Okay so, having logged over 1,000 hours on RO:Ostfront and about 25 on RO:HOS (lol) I decided to compile my thoughts here.
Unfortunately most of my feelings toward the game are negative, so I'll start with what is good. I really do enjoy the graphics. The game is pretty, the maps are pretty (though they feel ... still ... and could use some more ambiance), and the character / weapon models are really well done when you ignore the post-war markings on several of the guns.
Okay, now that that's out of the way. The gameplay is really really disappointing. Between the six assault slots, four squad leader slots, three elite rifleman slots, two engineers, two anti-tank soldiers, four machine-gunners, and one commander there are 22 automatic and semi-automatic weapons on each team. I'm sorry, but that is stupid (I left out the marksman's G41 because the ZF41 is DEPRESSINGLY useless). Sasquatch has hinted that this was done intentionally by the developers, to which I ask why! Why try fixing something that wasn't broken? RO1 played great with barely any effective automatics available.
When you couple the automatic weapons with the fact that the maps are unbelievably unbalanced the game pretty much comes across as broken. I stopped playing Axis because it was just too easy, but Allies is frustratingly hard. Sure sometimes you win on Grain Elevator and Spartanovka, but how often can the Allies seriously win on maps like Commissar's House and Apartments? I don't remember that problem on Danzig.
Finally the unlock system... This might work for modern warfare games when every grunt can customize the hell out of his M4 with rail covers, an ACOG or red dot, front hand grips, etc... but it does NOT work for a WW2 game when soldiers were issued extremely standardized equipment. Unlocking a "Winter Trigger Guard" when it doesn't do **** to change the gun is stupid. Sorry, but it is. Also I find it REALLY funny that TWI made the magazine standard on the PPSH rather than the drum to "balance" it, yet it's still badly inferior to the MP-40 (which is pretty much a laser beam).
Not only is the unlock system bafflingly useless (and in many cases annoying.. why can't I take my bayonet off? OR THAT DAMN DOUBLE MP-40 MAG?!), it's also broken to hell. A guy on our TS tonight was so excited because he was at level 14 on his MG-34 totally legit--it was the only weapon that hadn't glitched out on him. We get into the next map and it had jumped to level 40 and he had the double-drum. Seriously..?
The idea of your model and weapons appearing more and more well-worn is an awesome idea btw.
Also as an afterthought... didn't you all say it would take months to become a hero? Everyone I know already has the option of being one. :|
Sorry to be so blunt, but unless something radical changes, I won't play this game once Diablo 3 or SWTOR come out
PS: Don't play the "Tripwire is a small company" card, because, though it's small, it's still a COMPANY. Releasing such a broken product is a bad, bad way to run a business for a company of any size. How many mom and pop shops do you know that release crappier stuff than Wal-Mart? I expect this from a mod team, not an actual game developer.
Unfortunately most of my feelings toward the game are negative, so I'll start with what is good. I really do enjoy the graphics. The game is pretty, the maps are pretty (though they feel ... still ... and could use some more ambiance), and the character / weapon models are really well done when you ignore the post-war markings on several of the guns.
Okay, now that that's out of the way. The gameplay is really really disappointing. Between the six assault slots, four squad leader slots, three elite rifleman slots, two engineers, two anti-tank soldiers, four machine-gunners, and one commander there are 22 automatic and semi-automatic weapons on each team. I'm sorry, but that is stupid (I left out the marksman's G41 because the ZF41 is DEPRESSINGLY useless). Sasquatch has hinted that this was done intentionally by the developers, to which I ask why! Why try fixing something that wasn't broken? RO1 played great with barely any effective automatics available.
When you couple the automatic weapons with the fact that the maps are unbelievably unbalanced the game pretty much comes across as broken. I stopped playing Axis because it was just too easy, but Allies is frustratingly hard. Sure sometimes you win on Grain Elevator and Spartanovka, but how often can the Allies seriously win on maps like Commissar's House and Apartments? I don't remember that problem on Danzig.
Finally the unlock system... This might work for modern warfare games when every grunt can customize the hell out of his M4 with rail covers, an ACOG or red dot, front hand grips, etc... but it does NOT work for a WW2 game when soldiers were issued extremely standardized equipment. Unlocking a "Winter Trigger Guard" when it doesn't do **** to change the gun is stupid. Sorry, but it is. Also I find it REALLY funny that TWI made the magazine standard on the PPSH rather than the drum to "balance" it, yet it's still badly inferior to the MP-40 (which is pretty much a laser beam).
Not only is the unlock system bafflingly useless (and in many cases annoying.. why can't I take my bayonet off? OR THAT DAMN DOUBLE MP-40 MAG?!), it's also broken to hell. A guy on our TS tonight was so excited because he was at level 14 on his MG-34 totally legit--it was the only weapon that hadn't glitched out on him. We get into the next map and it had jumped to level 40 and he had the double-drum. Seriously..?
The idea of your model and weapons appearing more and more well-worn is an awesome idea btw.
Also as an afterthought... didn't you all say it would take months to become a hero? Everyone I know already has the option of being one. :|
Sorry to be so blunt, but unless something radical changes, I won't play this game once Diablo 3 or SWTOR come out
PS: Don't play the "Tripwire is a small company" card, because, though it's small, it's still a COMPANY. Releasing such a broken product is a bad, bad way to run a business for a company of any size. How many mom and pop shops do you know that release crappier stuff than Wal-Mart? I expect this from a mod team, not an actual game developer.
