. Whilst it has its moments it quite frankly isn’t very good. It has long winded cut scenes which aren’t overly funny and gameplay which hardly grabs you by modern standards. I found this game highly disappointing and will definitely have to have try out the sequel before buying it, as there is an awful lot to improve on.
Verdict: Disappointing game you will feel cheated if you buy this ahead of any of the others
(Third person shooters):
Max Payne:
In this gripping third person shooter you play the title role, as a drug squad cop whose world collapses around him with the spread of a mysterious drug called Valkyr, Payne loses everything his family and is on the run after being setup as a suspected murder. Using clever storyboards the truth unfolds as Payne goes for revenge and to prove his innocence. Max Payne is to say the least totally enthralling and brings you into Payne’s world the action is well created with a wide selection of weapons and well-crafted levels, which create a perfect gaming atmosphere. Perhaps the most interesting thing in Max Payne is the invention of “bullet time” an unexplainable ability with which Max Payne can react quickly in a slowed down world, which represents super reflexes. This is one of the truly innovative ideas which have found there way in to modern shooters. Max Payne also has a wide range of gaming difficulties the most interesting of which is “New York minute” in which you have a single minute to complete each level but gain extra time for each enemy you kill. One of the few criticisms of this game I might have is that it is not very long, but these additional game modes help add to its life span.
Verdict: Max Payne is truly innovative, and blends action with new features and a carefully planned story line. The Deus Ex of third person shooters.
Grand theft auto 3:
Although not strictly a shoot'em up, it does involve a lot of guns 'n' violence. GTA 3 quite honestly is a brilliant game it is basically Max Payne with cars and missions and is quite simply brilliant. Liberty City were you take up your life of crime is huge. There is so much to explore, people to meet, guns to find and people to waste. It is a game strongly driven by plot and as you progress you interact with different gangs who require your "services". The AI is very good and the cars and levels are very well designed. The only draw back of a near perfect game is the absence of a multiplayer which would have had so much potential! but this is to be remedied in the sequel GTA 3: Vice city
Verdict: A must for all PC owners. If your next £30 isn't spent on this, you'll be sorry!
Hitman: Codename 47
Hitman is a very unique game. Whilst played in the third person it has a very enclosed feeling to it. Each of the levels is cleverly created to provide a different kind of challenge and thought is definitely required on how to approach each challenge. Personally I enjoyed it but it is seriously glitched. Graphically it is very foggy and some of the AI does have the equivalent IQ to an amoeba in computer terms. Now a classic title and available for a fiver its probably worth buying however I personally would wait for Hitman 2 in a few weeks time which looks very promising.
Verdict: Cheap but very glitch, wait for the sequel!
Conclusion:
I hope this helps anyone who is in the market for PC shoot’em ups. If you need help in deciding what to get I’d recommend GTA3 or Medal of Honour if you are in the market for a single player game. Unreal and Half-life have the biggest online communities and are probably the safest bet, however Wolfenstein has excellent online features. It’s also worth noting that the new unreal game is out at the end of the month and is definitely worth buying. If you only have enough money for 1 game then it has got to be Wolfenstein or MOH for all round entertainment. I have completed all the above games and hope (sad I know) and have found that they all have a lot to offer, each game is very different in terms of plot, atmosphere and weaponry and different people prefer the different types of shooter. I prefer the more realistic type, such as MOH or IGI, as opposed to others who are more into Quake or Doom.
Future titles worth looking out for in the near future are Doom 3, Unreal 2003, Hitman 2, and IGI 2, these sequels are all looking very good from what I’ve seen and heard of them and should definitely warrant further investigation.
Anyway I hope this helped you!
Ashley
Thanks for the win SR!
Ashley wrote:
> No one lives forever:
>
> You play Cate Archer, “a brilliant young female operative” in 1960’s
> Britain, hailed as the Austin Powers of shoot’em up, it really fails
> to live up to this accolade. Whilst it has its moments it quite
> frankly isn’t very good. It has long winded cut scenes which aren’t
> overly funny and gameplay which hardly grabs you by modern standards.
> I found this game highly disappointing and will definitely have to
> have try out the sequel before buying it, as there is an awful lot to
> improve on.
>
> Verdict: Disappointing game you will feel cheated if you buy this
> ahead of any of the others
What!!!!! I think NOLF is one of the best FPS on the PC at the moment. Lots of variaty, good level design, great graphics, and it's a massive game to play throught. Theres a great selection of levels from action, sneaking, sniping, driving, a level where you freefall out of an areoplane, a level where you go diving searching through a ship wreak fighting off sharks and enemy divers, just lots variaty.
I know it's your opinion and everything, but I can't see how you can put a game which mixes element of other genres as well as some pretty cool gam-play, behind games which are nothing more than updates which offer nothing really new. Fun updates, but nothing innovative.
> No one lives forever:
>
> You play Cate Archer, “a brilliant young female operative” in 1960’s
> Britain, hailed as the Austin Powers of shoot’em up, it really fails
> to live up to this accolade. Whilst it has its moments it quite
> frankly isn’t very good. It has long winded cut scenes which aren’t
> overly funny and gameplay which hardly grabs you by modern standards.
> I found this game highly disappointing and will definitely have to
> have try out the sequel before buying it, as there is an awful lot to
> improve on.
>
> Verdict: Disappointing game you will feel cheated if you buy this
> ahead of any of the others
What!!!!! I think NOLF is one of the best FPS on the PC at the moment. Lots of variaty, good level design, great graphics, and it's a massive game to play throught. Theres a great selection of levels from action, sneaking, sniping, driving, a level where you freefall out of an areoplane, a level where you go diving searching through a ship wreak fighting off sharks and enemy divers, just lots variaty.
I know it's your opinion and everything, but I can't see how you can put a game which mixes element of other genres as well as some pretty cool gam-play, behind games which are nothing more than updates which offer nothing really new. Fun updates, but nothing innovative.
PC shoot'em ups are great fun but often it is difficult to know which ones to buy. Below is a guide to the ones on the market at the moment:
Return to castle Wolfenstein:
Return to Castle Wolfenstein is set in Nazi Germany and follows a rather surreal story line involving the raising of the dead. Its single player is very lifelike and intense with great atmosphere and different settings ranging from Crypts to brilliant urban settings with a lively and atmospheric soundtrack. Wolfenstein is the classic blast'em up and follows a linear but very playable level layout however overall the one player mode is disappointingly short and not overly challenging on any of the difficulties to the experienced gamer. In terms of multiplayer gaming there is little support for network gamers but there is a large amount of online support and a large online gaming community to play against on many different levels.
Verdict: Disappointingly short but worth buying especially if you are into online gaming.
Half-Life
Half life is the Daddy of the modern FPS. It has a long single player which follows a gripping story line backed up by powerful and futuristic firepower. The gameplay is good although the blasting of aliens is arguably less enjoyable than bashing your way through legions of human foes. The multiplayer lacks the huge range of choices available to more recent games but this is more than made up for buy the constant updates and add ons made available to it due to its massive following online. Good on a large network but the absence of multiplayer bots can make network half-life less interesting.
Verdict: The most popular online game by far, vastly enjoyable definitely worth buying.
Unreal Tournament:
Unreal Tournament is a high-speed action packed multiplayer fest. A rather poor offering of a single player this is the best of the multiplayer aimed games. Plenty of options and choice of levels. Very playable with fast fluid action and Bots which can be set to a very wide and challenging range of abilities. Large on line following but excellent in practice mode or on a network this is the best of the multiplayer games by a long way. Also very good value as it has now been released In classic form and should only cost about a tenner or so.
Verdict: Into multiplayer games: This is for you
Deus Ex:
Deus Ex has a brilliantly written story line, which drives the game, however unlike many heavily scripted games the story line is very non-linear. Set in the near future you play J.C. Denton a government agent who is trying to stop the spread of a mysterious plague, but as the story line develops the truth about his past and the world he lives in cleverly unfolds. The thing that really makes Deus Ex unique, apart from the gripping story line, is the way you can develop as a character. J.C. can be developed using different “mods” which improve his physical capabilities, or the weapons he use can be enhanced in terms of scopes, recoil mods, or accuracy. Deus Ex allows so much freedom and you actions, in one part of the game effect what happens later. A timely intervention can save the life of an ally who will remain in the game later who may have died then. Its lay out provides a challenge for gamers of all standards and often requires careful thought of how to approach a situation rather than rushing in all guns blazing.
Verdict: Brilliant story driven and involving single player shooter. Definitely worth buying and now is a “classic title”, so can be bought cheaply.
Quake 3:
Quake 3 has the classic PC shoot’em up feel following in the footsteps of quake and doom. Personally I feel that this is a poor relation to unreal tournament. As it feels less real and requires less tactical movement. Atmospheric and likeable it maybe for you if you are into the old style shooters.
Verdict: Not as good multiplayer as unreal but solid overall.
Medal Of Honour Allied Assault:
Medal of Honour is set during the Second World War. And moves over many different landscapes as you aid the allied cause. Traditional WW2 weaponry and interesting mission objectives make for intensive and exciting gaming. The sheer intensity of the single player is second to none. From the Beach landings on D-Day or the stealth attacks with the French resistance this game shows depth and quality. It is the best length of the modern shooters and there is no shortage of things to do. The Multiplayer is pretty good and the online community is expanding rapidly this is by far the best of the modern shooters.
Verdict: This has a brilliant action packed single player and is definitely worth buying. Great value for Money
Operation Flashpoint:
Operation Flashpoint is the game for you realism fanatics, it is supposedly designed so that real world tactics, graphically sharp and runs well. It is really the modern version of Medal of honour, but with all your friendly modern day gadgets to play with! I personally didn’t find it as atmospheric and as instantly playable as MOH but it is still first rate entertainment.
Verdict: The game for the modern army military fan. The most realistic of the lot in terms of tactics and planning.
Soldier Of Fortune 2:
Another adventure in the role of John Mullins a special forces agent for a secret organisation called “the Shop” an extremely effective anti-terrorist organisation. Essentially a tactical shooter, SOF 2 provides rapid action, hefty firepower and brilliant atmosphere. Multiplayer is reasonable but by no means up to Wolfenstein or MOH standards. All though slow to begin with this game really absorbs you and grips you to the end. The story line is fairly basic and most of the objectives are “find/kill X” but this is a very enjoyable action packed game.
Verdict: Great Single Player, not for the feint heated and one of the more challenging games due to its limited save function.
Project IGI:
Although not the first game people think of when talking about First person shooters it should be considered as it is amongst the best single player games out there. The story line may not be enthralling but the action takes place over beautifully created and meticulously planned levels. Although there are some flaws in the game such as limited AI and regening guards this is easily compensated for by the smooth flowing gameplay and the long levels. This is not a game for those with short attention spans as there is no save feature with in each level but it is done on a "save at the end of a level" type save.
Verdict: Cheap and addictive single player action
No one lives forever:
You play Cate Archer, “a brilliant young female operative” in 1960’s Britain, hailed as the Austin Powers of shoot’em up, it really fails to live up to this accolade. Whilst it has its moments it quite frankly isn’t very good. It has long winded cut scenes which aren’t overly funny and gameplay which hardly grabs you by modern standards. I found this game highly disappointing and will definitely have to have try out the sequel before buying it, as there is an awful lot to improve on.
Verdict: Disappointing game you will feel cheated if you buy this ahead of any of the others
(Third person shooters):
Max Payne:
In this gripping third person shooter you play the title role, as a drug squad cop whose world collapses around him with the spread of a mysterious drug called Valkyr, Payne loses everything his family and is on the run after being setup as a suspected murder. Using clever storyboards the truth unfolds as Payne goes for revenge and to prove his innocence. Max Payne is to say the least totally enthralling and brings you into Payne’s world the action is well created with a wide selection of weapons and well-crafted levels, which create a perfect gaming atmosphere. Perhaps the most interesting thing in Max Payne is the invention of “bullet time” an unexplainable ability with which Max Payne can react quickly in a slowed down world, which represents super reflexes. This is one of the truly innovative ideas which have found there way in to modern shooters. Max Payne also has a wide range of gaming difficulties the most interesting of which is “New York minute” in which you have a single minute to complete each level but gain extra time for each enemy you kill. One of the few criticisms of this game I might have is that it is not very long, but these additional game modes help add to its life span.
Verdict: Max Payne is truly innovative, and blends action with new features and a carefully planned story line. The Deus Ex of third person shooters.
Grand theft auto 3:
Although not strictly a shoot'em up, it does involve a lot of guns 'n' violence. GTA 3 quite honestly is a brilliant game it is basically Max Payne with cars and missions and is quite simply brilliant. Liberty City were you take up your life of crime is huge. There is so much to explore, people to meet, guns to find and people to waste. It is a game strongly driven by plot and as you progress you interact with different gangs who require your "services". The AI is very good and the cars and levels are very well designed. The only draw back of a near perfect game is the absence of a multiplayer which would have had so much potential! but this is to be remedied in the sequel GTA 3: Vice city
Verdict: A must for all PC owners. If your next £30 isn't spent on this, you'll be sorry!
Hitman: Codename 47
Hitman is a very unique game. Whilst played in the third person it has a very enclosed feeling to it. Each of the levels is cleverly created to provide a different kind of challenge and thought is definitely required on how to approach each challenge. Personally I enjoyed it but it is seriously glitched. Graphically it is very foggy and some of the AI does have the equivalent IQ to an amoeba in computer terms. Now a classic title and available for a fiver its probably worth buying however I personally would wait for Hitman 2 in a few weeks time which looks very promising.
Verdict: Cheap but very glitch, wait for the sequel!
Conclusion:
I hope this helps anyone who is in the market for PC shoot’em ups. If you need help in deciding what to get I’d recommend GTA3 or Medal of Honour if you are in the market for a single player game. Unreal and Half-life have the biggest online communities and are probably the safest bet, however Wolfenstein has excellent online features. It’s also worth noting that the new unreal game is out at the end of the month and is definitely worth buying. If you only have enough money for 1 game then it has got to be Wolfenstein or MOH for all round entertainment. I have completed all the above games and hope (sad I know) and have found that they all have a lot to offer, each game is very different in terms of plot, atmosphere and weaponry and different people prefer the different types of shooter. I prefer the more realistic type, such as MOH or IGI, as opposed to others who are more into Quake or Doom.
Future titles worth looking out for in the near future are Doom 3, Unreal 2003, Hitman 2, and IGI 2, these sequels are all looking very good from what I’ve seen and heard of them and should definitely warrant further investigation.
Anyway I hope this helped you!
Ashley
Return to castle Wolfenstein:
Return to Castle Wolfenstein is set in Nazi Germany and follows a rather surreal story line involving the raising of the dead. Its single player is very lifelike and intense with great atmosphere and different settings ranging from Crypts to brilliant urban settings with a lively and atmospheric soundtrack. Wolfenstein is the classic blast'em up and follows a linear but very playable level layout however overall the one player mode is disappointingly short and not overly challenging on any of the difficulties to the experienced gamer. In terms of multiplayer gaming there is little support for network gamers but there is a large amount of online support and a large online gaming community to play against on many different levels.
Verdict: Disappointingly short but worth buying especially if you are into online gaming.
Half-Life
Half life is the Daddy of the modern FPS. It has a long single player which follows a gripping story line backed up by powerful and futuristic firepower. The gameplay is good although the blasting of aliens is arguably less enjoyable than bashing your way through legions of human foes. The multiplayer lacks the huge range of choices available to more recent games but this is more than made up for buy the constant updates and add ons made available to it due to its massive following online. Good on a large network but the absence of multiplayer bots can make network half-life less interesting.
Verdict: The most popular online game by far, vastly enjoyable definitely worth buying.
Unreal Tournament:
Unreal Tournament is a high-speed action packed multiplayer fest. A rather poor offering of a single player this is the best of the multiplayer aimed games. Plenty of options and choice of levels. Very playable with fast fluid action and Bots which can be set to a very wide and challenging range of abilities. Large on line following but excellent in practice mode or on a network this is the best of the multiplayer games by a long way. Also very good value as it has now been released In classic form and should only cost about a tenner or so.
Verdict: Into multiplayer games: This is for you
Deus Ex:
Deus Ex has a brilliantly written story line, which drives the game, however unlike many heavily scripted games the story line is very non-linear. Set in the near future you play J.C. Denton a government agent who is trying to stop the spread of a mysterious plague, but as the story line develops the truth about his past and the world he lives in cleverly unfolds. The thing that really makes Deus Ex unique, apart from the gripping story line, is the way you can develop as a character. J.C. can be developed using different “mods” which improve his physical capabilities, or the weapons he use can be enhanced in terms of scopes, recoil mods, or accuracy. Deus Ex allows so much freedom and you actions, in one part of the game effect what happens later. A timely intervention can save the life of an ally who will remain in the game later who may have died then. Its lay out provides a challenge for gamers of all standards and often requires careful thought of how to approach a situation rather than rushing in all guns blazing.
Verdict: Brilliant story driven and involving single player shooter. Definitely worth buying and now is a “classic title”, so can be bought cheaply.
Quake 3:
Quake 3 has the classic PC shoot’em up feel following in the footsteps of quake and doom. Personally I feel that this is a poor relation to unreal tournament. As it feels less real and requires less tactical movement. Atmospheric and likeable it maybe for you if you are into the old style shooters.
Verdict: Not as good multiplayer as unreal but solid overall.
Medal Of Honour Allied Assault:
Medal of Honour is set during the Second World War. And moves over many different landscapes as you aid the allied cause. Traditional WW2 weaponry and interesting mission objectives make for intensive and exciting gaming. The sheer intensity of the single player is second to none. From the Beach landings on D-Day or the stealth attacks with the French resistance this game shows depth and quality. It is the best length of the modern shooters and there is no shortage of things to do. The Multiplayer is pretty good and the online community is expanding rapidly this is by far the best of the modern shooters.
Verdict: This has a brilliant action packed single player and is definitely worth buying. Great value for Money
Operation Flashpoint:
Operation Flashpoint is the game for you realism fanatics, it is supposedly designed so that real world tactics, graphically sharp and runs well. It is really the modern version of Medal of honour, but with all your friendly modern day gadgets to play with! I personally didn’t find it as atmospheric and as instantly playable as MOH but it is still first rate entertainment.
Verdict: The game for the modern army military fan. The most realistic of the lot in terms of tactics and planning.
Soldier Of Fortune 2:
Another adventure in the role of John Mullins a special forces agent for a secret organisation called “the Shop” an extremely effective anti-terrorist organisation. Essentially a tactical shooter, SOF 2 provides rapid action, hefty firepower and brilliant atmosphere. Multiplayer is reasonable but by no means up to Wolfenstein or MOH standards. All though slow to begin with this game really absorbs you and grips you to the end. The story line is fairly basic and most of the objectives are “find/kill X” but this is a very enjoyable action packed game.
Verdict: Great Single Player, not for the feint heated and one of the more challenging games due to its limited save function.
Project IGI:
Although not the first game people think of when talking about First person shooters it should be considered as it is amongst the best single player games out there. The story line may not be enthralling but the action takes place over beautifully created and meticulously planned levels. Although there are some flaws in the game such as limited AI and regening guards this is easily compensated for by the smooth flowing gameplay and the long levels. This is not a game for those with short attention spans as there is no save feature with in each level but it is done on a "save at the end of a level" type save.
Verdict: Cheap and addictive single player action
No one lives forever:
You play Cate Archer, “a brilliant young female operative” in 1960’s Britain, hailed as the Austin Powers of shoot’em up, it really fails to live up to this accolade. Whilst it has its moments it quite frankly isn’t very good. It has long winded cut scenes which aren’t overly funny and gameplay which hardly grabs you by modern standards. I found this game highly disappointing and will definitely have to have try out the sequel before buying it, as there is an awful lot to improve on.
Verdict: Disappointing game you will feel cheated if you buy this ahead of any of the others
(Third person shooters):
Max Payne:
In this gripping third person shooter you play the title role, as a drug squad cop whose world collapses around him with the spread of a mysterious drug called Valkyr, Payne loses everything his family and is on the run after being setup as a suspected murder. Using clever storyboards the truth unfolds as Payne goes for revenge and to prove his innocence. Max Payne is to say the least totally enthralling and brings you into Payne’s world the action is well created with a wide selection of weapons and well-crafted levels, which create a perfect gaming atmosphere. Perhaps the most interesting thing in Max Payne is the invention of “bullet time” an unexplainable ability with which Max Payne can react quickly in a slowed down world, which represents super reflexes. This is one of the truly innovative ideas which have found there way in to modern shooters. Max Payne also has a wide range of gaming difficulties the most interesting of which is “New York minute” in which you have a single minute to complete each level but gain extra time for each enemy you kill. One of the few criticisms of this game I might have is that it is not very long, but these additional game modes help add to its life span.
Verdict: Max Payne is truly innovative, and blends action with new features and a carefully planned story line. The Deus Ex of third person shooters.
Grand theft auto 3:
Although not strictly a shoot'em up, it does involve a lot of guns 'n' violence. GTA 3 quite honestly is a brilliant game it is basically Max Payne with cars and missions and is quite simply brilliant. Liberty City were you take up your life of crime is huge. There is so much to explore, people to meet, guns to find and people to waste. It is a game strongly driven by plot and as you progress you interact with different gangs who require your "services". The AI is very good and the cars and levels are very well designed. The only draw back of a near perfect game is the absence of a multiplayer which would have had so much potential! but this is to be remedied in the sequel GTA 3: Vice city
Verdict: A must for all PC owners. If your next £30 isn't spent on this, you'll be sorry!
Hitman: Codename 47
Hitman is a very unique game. Whilst played in the third person it has a very enclosed feeling to it. Each of the levels is cleverly created to provide a different kind of challenge and thought is definitely required on how to approach each challenge. Personally I enjoyed it but it is seriously glitched. Graphically it is very foggy and some of the AI does have the equivalent IQ to an amoeba in computer terms. Now a classic title and available for a fiver its probably worth buying however I personally would wait for Hitman 2 in a few weeks time which looks very promising.
Verdict: Cheap but very glitch, wait for the sequel!
Conclusion:
I hope this helps anyone who is in the market for PC shoot’em ups. If you need help in deciding what to get I’d recommend GTA3 or Medal of Honour if you are in the market for a single player game. Unreal and Half-life have the biggest online communities and are probably the safest bet, however Wolfenstein has excellent online features. It’s also worth noting that the new unreal game is out at the end of the month and is definitely worth buying. If you only have enough money for 1 game then it has got to be Wolfenstein or MOH for all round entertainment. I have completed all the above games and hope (sad I know) and have found that they all have a lot to offer, each game is very different in terms of plot, atmosphere and weaponry and different people prefer the different types of shooter. I prefer the more realistic type, such as MOH or IGI, as opposed to others who are more into Quake or Doom.
Future titles worth looking out for in the near future are Doom 3, Unreal 2003, Hitman 2, and IGI 2, these sequels are all looking very good from what I’ve seen and heard of them and should definitely warrant further investigation.
Anyway I hope this helped you!
Ashley