Yup it's definately a problem with the level design. Although it's flow is better it's still very similar to Serious Sam or Painkiller.

You'll get the odd area with some monsters placed on a higher platform sniping at you or something but usually it's just a flat room with obstacles.

It's particularly jarring when you're surrounded by so many tall buildings (or so high up you can't see the ground) but you never look up except to gaze at the skybox. 

I never would have thought it'd be possible to make a game about shooting robots with big guns mind numbingly boring, but the Hard Reset guys really pulled out all the stops to achieve it. Based on the demo, at least -- maybe they're saving the best for last, but I'm not paying to find out. 

Yeah until you get some weapon upgrades the game is pretty bloody tedious, and without the weapons to play with the game is so dull compared to, say, Serious Sam, which is fun when given just a shotgun.

In fact the hardest part of the game on high difficulty is probably level three or so, as it's the combination of tough enemies and few weapon upgrades, which is stupid.

It is a pretty crap video though, but I was having such shit luck trying to record something more interesting as my PC just collapsed with fraps + bigger fights :p 

Has hit version 1.0.

http://www.warsow.net/ 

Gonna check it out. 

I like twitch shooters, but Warsow just looks a little TOO fast to me. Dizzying.

Hard Reset looks okay. Level design looked average. I'd play it still.

Is it just me or is there a major lack of shooters and actions games on the PC so far this year?

I might make a list... 

Well that was 4 hours wasted lol. I updated my list of games to play:
http://www.etherealhell.com/etherealhell/gamestoget.php

Goes by year, worst to best as rated on metacritic.

2012 does indeed look pathetic so far. Even if the number of play-worthy releases doubles, it still won't be close to 2011 amount. Was 2011 the best year for PC gaming?

What's also interesting is the severe lack of first person shooters, and even third person. They're barely coming out now, not helped when critics give great games like Rage an average score. The vast majority of PC games seem to be strategy and adventure. Who the hell plays all these strategy games?

Oh and these are almost all first or third person. I don't play platformers or top down 

am I seriously seeing another Painkiller game in that list? 

Anyone ever play that?

The trailer looks kinda mint.

25% off on Steam. I'm semi-tempted. 

All these new Painkiller games are really just DLC's and expansion packs. At least the new one is only $10 on Steam. Although I wouldn't pay that, it doesn't look good enough for any money when it's only got 5 levels (and 4000 enemies wtf).

There's a Painkiller remake in progress too. The guys behind Necrovision are making it. Fuck knows why, all the crap Painkiller since the original must have ruined that franchise by now. 

I loved Fallout 3. 9.5/10.

Here's a review of the game, all DLC's and some worthwhile mods mentioned.

http://www.etherealhell.com/etherealhell/reviews/2012/fallout3_goty.php 

I've just noticed that Rogue Trooper on your review list does not have a release month attached to it. It is April of 2006. 

Oh yep cheers erc 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWxvJoEIZwo
http://project-giana.com

Totally kickstarting it. 

Looks cool. Not really into sonic type platformers though. Too 90s.

But if they did a fps without that twist idea between dark/light - awesome!!!! 

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/576713578096390435/24BE86AE8ED9F85125FFFB234C705CB71DA1F14C/

It's really pretty crazy just how much better this game can look after you tweak the shit out of it with mods and by butchering the hidden NVIDIA profile settings, compared to the utter mess that is the state of "as shipped by developer". 

http://sharpenyouraxes.com/

Dead Island mod turned into a game. Two environment screenshots look very nice. Long way off of course. 

looks awesome. 2 screenshots and a basic blog for a website isn't a huge start, but could be good if it's finished, one day 

http://www.pathofexile.com/publicweekend/ 

ftp://ftp.funcom.com/media/AOSoundtrackVol2.zip 

And this:

http://www.bethblog.com/2012/07/13/a-look-at-dishonoreds-many-ui-options/

Means I will definitely buy it, for that reason alone. 

Cause you like Dutch menus? God, that looks painful. I bet it will be just as awkward to use as the Rage one. 

 

The Hand That Feeds

Those guys.... 

Here's a review of Damnation: http://www.etherealhell.com/etherealhell/reviews/2012/damnation.php

Not as bad as it's made out, I gave a 6/10.
Bit of chore in the end though.

Anyone played Lord of the Rings: Conquest? I started the first level (training failed because it wouldn't allow me to pass the combo test), seemed to be pretty shitty gameplay where I died three times - the last time being because the enemies wouldn't move through the fucking door and I couldn't kill them due to a weird invisible wall, and suddenly it says I've failed the mission. No checkpoints and having to start the entire level over each time as well, so I guess it's a fucking shitty game. Might try again in god mode, the levels looked pretty cool.

Been playing lots of Fallout 3 mods as well.
Cube and Orion's game definitely worth playing. Lots of crap that doesn't work though. I've still got several more of the top ones to try.