I've been trying to play it in between other things, and I pretty much agree with the review.
I don't find the save system too bad, not as bad as I find the map. There's such a subtle difference between the height colours it's damn near impossible to tell where things are, especially on the first level with the stairwells, drove me insane.
Originally Posted by fathazza this just got 4/10 on eurogamer !_!
i usually like this type of game so might give it a bash anyhow :)
Wonder if Eurogamer actually played the game this time. [/controversy]
I tend to agree with the review as well, having got the game when it came out to satisfy my ninja assassin game hunger. The whole thing plays a bit like a slightly dumbed down Hitman Blood Money, with iffier controls and a scarily similar plot, but it really does rise above the sum of these slightly dodgy sounding parts. It doesn't rise far above the sum of its parts, but it's certainly decent.
I think the review could have perhaps summed this up more concisely: this game is an utter piece of crap. Let me count the ways:
1) Install of it via Steam involved it DOWNLOADING Visual Studio Express 2005, installing it, and then requiring me to reboot my system? I wasn't sure if I was downloading a game or a virus.
2) This game behaves as if it was written by a bunch of students. Maybe grad students, but students nonetheless. The Options page to setup graphics, etc. is germinal. The opening scene is "shot" through a red gel filter. Why?
3) The woman character running, is almostly completely unanimated. The legs move as she runs but the arms do not pump as a human avatar should when running. Imagine Joe Friday from Dragnet or Hymie the Robot from Get Smart running and you get the idea. I guess they couldn't afford a decent 3D modeler.
4) The game is absurdly simplistic. In the opening scene, after killing an elite Waffen SS soldier (who's drunk at his post and oblivious) I run up a path bisected by a deep crevasse. No problem, the game stops you right there, you cannot fall in. But you DO have to manually jump over it.
5) You have to kill a Nazi guard but you have to wait until his buddy leaves. No problem, you run up, standing straight up, fully visible, until you get within about three feet of him and you STILL aren't seen so you crouch down. Wait for the buddy to leave. Then stand up to slirt him and THEN the game sees you. Are you telling me that two Nazi guards are not going to notice a French (?) resistance fighter in a tight leather outfit strapped with knives and guns RUNNING up towards them on the path?
7) Every minute or two I get an annoying window popup on the game screen telling me "Do not exit, game data being saved." or somesuch. I haven't seen such a ham handed, amateurish, and NON-immersive feature since playing that EA horror game that required you to wait while like loaded the next room as you explored a haunted house. Or maybe Resident Evil...1.
I paid $50 for this. I haven't felt this ripped off since I bought a sealed pouch of porno magazines as a kid and found that the cover models had zero resemblence to the actual "models" inside the covers. I'm really tempted to tell my credit card company to refuse to pay for this. It really is just crap.
Did the reviewers actually play this game, or just crib the notes from a review on Gamespot, where such inaccurate and superficial reviews are standard?
I should have read almost any other review rather than trust the Bit Tech review. Damn! We've had this conversation before on another thread, but I swear Bit-Tech has been going down hill since it got bought :(. And that depresses me greatly as this is THE favorite site of mine for mixed hardware and software commentary in addition to mods.
You;ve got to remember, any REVIEW is a matter of OPINION, it's in the name, re-VIEW.
So you should always read around, I looked at some of the videos on XBL and have seen many of the points you discuss. What's needed is a Famitsu style system, 5 reviewers.
I know what a review is, thank you. This one got an *8*. That's *2* less than maximum and well over the average. This game is well below any concept of "average" unless you're grading midterm project efforts from students in a game design class. Read the other reviews and see what the comments are. Anyhow...this game should never have been released as a first class (i.e. full price) title by Steam. They've either made a big error, or cemented themselves as a "we don't care what we release as long as we get the money" venue.
I fully agree it shouldn't have been an 8, it should've been a 5/6 tops. Prices I can't comment on (yay for unlimited rental schemes) but you should submit a request to Valve to ask them who set the price on it.
All joking and flaming aside, l haven't bought a game this bad since the DOS days (Night of the Comet from that french company with the Armadillo logo). And that game simply wouldn't install.
I should imagine the game would be a lot worse on a console when you think about it. The bits when the sneaking goes wrong and you have to start shooting people must be an absolute nightmare on a pad, and if I got killed every time I got detected (as I did early on before I'd got the hang of it) I'd have been quite peeved. On the PC though the game is much less frustrating because mouse and keyboard aiming means you can pop the baddies quite easily, so situations where for example there might be three bad guys that would be extremely time consuming to take down stealthily you can generally stealth kill one, shoot the next before he's really alert to the situation, then just mash the morphine for the third kill and job done, probably no damage taken. Fighting is a viable option and ammunition is reasonably plentiful if you stealth-kill lone baddies and otherwise make every shot count.
Thinking on it though there is a rather silly moment in the final level. The character is complaining that she needs a weapon at all costs, apart from her dagger. So I figure best bet is to stab up a Nazi and nick his gun, because if Violet needs a weapon at all costs then that seems to best way, sure enough I do that, only to find that the guys MP40 apparently doesn't count as a weapon. Call me old fashioned but if the game is going to stress to me the vital importance of getting hold of a gun then it doesn't really do to be getting picky about the make and model.
I think it's possible that this is one of those games that some people just won't get. That's not saying there's some sort of skill or wisdom or positive personality trait inherent to 'getting it', but if the style and the action appeals then it does, and if it doesn't then as I mentioned about your left with very little. One persons OMG WIN is another persons WTF LOL.
I know it should be hard to review a game, but... This game doesn't deserve an 8. Not at all. A 6 at most just because the main character is kinda sexy.
It's linear as hell, the "click now for action" (like when you are crouching for tiny holes) are ridiculous and it got an OK graphics at most.
I normally agree with Joe in his reviews, but Braid and this one are a let down.
I stand by my review, as I've not noticed anything wrong with animations or that sort and think it's stupid to fault a game for automatically and almost-invisibly installing support software. Unless that software is GFWL, naturally.
The game is linear as hell and the click-to-action moments annoying, but they're also pretty few and far between. I'm not sure you can really fault a game for being linear anyway, especially if it makes no pretense of being otherwise. As I said in the review, there's almost no exploration at all (which is a shame) and you're very much funneled along a set story, but there's nothing innately wrong with that. The vast majority of games are totally linear. Splinter Cell was too.
I also agree with Hovis and have heard from other reviewers that the console version of the game, which is probably what EG (and definitely what TeamXbox etc) are using to review is an awfully balanced and dreadful mess.
Velvet Assassin is an incredibly linear game, but it isn't a bad or broken one and if you're into linear stealth games then this is definitely worth a look IMHO, though only on the PC probably. The difference between VA and an actually really bad stealth game, like Stolen for example, is massive IMHO - though it is worth noting that review are always just a matter of opinion. I'm a big stealth and story fan, so it's entirely possible I liked this more than most people do. Likewise, to see an example of how this is true for every site and journo in the world, I suggest you check the reaction to Eurogamers Darkfall Online review recently.
And Steam do do refunds if there's a technical problem with your game, though I understand it's a somewhat downplayed and awkward system.
A compiler is not "support software". It's development software. There's no good reason for a game to install a compiler. To this developer it implies that the game devs don't know how to produce portable code.
This game is outstanding IMO. You know, third person action with a beautiful female character. I think it 's enough to make a revolution in gaming and entertainment.:)
I'm STILL Pissed over having bought this game based on bit techs review. I'd really like to know, Joe, have you ever programmed? If not I could understand how you might think that installing Visual Studio 2005 as part of a game is acceptable. Anyone who knows what a compiler is should know that it's grossly unacceptable to download a compiler like that. The last piece of software I recall that required a download of a compiler was the Internet Worm back in the 80's.
Originally Posted by Otto69 I'm STILL Pissed over having bought this game based on bit techs review. I'd really like to know, Joe, have you ever programmed? If not I could understand how you might think that installing Visual Studio 2005 as part of a game is acceptable. Anyone who knows what a compiler is should know that it's grossly unacceptable to download a compiler like that. The last piece of software I recall that required a download of a compiler was the Internet Worm back in the 80's.
I have done some incredibly basic programming (think: BBC Microcomputer and fiddling with a few different things), but nothing you'd ever call real programming.
The fact of the matter though is that when I reviewed the game we didn't have to install a compiler, nor did I when I played the game on my home system either. You're the only person I've heard of who has, actually - though I've not exactly been following this up.
My original point was only that a game requiring you to install an extra bit of software is a small thing to make such a big deal out of, regardless of it being a compiler. It's not like it's malware or spyware and, while I acknowledge that being forced to install a compiler is totally different to having to install certain DLLs or .Net frameworks or DirectX or whatever, it's also nothing new for PC games. Having to install random software, fight incompatibility errors and hassle with tonnes of different patches comes with the territory of PC gaming, even if it is pretty odd and potentially dangerous for Velvet Assassin to come with a compiler.
If it bothered you that much then you could always not install the compiler and take the game back for a refund or exchange for store credit.
Comments 1 to 24 of 24
ReplyI don't find the save system too bad, not as bad as I find the map. There's such a subtle difference between the height colours it's damn near impossible to tell where things are, especially on the first level with the stairwells, drove me insane.
i usually like this type of game so might give it a bash anyhow :)
Wonder if Eurogamer actually played the game this time. [/controversy]
I tend to agree with the review as well, having got the game when it came out to satisfy my ninja assassin game hunger. The whole thing plays a bit like a slightly dumbed down Hitman Blood Money, with iffier controls and a scarily similar plot, but it really does rise above the sum of these slightly dodgy sounding parts. It doesn't rise far above the sum of its parts, but it's certainly decent.
1) Install of it via Steam involved it DOWNLOADING Visual Studio Express 2005, installing it, and then requiring me to reboot my system? I wasn't sure if I was downloading a game or a virus.
2) This game behaves as if it was written by a bunch of students. Maybe grad students, but students nonetheless. The Options page to setup graphics, etc. is germinal. The opening scene is "shot" through a red gel filter. Why?
3) The woman character running, is almostly completely unanimated. The legs move as she runs but the arms do not pump as a human avatar should when running. Imagine Joe Friday from Dragnet or Hymie the Robot from Get Smart running and you get the idea. I guess they couldn't afford a decent 3D modeler.
4) The game is absurdly simplistic. In the opening scene, after killing an elite Waffen SS soldier (who's drunk at his post and oblivious) I run up a path bisected by a deep crevasse. No problem, the game stops you right there, you cannot fall in. But you DO have to manually jump over it.
5) You have to kill a Nazi guard but you have to wait until his buddy leaves. No problem, you run up, standing straight up, fully visible, until you get within about three feet of him and you STILL aren't seen so you crouch down. Wait for the buddy to leave. Then stand up to slirt him and THEN the game sees you. Are you telling me that two Nazi guards are not going to notice a French (?) resistance fighter in a tight leather outfit strapped with knives and guns RUNNING up towards them on the path?
7) Every minute or two I get an annoying window popup on the game screen telling me "Do not exit, game data being saved." or somesuch. I haven't seen such a ham handed, amateurish, and NON-immersive feature since playing that EA horror game that required you to wait while like loaded the next room as you explored a haunted house. Or maybe Resident Evil...1.
I paid $50 for this. I haven't felt this ripped off since I bought a sealed pouch of porno magazines as a kid and found that the cover models had zero resemblence to the actual "models" inside the covers. I'm really tempted to tell my credit card company to refuse to pay for this. It really is just crap.
Did the reviewers actually play this game, or just crib the notes from a review on Gamespot, where such inaccurate and superficial reviews are standard?
Robert
i'll take Bit-Tech opinion as PC GAMERS over some spotty 15 year old console tard.
I should have read almost any other review rather than trust the Bit Tech review. Damn! We've had this conversation before on another thread, but I swear Bit-Tech has been going down hill since it got bought :(. And that depresses me greatly as this is THE favorite site of mine for mixed hardware and software commentary in addition to mods.
So you should always read around, I looked at some of the videos on XBL and have seen many of the points you discuss. What's needed is a Famitsu style system, 5 reviewers.
Thinking on it though there is a rather silly moment in the final level. The character is complaining that she needs a weapon at all costs, apart from her dagger. So I figure best bet is to stab up a Nazi and nick his gun, because if Violet needs a weapon at all costs then that seems to best way, sure enough I do that, only to find that the guys MP40 apparently doesn't count as a weapon. Call me old fashioned but if the game is going to stress to me the vital importance of getting hold of a gun then it doesn't really do to be getting picky about the make and model.
I think it's possible that this is one of those games that some people just won't get. That's not saying there's some sort of skill or wisdom or positive personality trait inherent to 'getting it', but if the style and the action appeals then it does, and if it doesn't then as I mentioned about your left with very little. One persons OMG WIN is another persons WTF LOL.
It's linear as hell, the "click now for action" (like when you are crouching for tiny holes) are ridiculous and it got an OK graphics at most.
I normally agree with Joe in his reviews, but Braid and this one are a let down.
The game is linear as hell and the click-to-action moments annoying, but they're also pretty few and far between. I'm not sure you can really fault a game for being linear anyway, especially if it makes no pretense of being otherwise. As I said in the review, there's almost no exploration at all (which is a shame) and you're very much funneled along a set story, but there's nothing innately wrong with that. The vast majority of games are totally linear. Splinter Cell was too.
I also agree with Hovis and have heard from other reviewers that the console version of the game, which is probably what EG (and definitely what TeamXbox etc) are using to review is an awfully balanced and dreadful mess.
Velvet Assassin is an incredibly linear game, but it isn't a bad or broken one and if you're into linear stealth games then this is definitely worth a look IMHO, though only on the PC probably. The difference between VA and an actually really bad stealth game, like Stolen for example, is massive IMHO - though it is worth noting that review are always just a matter of opinion. I'm a big stealth and story fan, so it's entirely possible I liked this more than most people do. Likewise, to see an example of how this is true for every site and journo in the world, I suggest you check the reaction to Eurogamers Darkfall Online review recently.
And Steam do do refunds if there's a technical problem with your game, though I understand it's a somewhat downplayed and awkward system.
I have done some incredibly basic programming (think: BBC Microcomputer and fiddling with a few different things), but nothing you'd ever call real programming.
The fact of the matter though is that when I reviewed the game we didn't have to install a compiler, nor did I when I played the game on my home system either. You're the only person I've heard of who has, actually - though I've not exactly been following this up.
My original point was only that a game requiring you to install an extra bit of software is a small thing to make such a big deal out of, regardless of it being a compiler. It's not like it's malware or spyware and, while I acknowledge that being forced to install a compiler is totally different to having to install certain DLLs or .Net frameworks or DirectX or whatever, it's also nothing new for PC games. Having to install random software, fight incompatibility errors and hassle with tonnes of different patches comes with the territory of PC gaming, even if it is pretty odd and potentially dangerous for Velvet Assassin to come with a compiler.
If it bothered you that much then you could always not install the compiler and take the game back for a refund or exchange for store credit.
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