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[usp] [u1] Another re-review

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User avatar Hellscrag
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Subject: [usp] [u1] Another re-review

Post Posted: 06 Jun 2009, 12:30

The sudden stream of re-reviews continues, it seems! This time, MMAN has revisited the Lower Shrine of Nakesh.
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User avatar salsaSkaarj
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Subject:

Post Posted: 08 Jun 2009, 23:40

This was an unknown map to me and having read the review and thus knowing it is short, I decided to have a go at it.

And it was worth it, not that it is a memorable map, but there are a couple of interesting sections, notably the surprise ambush (perfectly acceptable as there are signs that not all is calm, plus it's not difficult to avoid (much) damage). There is a second "surprise" attack by a trio of Krall which is a bit more difficult but again perfectly reasonable, but the timing of that attack is well-designed.

Concerning the need for the health in the beginning, I disagree with the review. Player starts with 12 health and adding some obvious stamina, he has 62. With the ripened nalifruit, that makes 92. Dropping down without thinking will reduce that health to 17 (or 19) but there is a way to slightly reduce the height from which you jump, and there is a slope which can be used to friction the fall, and there is a stone at groundlevel which can be used to reduce the falling height by another 25cm or so. the result is landing with 75 health, in other words, the nali fruit is not absolutely necessary.

With this in mind, if the player takes the fruit too early or not all - that's his problem, and not a design fault.

Ok, so the map is fairly simple in design and the dificulty level is a bit low but even though I've seen and played grandiose levels and mappacks - it's wasn't boring, it didn't strike me as a something put together in an hour's spare time, and I certainly laughed when I was ambushed (I am not a great player but I do have a couple of years experience and yet I walked straight into it).

2 complaints - it's small and the end battle is too easy because of the position of the adversary (that in my opinion is the only real error).

Pity the author didn't continue where he left off.

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Subject:

Post Posted: 09 Jun 2009, 00:34

I know that you can minimise health loss by falling the right way, but I was talking from the perspective of a casual downloader, who would probably not know about the physics quirks and therefore think the only way down is to drop straight off (at least the first time or two they try the level, which makes it somewhat akin to learn by dying). Although I should probably have mentioned that in the review, as it's part of why I wasn't as harsh on it as I could have been.

User avatar salsaSkaarj
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Subject:

Post Posted: 09 Jun 2009, 10:28

Agreed, but only half and half though - doesn't almost every game have this learn by dying thing? This is one the aspects of Unreal which attracts me the most - start a brand new level, have no idea what's coming and end up getting mauled because one just didn't use all the infomation availible. As long as this learn by dying doesn't occur in every single room (which is a real put off). There is also a learning curve - as I said before, the first time I played Unreal I got kicked, raped, dismembered, blasted, etc.. and died by falling the wrong way :wink: , but there was end at the light of the tunnel, so I stuck with it and realised that there is a wrong way to play Unreal (not that I have found the right way yet)

On the whole I think we are in consensus about the end result in your review, but had it not been for the shortness mentioned in your review, I probably wouldn't have bothered playing it. (although the review does mention exactly the same good points I experienced and in this way does encourage the reader to give it a chance).

I am sorry if you got the impression that I was criticising your review, I wouldn't dare :D - I just thought it "necessary" to push a little bit and hope that others also try this level just for fun (but play on Unreal difficulty otherwise it could easily be much too easy).


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