It's an older game, but it's so good.

I don't know about you guys but when I look at a sequel to a game series I've never touched, I get frightened by how much I've missed and whether I will understand what's going on, but with DE:HR, after hearing that it's the prequel to the earlier games, I jumped at the opportunity to pick this up. Knowing how much I love RPG's and how I can spend hours in one room just snooping around, indulging was necessary here.

The game's beginning cinematics are conspiracy based, which would make any such theorists' mouth water. There are a few people discussing a prototype which has not been released, but one they are definitely interested in. You can't see any of the faces of the people talking, only icons on a screen with a speaker symbol beside the names when they talk. The cliffhanger moment is when one of them mentions a "she", and right away you know that this is what the story is going to be based around...this "she".

Skip to the actual interactive part of the game, which is inside a woman's office/apartment/whatever, and the detail is quite vivid. Everything from the sleek shadows of wires running along the ground, to futuristic lamp designs, to the chaotic feng shui <SP?>, you can tell the designers wanted this to look exactly how they had imagined it. Outside of the office, you're led around a lab with all sorts of automation and robotics, working on different things all around you, and the only thing you can do is look around - you cannot walk anywhere, like you're a dog on a leash. Eventually there is a point where you have a gun in your hand, and your objective is clear to you.

The next thing you'll notice about this game is the choice you have in any given situation. This game is about CHOICE, not really about the combat, or so much the story, but the choices you make and how they will affect the story and the relationships you have with people. (note: sorry, mentioning relationships - this being a French Canadian game, and myself being a French Canadian - the dry wit is evident, and the constant battle to not look desperate is definitely there as well!) The first encounter with enemies can be approached in a multitude of ways, you can either sneak by them or use the only weapon you have against them, which means of course you will be killing, and if not, get killed. Just another note: you can go through this entire game without taking a soul, and you apparently get an achievement for it.

This is when the meat of the story kicks in, and you become a major player in a society hanging by a thread of morals and deceit. As an RPG it is quite linear, there are not many parts where you can veer off to the other side of the world (like Bethesda begs you to do), and not every NPC is a fountain of information (I'm playing Morrowind right now, come on, it's what I've come to expect..), but the story will definitely grab you and, if you're so inclined, weigh pros and cons of every situation you're involved in. Aside from some pathetic boss battles, the combat is tense and the adrenaline rush you get from being spotted is without match in any game I've played, even Splinter Cell. Don't expect an interactive movie, pretty much everything you do has an effect on the environment around you, including NPCs.

There is no leveling system, only upgrading, so you're the same old boring guy through the whole game, except your abilities get better and better (stealth, strength, social interaction, visual upgrading, that sort of thing). The inventory system is ok, and upgradeable, and the choice of weapons is slim, but they kept it simple - you can upgrade the hell out of the few weapons you are supplied with. Targeting and hit detection all comply with the laws of physics, so don't expect any Call of Duty here.

In conclusion, it's not everyone's cup of tea, because it's based on reality and a not so far-from-possible future. If that is your cup of tea, you can't NOT pick this one up. I give it a 9.5 out of 10. The missing .5 is thanks to the ****** boss fights.

Em, you did a fantastic job!

Ooooo! Great read Em. I could totally read more of your stuff!

Totally agree with you. Amazing game, minus a small little bit for the cheesy boss fights.

Thanks!

I knew you had it in you. Be proud, dude. That was enjoyable to read and I thought it was good.

Thanks PK...see you provided a subjective and an objective and they were both good.

Yep. Fantastic review Em. Old or not, we can put them up on the main site if you want.

Good job, dude. I think this is something you'll definitely enjoy doing, I can tell.

Dat: I would like that

Jon: I don't do anything that I don't enjoy doing. lol

I'll get you an account set up tonight or tomorrow. You can add the review to wordpress. I'll set it up as a contributor at first so Siren can look over it, and when you get comfortable we can change it so you can post directly.

Enjoyed it.

I wouldn't worry about reviewing old games.

I find that especially with the arcade titles a lot of people odn't know about their existence, ESPECIALLY if you're just coming back into xbox or jsut starting

Awesome Dat! Thanks everyone for the feedback, I am enjoying the glory right now.

Great review man. Aside from the horrid boss fights, the game was brilliant.

I believe the designer of the game even apologized about it too.

Yes I remember when it first got played by the multitudes, a lot of people were complaining about the boss fights. I myself didn't find them that bad, but if that many people didn't like them then it deserves a mention in my review. The only boss fight that was enjoyable to me was the first one, you had to use strategy to defeat him. Same with the second one (the chick in the drome), strategy involved in that one too, the very last guy though - totally sucked.

Great review, not bad at all for your first time, Em.

Thanks Kev. I changed my title for this thread.

Great stuff man. Really spot on about the game. Might a suggest a few screenshots in there and maybe a little developer/publisher/rating information at the beginning. Simple things that can really spruce it up a bit and doesn't take away from your words at all. Again, great stuff.

I agree, who cares if they are older games? I find myself writing things that will probably never see the light of day. Old game reviews (Latest was The Legend of Zelda on NES), opinion pieces, screenplays, just tons of stuff. My Dropbox has stuff in there I honestly don't even remember writing.

I would like to see some of your older reviews, maybe like Ocarina of Time, maybe some cool PS2 games cause I'm thinking of picking one up. I like to outline the basic aspects of the game that stick out to a specific audience. Me myself, I absolutely am in love with the way customization and upgrading and advancement of weapons/equipment in games is evolving (just look at BF3), so I will point that out and focus a whole piece on that alone.

Oh man, they are super rough. Written in a quick sitting from memory (for the most part). My general process would have to be put to them for them to be ready for anyone to read. I'll get a couple of them together. Working on my full screenplay for the most part right now, so it may be a bit.

@em Check your inbox.

Alright Em, you're setup on the main site. Check your @ymail.com email and you should have a link to the site with your password. You can change it when you log in. For now you are a contributor. So add your reviews then hit up Siren to look it over. She can then approve and post it. Once you're on your feet we'll bump you up to full author status and you can post your own content.