Hard Reset - Game is out

[Dankk]

I played the demo on normal and didn't die once. Problem with these kinds of shooters is you just strafe while moving backwards and you dont die.

There's an interesting mechanic to this though. There are certain enemies where you can't simply strafe to the side in order to dodge them, because they're too fast. I'll call them "chargers". They charge toward you at full speed and usually the only way to not get hurt is turn 90 degrees and sprint out of the way. You're sprint only has limited use, and you can't use it while it's recharging, so you have to time it cleverly. It adds an extra layer of complexity to the game.

Otherwise, you're right, there's a lot of strafing and running backwards... which should be expected. After all, this game was billed as being an "oldschool"-style shooter. Any PC gamer should know that usually means lots of fast-paced side-strafing and bunnyhopping around. Ever played Painkiller or Serious Sam? It's the exact same thing. It's not a "problem" with these kinds of games; rather, it's just the way they're designed. Some people have more fun moving out and about. Not sitting behind cover. Perhaps it's not your type of game.

When I finally get around the playing the full game I think I'll just do it on easy, as I want to look around the levels and stuff but the game itself I'm sure will be boring.

Well yes, if you're playing it on easy, then it's going to be very boring. In fact I'm not even sure why you'd still want to play it at all. You seem to be missing the entire point. If all you want to do is "look around the levels", then just play the demo, because the rest of the game is largely similar and you'd be wasting your time otherwise.

Right now I've been stuck on the same boss fight for the past two days... and I have no idea what to do. There are no walkthroughs or anything because it's a brand new game, and also because it's kind of obscure I guess... so I don't know where to look for help. It's a few levels in where

Spoiler

the giant statue comes to life, and attacks you in the courtyard. I know how to get past the first few stages of the fight, where you should the plates off his body, but then he goes into an extremely violent stage where the streetlights charge up around him and he nearly insta-kills you. I've tried shooting at both the lights, and the dude himself. I haven't gotten anywhere with it. Anyone know?

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

The first time I played through duke3d I probably died 20 times in the first 30 minutes. It's part of the game...

In the demo there was one spot where I would die over.. and over.. and over.. until I figured out the best way to kill the enemies and then it was simple. I probably died 10-15 times and am glad I didn't move it to easy to make less enemies.



Basically, this game does not cater to the console "linear play through regen health so I never ever die and tons of ammo so every single player is happy" mantra. This is fine with me, and others I'm sure.

You must be terrible at fps... I played that with keyboard only and might have died 30 times in the first 10 levels...

 

[Demo24]

Right now I've been stuck on the same boss fight for the past two days... and I have no idea what to do. There are no walkthroughs or anything because it's a brand new game, and also because it's kind of obscure I guess... so I don't know where to look for help. It's a few levels in where

Spoiler

the giant statue comes to life, and attacks you in the courtyard. I know how to get past the first few stages of the fight, where you should the plates off his body, but then he goes into an extremely violent stage where the streetlights charge up around him and he nearly insta-kills you. I've tried shooting at both the lights, and the dude himself. I haven't gotten anywhere with it. Anyone know?

Spoiler

That guy got me for awhile as well. At first I couldn't figure out that I had the hit the orange bits. Once I got that he turned red. What I did was sort of hit him like I was during the first part. A bit on the legs, arms, chest, etc with the plasma rifle. I also strafed around him. As I did this more and more of the bulbs blew out and eventually he succumbed. Doesn't actually take a ton of damage in that stage.

 

[Dankk]

I also have to add: This game is enormously satisfying. A repetitive shooter like Painkiller or Serious Sam is only successful when every shot is as satisfying as the last, and Hard Reset definitely accomplishes this. It's an incredible feeling when you launch a grenade into a swarm of killer robots, it detonates on contact, and instantly tons of robot parts and machinery goes flying in a cascade of explosions. It's one of those things you have to experience for yourself. I wish people could understand this visceral sort of satisfaction in games, but evidently not everyone does.

Speaking of explosions, the destructible environments are fantastic. There are so many tons of things on the walls and on the ground you can use to shoot at and deal extra damage with. Basically, if it looks like it can explode, then it probably can.

One of my best experiences in this game so far was when I was walking up a road crowded with parked cars, and suddenly a huge group of enemies - probably almost a dozen big bots - appeared right in front of me. I frantically started shooting, and I managed to hit a gas tank or something. The gas can skidded across the road, blew up next to a car, which triggered a massive chain reaction that made the entire street light up. It was amazing.

Encounters like this don't happen often enough that they become tired, but they're spaced just perfectly apart in such a way that they make you tense up with joy every time.

I was only narrowly able to escape that particular fight though. In this way, it's a double-edged sword, because destructible objects are just as capable of hurting you as they are hurting enemies. It requires you to be much more careful. If an enemy with a ranged weapon starts shooting at you, and there's a power node or an explosive barrel behind you, then you're fucked. Try to distance yourself away from anything hazardous in the heat of battle, and draw your enemies closer to them instead.

 

[HeXen]

so are all the levels this bland? nothing different to look at than neon signs and grey buildings arranged in a clusterfuck alley like path?

 

[bigi]

Just played the demo. Pleasantly surprised. I'll definitely pick it up at some point.

+1

What are the places to get it except steam?

 

[bigi]

I just played the demo, took me about 20 mins to finish. I ran the game on the Ultra setting @1920x1200 on my 1GB 9800 GT (no AA) and it was surprisingly smooth.



My only gripe is the sprint. First, the screen blur is awful. Unbearable, really. It feels like they added the NFS NOS effect, which doesn't make any sense for someone running on their feet. Plus, you can't sprint unless your spring bar is full.
.....

I actually liked it very much. It is quite original unlike anything "sprint" in games so far. The blur effect works for me and gives this unreal effect of super fast acceleration.

YMMV

 

[busydude]

What are the places to get it except steam?

It is only available in steam.

 

[andylawcc]

Thing is, we don't even know how the checkpoints are spread out and people cry already. Far as we know they are setup well since the game was designed with it in mind. Most games that have checkpoints don't design with that in mind and just add checkpoints all over the place instead most the time.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong/bad with quicksave, I like it. But as someone who has worked in the game industry, when you work on a game, you really do want people to experience it the way you want it to be played, at least for that first time.

the most frustrating but also definitely the most memorable game I have EVER played is without a doubt Metal Gear Solid on PC. There is no quick save, so I have to beat the boss AND all the little guys before him in one shot, otherwise, start all over again. Frustrating, yes, enjoyable, that too. It is all about execution.

On the other spectrum, the most frustrating but not-so-enjoyable game I've played is the first Rainbow 6. No save, you mess up you start all over again. The worst map was the espionage one, where you plant the spy camera thing and sneak out un-detected, it was certainly the most brutual gaming moment for me.

 

[andylawcc]

wtf, I suck, I say I am pretty good FPS player, but I died 5 minutes into the game by the second fast charging guy. I am playing in Hard mode.

 

[andylawcc]

okay, it is indeed quite fun and reminds of how FPS is supposed to be. It does get frustrating about the "no-save" thing though.

btw: what upgrades did you get buy with the NANO currency? I am in level 3 (or 4?) and maxed out the electric stasis field gun, shotgun, and the basic machine gun. the 'worst' upgrade i got so far is the "NANO" indicator, i thought it would be more useful but i end rarely noticing it.

 

[RandomSanity]

For anyone who was waiting to pick this up, its available on green man gaming for $15. Since it is a steamworks game you don't have to worry about it working on steam.

http://www.greenmangaming.com/games/shooter/hard-reset/

 

[KaOTiK]

Good deal on a good game