It’s still January….that’s lame. However, the light is at the end of the tunnel, and I’m going on holiday on February 16th, so there. This week, I have been getting myself back on track, little by little, and enjoying Resident Evil 7, of which you can watch a playthrough on our YouTube channel.
In the meantime, here are some picks from this week’s Steam sale games.
Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3
It’s a serious classic, and you know it. The story is fantastic in all senses of the word, with Earth’s history being altered by time traveling Soviet leaders, leading to a superpower rising in the Far East, starting World War III. Yup. Get Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 for a quarter of the usual price this week.
It’s a war strategy, with great online multiplayer, and fun story writing. The cutscenes are shot in live action, using actors. We are not talking about cheesy, crappy b-movie Sega CD style scenes, we’re talking cheesy, wonderful b-movie Tim Curry, Peter Stormare and George Takei style scenes. It really is the selling point of the game, and the scenes became a hit of their own on the internet.
As for the actual game, it’s a solid strategy game, with a great tongue-in-cheek vibe, which is usually missing for this sort of title. The graphics are great, even after eight years, and the music complements gameplay really well. It’s fitting and fun, with fans of the soundtrack, as well as the live action scenes. There are expansions, and the bundle is also on the same deal, so why not go all out?
Aliens vs. Predator
This title was a shooter that many sci-fi fans were beyond excited about. The Alien franchise game tie-ins have been hit and miss over the years, to say the least, but Aliens vs. Predator was one of the better ones, and you can get it for 75% off.
This game is pretty unique, in that you can play as a marine, an Alien or Predator. Each choice has a different sort of mechanic to play with, and it makes for some interesting replay value, and allows the player to find their favorite, as well as having the option to change it up. As an Alien, you begin the campaign as a newly born creature, freshly burst from the chest. It’s up to you to navigate walls, ceilings and vents in order to survive and grow. As the story goes on, you get to hunt and kill marines, as well as face off against the Predators. The Predator is slower, but more brutal, and you have the advantages of the alien being’s stealth skills and equipment. Whilst you cannot be as agile and quick as an Alien, the combat is meaty and satisfying as all heck. As a marine, it’s a pretty standard FPS, only with the glorious satisfaction of fighting both Aliens and Predators.
There’s pretty good fan service here, especially for the fans of the more action orientated movies such as Aliens and Alien vs. Predator, and each campaign has its own enjoyability. However, the real fun is to be found in multiplayer. Both online and local, you can pick your favorite side, and hunt the others to your hearts content. It really shook up the traditional PvP online genre, and it was a shame that the game didn’t stick with players long after release. I’m sure there are people still playing, but why not get your friends together for a few matches?
Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty
This is the game that I most loved during my PlayStation (One) era. I was between ten and thirteen years old, I think, and it was the beginning of a new world. Gaming advanced beyond imagination, in terms of mechanics and storytelling, and I seriously struggled with 3D platforming/adventure/action. I still do. I’m not ashamed. What? Something as wonderfully balanced as Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty is perfect for me. It blends flawless side scrolling platform gameplay with stunning updated graphics, and an enthralling and interesting story that’s both exciting and surprisingly deep, flecked with comic humor that reminds me of all my favorite preteen-age cartoons. It’s on offer at 75% off.
This is a remaster which other remasters can learn from, for sure. All of the elements that make the original so special are updated, and look and sound fantastic. It could have been a brand new title. This is thanks to the timeless graphics and pre-rendered backgrounds, as well as the story and comedy. So, if you loved the game back in the late 90s, or think it might be a good one to try, now’s the time to get it.
Polarity
This is a cheap and cheerful indie puzzler, with some clean, cool graphics, that will be a great casual pick up and play for many people. Polarity is marketed as an inventive and unique puzzler, similar to Portal, but it seems as though this might be pushing it a bit. I don’t agree with developers saying what they want about their games in order to advertise, but I will always give something a chance to impress me. Polarity is impressive in terms of gameplay and visual style, and for 90% off, it’s worth it.
The small story is that you are a hacker, digging into a complex and secure system. The puzzle mechanics are your attempts at cracking the codes and getting the information you’ve been hired to find. The puzzles are well-designed and range from simple to complex, depending on the way your brain works, I guess. There are also a range of multiplayer puzzles, which are interesting and fun to work on with a friend.
Special Mention: Train Simulator: Great Eastern Main Line London-Ipswich Route Add-On
This might be too much of an in-joke for everyone, but I have travelled this particular route since I was born, and can tell you that there are some serious features I want to see in this add-on. That’s why I’m gonna get Train Simulator: Great Eastern Main Line London-Ipswich Route Add-On for half price this week.
The London-Ipswich train is slow. One of the slowest in the country, unless you’re going from Cambridge to Norwich. That’s like travelling inter-dimensionally, especially in the dark. Imagine the boat scene in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, but without any excitement about the whole situation at all. I digress. There isn’t much to say about the train journey; there’s a lot of shipping containers and concrete, and you don’t see much of the wonderful ancient city of Colchester, but it holds a special place in my heart, and I would love to see the landscape from the front of a train.
The trains that they have in the game don’t look much like the models that we actually get to travel on. These ones look much faster…so there’s that for one, and I very much hope to come into London Liverpool Street Station and stop at platform 18, as is the norm. As one Steam reviewer pointed out, “There are no marker boards outside Chelmsford station telling you there is a new speed limit, heading towards London.” I hear that. Though, the scenarios “Sunday Closures” and “It’s Snow Fun” look very true to life.
Oh man, that sarcasm felt good. Anyway, I hope all of you have a wonderful week, and come see me again for more picks from the Steam sale next time. Until then, picture me at the front of a train, directing it through the Olympic Park, which is somehow still a building site.
