Author:
Simulacrum
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Date:
10/21/2016 6:18:18 AM
Subject:
Shadow Warrior 2
Early days yet, but my impressions are as follows:
Pros:
1. Rather pretty graphics, though the Road Hog engine smacks a lot of Unreal (insert number here).
2. Pretty good FPS action with adequate controls. Combos are slightly less stupid than they were in SW 2013.
3. Interesting weapons.
4. Very cool mantling. You can access lots of places.
Cons
1. Very consoley. Control mapping is fine for keyboard/mouse, but it looks like controllers were intended as the default input devices. The interface is horrifically Xbox-ish. Not quite as bad as something like Unreal Tournament 3, but almost there. For the ideal PC UI, see Unreal Tournament 2004. Yeah, I know -- 2004 -- but that's how you do a PC interface in any year.
2. Checkpoints are scarce. There's no manual saving, and the game does not save progress on exit. You have to have reached a checkpoint.
3. Co-op omits strange things. Apparently, your mp character carries over things you've collected from sp, but the reverse doesn't seem to be true. The minimap switches off in mp and has to be manually re-enabled in sp. The number of loot boxes are reduced in co-op. There appears to be no chat option (either keyboard or mic), and it's hard to tell where other players are. Network syncing takes a long time.
Mixed
1. No falling damage. The game actually encourages you to leap from insane heights. I don't know what to make of this. It's nice not to take falling damage, but why would Wang have Chell boots?
2. Some level elements are randomly generated. Enemies are repositioned and other things are going on -- some loot seems to be randomized.
3. Some enemies in the side missions appear to be oddly over-leveled while being mixed with weak trash mobs. Maybe this is by design, like elites and champions in Diablo. If so, its a case of player-needs-to-learn-to-play.
4. Weapons and upgrades constantly pop out of enemies. It's nice that you get so much stuff, but it's very Borderlands. Many of the upgrades are only marginally useful, but you're constantly stopping to examine them, figuring out whether they're a real upgrade, then trying to wrestle with the consoley UI to switch things out in the silly weapon rose wheel.
It's quite a bit different than SW 2013. Some things are better; others not so much. I won't say it's not worth $40, but these are things to consider. Meanwhile, it's really well-supported by the developers, so that's nice.
