THE BORE

General => Video Game Bored => Topic started by: Eel O'Brian on September 24, 2008, 02:03:56 PM

Title: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Eel O'Brian on September 24, 2008, 02:03:56 PM: Last night I brought the Holocaust to my video game shelves, and sacked up a bunch of stuff I was never going to finish/play again. Today I traded everything for about $95, and put the money towards BiA Hell's Highway for 360, and BiA Double Time for Wii. Here are my initial impressions about both games.

DOUBLE TIME - This is basically a Wii port of the first two BiA games, Road to Hill 30 and Earned in Blood. It's even broken down into two discs, one for each game. They've taken out the multiplayer and added Waggle controls. BIG SHOCK - it doesn't suck. The graphics approach Xbox1 levels, it's in true widescreen (not that black border crap they try to pass off as widescreen in some games), and the pointer control isn't bad at all. In fact, I'd go so far as to say it's better than previous console versions. You can actually hit a motherfucker in this version. There are two control layout options, and sensitivity tweaks. Otherwise it's the same pair of games, minus the multiplayer (which, to be honest, I never played much anyway). Yeah, it's a stripped-down port, but it's done very well.

I only bought this because Earned in Blood won't run on Vista without some ass-around-elbow hacking (and even then it is prone to crashing, from what I've read), the Xbox versions aren't BC (let's face it, at this point they never will be), and the PS2 versions of the games are fucking horrendous. I thought I was just pissing away store credit, but was pleasantly surprised. I would never have paid $50 actual cash for this game(s), though.

This game has had next to no marketing, and even though it just released today not many stores are stocking it (my Gamestop only had one copy). I'd say wait until it drops to $30, if you can find it on shelves then. It's worth that much to finally be able to hit what you're aiming at, and if you've never played the first two games, well, now you have another FPS to play on your Wii that isn't barrel-bottom-scraping wretched.

HELL'S HIGHWAY - This game has been getting "middling" to "okay" reviews, but as someone who was never the biggest fan of the first two games I really don't know why. Almost everything I had a problem with in the first two games seems to have been improved - the aiming, the AI pathfinding, the voice acting, etc. Granted, I've only played it for half an hour or so, but I can't see where any of those improvements would get worse as the game goes along.

The story is much more mature this time, and even though I can tell it's going to get pretty maudlin later on, it flows naturally, and the amateurish overacting from the first two games is gone. There are even touches of subtlety here and there, which is appreciated over the eyerolling dialogue from the first two.

Graphics-wise, I have to wonder if these reviewers are looking at the same game I am. I think the problem might be that there are parts of the game (so far) that are truly beautiful to look at, which makes any lower-res textures or jank glitches that much more apparent. Facial animations are well done, but some of the running animations are kind of jerky. Some of the cover can be destroyed, and it's well done - but not everything can be shot up, which I really don't have much of a problem with although some reviews have mentioned it as a drawback. Those dudes must think they're playing on some kind of supercomputers instead of 360s and PS3s. It also has some framerate dips that are pretty noticeable. You can tell Gearbox had an awful time working with UE3, and tried to make the best of it.

The controls are very customizable, and work well. Surprise, another BiA game (on the same day!) where your bullets go where you're aiming. I was picking off germans with just the very tips of their helmets showing. There is also a cover button, and pressing it immediately slides you into position behind whatever you're near. Very smooth and intuitive. There's no real health system, just your screen turning red and flashing a bit when you're about to get lit up - it's okay, but I think stuff like that is distracting when you're in a panic situation and tends to get you killed more than it helps you.

I haven't tried the multiplayer yet, but from what I've read in the manual it seems pretty barren and featureless, something added so they could slap that INCLUDES 20 PERSON MULTIPLAYER in red letters on the back.

Anyway, I went in thinking I would walk out with a sack full of fail, and ended up with two decent games.
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Eel O'Brian on September 24, 2008, 06:49:47 PM: :lol seems this thread was well worth the effort

hell's highway needed a co-op feature
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: demi on September 24, 2008, 06:50:39 PM: I'll play it next year around September 14th, lol
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Eel O'Brian on September 24, 2008, 07:07:07 PM: it's really not a bad game at all, and like i said i had my problems with the first two

it reminds me of a decent band of brothers episode
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: VALIS on September 25, 2008, 11:11:44 PM: Quote from: Eel O'Brian on September 24, 2008, 06:49:47 PM
:lol seems this thread was well worth the effort

I'm really liking it, too.

*cricket*

*cricket*
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: y2kev on September 25, 2008, 11:46:53 PM: gamefly sent HH
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Jansen on September 26, 2008, 05:52:02 AM: yeah i'm waiting for the copy gamefly sent to arrive. i don't expect it to be very good. so maybe it'll surprise me.

if it does suck i hope i can at least get a good chunk of the achievements in one go through.
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: WrikaWrek on September 27, 2008, 12:48:45 PM: It's a good game.
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Eel O'Brian on September 27, 2008, 02:18:33 PM: i have noticed some jankerrific squad ai now and then, but it's usually when i order them to a cover spot very close to the one they're already at

and sometimes you'll get stuck in a weird flip animation when you're trying to aim if you're behind certain cover

best WWII story by far, though, i've only cringed once or twice at the dialogue
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Jansen on September 28, 2008, 03:55:21 AM: so what are the cheat codes for this game? anyone know?
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Eel O'Brian on September 28, 2008, 09:25:04 AM: what cheats are you looking for?

the only code i know of is for two extra skins in multiplayer
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: MrAngryFace on September 28, 2008, 11:52:40 AM: Its been getting good reviews, im shocked this thread isnt busier. Then again Yggdra Union is good too and everyone says they'll pirate it :/
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Eel O'Brian on September 28, 2008, 12:40:01 PM: Hell's Highway has been getting fair and decent reviews in comparison to the slavish overpraise some big game releases get (looking straight at you, COD4, with your infinitely spawning and grenade-spamming jalalabaddies), which to some knuckleheads means "7.6 bomba lol." It's a solid improvement over the first two games (playing BiA Double Time on Wii is bringing back all the controller-flinging frustration whenever one of my squad jackasses decides the best possible path is out in the open straight towards the MG42), but it still has some very particular problems. Great storytelling game experience, though.

BiA Double Time for Wii is a good version of the first two games, with some surprising control improvements over the previous console releases. The shitty AI is still there, but you can hit what you're aiming at now so you're able to provide better cover for your Tardsquad. There's no iron sight, just a slight zoom, but I didn't miss it. And even though grenades are thrown by waggle, you lock on your target first, so they go exactly where you're throwing - in other words, they're not useless now.

The drawback is that the bounding box for turning is too loose (even on high sensitivity) and it's not customizable. So there's a bit of a lag whenever you're turning around. BiA has always been a slower-paced shooter, so it's not too much of a problem, but I'd rather have had the option to tweak it.

And I don't see why they didn't just throw a third disc in the box collecting all the co-op/versus offline multiplayer missions and modes from the other console versions. I might not have ever touched it, but I'm sure it would have been a selling point for some, especially since they're asking $50 for the package.
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Eel O'Brian on September 28, 2008, 01:54:46 PM: no, i usually don't jump online with a game until i finish the single-player campaign

from what i have heard it's very basic, though, not much to it

the mp part was made by rockstar, so i'm assuming it was just a throwaway so they'd have the bullet point on the back of the box
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Jansen on September 28, 2008, 05:06:07 PM: game is okay. nothing spectacular. it would be alot better if the controls didn't feel so clunky. throwing a grenade is almost a waste of time because of how inaccurate it can be and pulling away from cover should be easier (just let me tap back, not hit a button or do a quick snap back with the stick).
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Eel O'Brian on September 28, 2008, 06:56:35 PM: yeah, grenades suck, and your dudes never throw them even if the indicator says to

also, the checkpoints shouldn't be spaced so far apart, it's frustrating to get almost to the end of a mission and die, then have to go through the entire sequence again
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Jansen on September 28, 2008, 11:55:46 PM: wow this game is short as fuck. which is fine because the gameplay got old quick. i wanna know which dickhead decided to put only one sniper bit in the entire game so i can kick em in the crotch.
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Eel O'Brian on September 29, 2008, 07:34:31 AM: the sniper bit is pretty cool, there's a bit of an unsettling backstory leading up to how you get the rifle

you can find another sniper rifle later in the game and use it during another mission, but it's not a straight sniper sequence

i don't think it was contract fulfillment, i think they got in over their heads with UE3, and know the game is flawed, but had to get it out - which is why they went from talking up multiplayer a couple of years ago to just passing it off to rockstar

spoiler (click to show/hide)
there's going to be a fourth (probably final) BiA game - Battle of the Bulge, etc. i bet that's where you'll see the multiplayer they were talking about years ago
[close]
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: cool breeze on October 03, 2008, 12:26:41 PM: I tried the demo on PSN and while it wasn't bad, the game is really ugly. It could just be because its the PS3 version, but it is really bad visually.
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: y2kev on October 03, 2008, 01:22:09 PM: Game is too much work. Yikes. I'm not a huge fan of run and gunners but this is so slow and so plodding. Giving commands to multiple teams is annoying and I wish there was just a, "Oh just go fucking shoot them," command.
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Tabasco on October 03, 2008, 03:13:47 PM: I never could finish the previous 2 BIA games for the same reason. But for some reason I was able to finish this one. They only make you manage 3 squads for the last 2 levels, and it's not that bad. Plus, you now have the accuracy as the player to let your squads do the suppressing and you do the flanking and killing.

At least on casual :mario
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: Jansen on October 03, 2008, 03:18:55 PM: Quote from: swaggaz on October 03, 2008, 12:26:41 PM
I tried the demo on PSN and while it wasn't bad, the game is really ugly. It could just be because its the PS3 version, but it is really bad visually.

the game is just flatout ugly period.
Title: Re: It's the Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway/Double Time Thread
Post by: demi on October 13, 2008, 03:03:51 PM: Demo is on 360 now