Newb Looking for a shooter

[Meneldil]

Bioshock is by far the best FPS ever created by man. All the other games are merely worth of being looked at as long as you don't have played Bioshock. Period.

Period.

[Hooahguy]

Bioshock is by far the best FPS ever created by man. All the other games are merely worth of being looked at as long as you don't have played Bioshock. Period.

Period.

having played Bioshock i respectfully disagree.

[Whacker]

Egads. I'm sorry to hear you didn't like HL1 FBE. Tincow's last (long) post did an excellent job of summing up what a lot of us "old school" guys feel. I also happened to play it when it was brand new, and I can't think of many games that had as great of an impact on my gaming career as HL1 did.

I will agree that HL2 was very dull and a huge letdown by comparison. It was moderately pretty, the physics gun was ok, and the setting was reasonably well done. On the other hand, the gameplay was very boring and predictable, levels completely uninspired, I found the atmosphere non-engaging and the storyline quite lacking. It was not a worthy successor to the 1st, IMO.

[Monk]

I will agree that HL2 was very dull and a huge letdown by comparison. It was moderately pretty, the physics gun was ok, and the setting was reasonably well done. On the other hand, the gameplay was very boring and predictable, levels completely uninspired, I found the atmosphere non-engaging and the storyline quite lacking. It was not a worthy successor to the 1st, IMO.

I couldn't disagree more, in fact I would use your entire argument against HL2, against HL1.

I found HL1 slow, boring, and just a hair short of tedious to play through. The concept is interesting, but its overall execution and presentation is lacking at best. it just wasn't very fun. In contrast I found HL2's gameplay, story and atmosphere much more compelling than the first.

I just realized the HL debate can be summed up as thus: What do you like more, jumping puzzles or physics puzzles?

[econ21]

I don't normally like shooters, due to a mixture of taste and personal incompetence, but have recently gone back to Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl and greatly enjoyed it.

It's main attraction is probably the large atmospheric game world it creates, which you are free to wander in (if you can stand the heat). It rivals Morrowind in this aspect and I found it rather more immersive, even if - and probably because - you interact less with its denizens. It's one of those games like System Shock or Vampires where you really get sucked into the experience.

As a shooter, it is the kind I like - "realistic" in the sense that the weapons are pretty lethal, encouraging stealth and sniping, but not so unforgiving that close quarter combat is impossible. The AI seems pretty decent - it is alert, takes cover, flanks you and regularly strafes (something I have not quite managed - the personal incompetence bit again). It has some survival horror aspects that are very well done, but most of the combat is against soldier/mercenary types.The weaponry seems to be based on real world models and feels satisfying to wield.

There's a passable main quest to motivate you through the game, with lots of optional sidequests. I've got a few levels to do to finish the game, but have put it to one side as it is becoming rather boringly linear. The main attraction is just living and surviving in the zone. The experience of going from a newbie with a pistol to the number 1 "stalker" has been very enjoyable.

[TinCow]

I don't normally like shooters, due to a mixture of taste and personal incompetence, but have recently gone back to Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl and greatly enjoyed it.

I very much agree, STALKER has been one of my favorite shooters in the past few years. It's main flaw is simply that it's hugely buggy, though mods have gone a long way to fix it. I also bought Clear Sky, which promised a lot but didn't deliver anywhere near as well as the first game. The second game is too populated and this reduces the great feeling of lonely exploration that there was throughout much of the first game. Even so, I'm looking forward to the third game which is due out later this year.

[Beskar]

I followed Stalker ages ago, but they cut out tons of the things I wanted in the game, such as the co-operative modes and all sorts. So I gave up on it and never looked at it again.

[FactionHeir]

OT: Eh, econ here again? wb!

[Louis VI the Fat]

I don't normally like shooters, due to a mixture of taste and personal incompetence

Which suggests to me that it might be worthwhile to have a look at No One Lives Forever I and II. FPS's set in a spoof 1960s spy television series atmosphere. Brittanocentric, hilarious, and eminently payable. Simply made for people with only a passing interest in shooters, a sense of humour, and a love for some historical style and flair.

The gameplay is more stealth oriented than military.

Yes, they are old games, but so are STW and MTW. I'll keep plugging them for some time to come.


Stalker looks intruiging. I never imagened FPS's to have elements of business simulation games.

[frogbeastegg]

I don't normally like shooters, due to a mixture of taste and personal incompetence, but have recently gone back to Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl and greatly enjoyed it.

I keep on looking at Stalker; each time I get put off by the constant talk of a high difficulty. I'm not that great at shooters so the chances of me getting very far are nil. It's a shame, it has so many elements I'm pretty sure I would like.

[econ21]

I keep on looking at Stalker; each time I get put off by the constant talk of a high difficulty. I'm not that great at shooters so the chances of me getting very far are nil.

I was thinking of you, frogbeastegg, when I returned to Stalker. First time round, I think my comments put you off the game, but second time, I have been much more favorably inclined towards it and I wondered if I had misled you. I think the first time, Stalker suffered with me from coming out at the same time as some other big game - M2TW I think it was - so I did not do it justice. Even then, I do recall my wife getting cross with me for playing it so much, so it must have been doing something for me even then. I gather the patches have helped it a lot, too.

I would not let the reported difficulty put you off. If you can play Mass Effect on the highest difficulty, you should have no problem with Stalker. I am speaking as a person who could not get beyond the second level of the original Doom - I am really bad at shooters . Just for giggles, my son likes to sit and watch me play the first mission on Stalker as I equipped with my trusty pistol, I gradually (re)learn the controls, battle lag and the five bandits. My three allied NPC stalkers quickly die brutal heroic deaths and, if I make it inside the farmhouse, I stand cowering and traumatised in a corner, like some defenceless deadmeat in a slasher movie. My prowess at running and gunning makes Mr Bean look like James Bond. In my defence, the reviews do say the first mission is the hardest. Once you loot a sawn-off or SMG from one of the five bandits, things get a lot easier, as either weapon can make quite a mess of a bandit walking round a corner.

As long as you are willing to reload a little (in my case, more than a little), the majority of the game is not difficult in my opinion. (As I said, I have not finished it yet, but I usually don't finish games.) Just follow Minsc's advice and go for the eyes (or, rather, head) and you will be fine.