Game Name: UFO: Aftermath
Platform: PC
Genre: Strategy
Developer: ALTAR Interactive
Publisher: Cenega Publishing
Release Date: October 15, 2003
Minimum system requirements:
Pentium III 500 MHz, 128 MB RAM, 3D-graphics card with 32 MB RAM, 1250 MB HDD
Official site:
http://www.ufo-aftermath.com
You wonder why a sequel is so often an order of magnitude worse than the original? Especially if they are separated by a wide chasm of time. Why Unreal II: The Awakening was not able to convey the atmosphere of the good old Unreal? Why Diablo II was unable to catch, carry away as fascinated Diablo? Why "Corsairs 2", now "Pirates of the Caribbean", and do not stand close in spirit to the original Corsair? Many examples, and in each case, you can find unique, objective reasons. However, there is something in common. Issue hit game imposes on the creators of great responsibility in developing further, for incredibly hard to beat themselves. Especially in situations when the original is reaping the fruits of fame and success is almost complete absence of serious competitors, and the sequel comes out in an era of more active development, and where a more dense configuration of the market of computer games. In an era of no example of a more critical attitude toward them, as the field for comparison is huge. Would have been worthy opponents in Unreal? How could we find an alternative to the first "Corsair", perfect in its openness, nonlinearity, and romance? And how could anyone even compare to the depth and well thought out, attractive and liveliness of the legendary X-Com: UFO Defense (hereafter simply UFO)?
In the meantime, and it is the turn to get a sequel. To revive the glory of the show claims UFO: Aftermath. Again groaning old-earth under the heel of alien invaders, and again the valiant fighters for the liberation of the planet are ready to fulfill your every command. Significant changes compared with the parent already manifested in the plot strings, rather, the style of its execution. If the original game in many respects resembled a funny comic in a series of popular booklets then unserious about the invasion of aliens, the UFO: Aftermath gives us a stern and merciless sci-fi story with tragic histories. Surprise attack destroyed the alien population of the planet. Within days, scattered over the earth spores were killed or turned into mutants, most of humanity. In the group survived only a "lucky" that were present during the attack underground bunkers and basements. They (or rather, you) to the detachment resistance and cruel revenge on the invaders.
The process of vengeance, that is, the game itself, at first sight revives in memory the images of old UFO. Before us is the same projection of the world marked with a central database on it. True, at first glance, the similarities and conclude. In the original UFO base has been the focal point of your work, research laboratory and an engineering workshop, in a word, a stronghold of resistance. Now these "strongholds" - tens. Mission to capture the new databases are found in the game very often, and the loss of one of them, respectively, facing you a maximum of disappointment. Mechanism for research and development has also changed. Base in UFO: Aftermath can be divided into research and engineering. More than the first - the faster moving exploration of new technologies.The more recent - the operative is the production of new equipment. It's very simple and easy.
Warhead also undergone simplification. Let's start with the fact that the sequel has lost every step. She came to replace the usual pause, as in Baldur's Gate, during which you can give orders to the men of the group. Perhaps these things increased the dynamics of innovation some events, but me as a person with the first UFO are familiar, and the first UFO respects, such a flagrant violation of the traditions of upset. And opponents also are not pleased. Much time you have to spend in the battle is not with strangers, and with the mutants. And these gentlemen of high intelligence, alas, is no different. Even remotely equipped with guns, they will soon cease to represent any danger. Aliens - is another matter. I advise you to still have the courage to reach the clashes directly with the conquerors of mankind. Here, then, at last, and begins a tactical riot, but the course is a real danger to the health and lives of your soldiers weapons.
UFO: Aftermath was able to maintain the atmosphere of cohesion platoons that were so happy in the original game. Life and health of men - not just words. For members of the squad is really worried. On the one hand, of course, because of the reluctance to lose already garnered the experience and "pumped" several characteristics of a warrior. On the other - because of the abstract feelings of affection for each fighter, which I confess I have not been fully tested since the UFO, although it echoes made to feel "Soldiers of Anarchy."
Mechanism of equipment and completion of the platoon, fortunately, has not undergone major changes and is still carried on the base. From the same committed brazen attacks on combat missions, the same fighters are based.
Mission presented a standard set of rescue operations, sweeps the area, already mentioned seizure databases, search for equipment, etc. In their "standard" blame the system itself is random generation, providing a decent standard of «replay ability», but unable to create as some original and unusual tasks. Only a few missions are distinguished from the others, shedding light on the events and helping to better understand the reasons for the alien and brutal attack. Another nod in the direction of the seriousness of the plot execution.
To perform the tasks necessary fairly shook the planet. Entourage different geographical areas is made very, very good, both in terms of vegetation, and architecture dilapidated, infested with mutants cities. In general, the game with three-dimensional environment looks very nice, and it's not taking into account the fact that in such projects the visual part - not the most important.
It would be better gentlemen of ALTAR paid more attention to sound design and interface, UFO: Aftermath. If other aspects of reprimands only by virtue of differences from the original (no difference for the better, I think), it controls and the sounds of fall "by hand" because of his abominable performance. Replica soldiers with silly accents seem a mockery against the overall grim atmosphere, the music is just proud of the fact that it can tolerate. Interface - a single song. Enumerate all the bottomless pit of small gaps in the framework of one article does not seem possible. I will mention only the most nerve-racking: the inability to replace the gun in his hand without placing thereof in the inventory.In other words, to take the rifle instead of the machine, you need to remove the machine's inventory, and then took out a rifle. There is no place in the inventory? Throw the gun at the ground, get a rifle, pick up the gun and put in your inventory to place the rifle. Zhutchayshy hemorrhoids, sorry for being rude!
That's so ambiguous was continued X-Com: UFO Defense. Playing with a precision worthy of the politeness of kings, repeats the fate of Unreal II: The Awakening and the second part of the Corsair. If we consider it outside of the series and completely forget about the predecessor, then we get a very attractive, dynamic game with nice graphics. Not perfect, it still deserves attention and interest of the players. But take a look at UFO: Aftermath through the prism of X-Com: UFO Defense, and we get a pretty mediocre sequel, trampled the holy tradition of the original and multiply it simpler. Conclusion: unfamiliar with the series of UFO-fans of tactical and strategic game is dedicated. A veterans ... veterans better not to see. |
