Caltrops - Reviews - Re: Civ 4 and misc

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by Motherhead 11/03/2005, 2:31pm PST

jeep wrote:

Civ 4

I don't know what it is with the desperate need to improve graphics at all costs. It didn't really "cost" anything to do the graphics for this new game, but it didn't add anything to the game, either. This is just graphics update to Civ 2, Test of Time 2a if you like, so if you liked that you'll probably like this (I did, but not where I'm suggesting you purchase a copy for each member of your family). The screen is too goddamned busy with useless non-information, I need a 'classic mode' so I can just see squares. No, the max zoom out doesn't count. I guess the religion thing is ok, but should I really have to keep track of building a temple for every single religion. Am I a Freemason now? Also: everytime you get a little genius guy, just spend him on a knowledge improvement. They still haven't worked out how to code ignorance as a virtue, so research still beats everything else. Positive.

One of the things I always found annoying about Civ, and something that goes unchanged in Civ IV, is having to wait for the AI bullshit unit movements in the mid to late game. During the execution of a meticulously plotted invasion or responding to an AI incursion, the "action" is brought to a grinding halt by having to watch a dozen fucking primitive tribes wandering amok randomly on your territory (or on the borders) for a good 5-15 seconds per turn, and that quickly gets on my nerves. Other than that, yes, more of the same with a new 3-D engine that sometimes causes my epic high-end system to stutter (buggy code, my rig plays HL:Lost Coast with everything maxed at 1600x1050 like glass).

I haven't found a way to use religion for any other reasons than placating cities or making an enemy bordertown a tad more likely to jump sides due to the sheer awe of my culture. Perhaps I should look it up in the manual, but that would be cheating. The "Great Person" deal is useful for having a Great Artist wander up to (again) a small bordertown, create a masterpiece and then watch that city's borders expand to encompass what used to be AI resources. Haven't played multi-player yet.

jeep wrote:

Dungeon Siege 2

They answered the old "is it an rpg?" question by adding all of the elements of RPGs that make this reviewer uninstall most of them: dumb npcs (good and bad), railroad tracks for a plot, ABC quests, closed early tutorial maps so you can't just skip them (see KOTOR: stuck on Taris for half the game). Negative.

I was just starting to dig this game when the elves captured me and brought me back to frufru fairy fortress, haven't launched the .exe since. Agreed.

jeep wrote:

Dragonshard

It's a cool RTS. You'd have to play the tabletop to understand any complaints I'd have about it, but it works as a videogame. Positive.

One of the FIrst RTS games in a long time that I actually had to read the manual in order to change my initial impression. (Space Rangers 2 being the other to a lesser degree, SR2 is more complicated but more fun out of the box). I put it down for a while but it looked promising and intend to finish it.

jeep wrote:

City of Villains

Same goddamned game as the last goddamned game. They're both great fun, but there's no reason to play this if you played the last one and are done with it. Positive.

Yes, exactly.

jeep wrote:

Black and White 2

Do I still have to pull myself along the ground to move? Yes. Is the creature a carefully animated waste of time? Yes. This game was kind of extra-weird for me. I'm used to playing strats where I wall myself in, build some defenses and then research to see how far I can get, so the endgame is always me invading the other feudal lords with my UFOs. In this game they want you to try this. Other cities just kind of surrender to your awesomeness, and you can win without aggression. Not much of a challenge though. Negative.

After all the "fun" I had with the original, I wouldn't play this one at gunpoint. Thanks for suffering through it and confirming my suspicions. Until he can reinvent Populous without fucking it all up (again), Peter Molyneux can shove his sick-fuck monkey-spanking/shitting vision of a God Simulator up his accommodating eurotrash asshole.

jeep wrote:

I guess the next games I'll play are SW Battlefront 1+2, Indigo Prophecy, and whatever I get for MSXBOX360.

Pick up The Warriors, it's no better than the movie, and that's good enough for me.

Civ 4 and misc by jeep 11/02/2005, 8:17pm PST NEW

Re: Civ 4 and misc by Motherhead 11/03/2005, 2:31pm PST NEW

Re: Civ 4 and misc by Entropy Stew 11/03/2005, 2:55pm PST NEW

Re: Civ 4 and misc by jeep 11/04/2005, 3:22pm PST NEW