Imagine a hypothetical situation: you have a young team and a modest budget, you want to create a game. Your actions: A) make a simple but high-quality project is strictly for a pattern, or B) to combine several genres in the game, develop your own engine and wrap it all in post-apocalyptic setting. Chose the second paragraph? Better just shoot yourself, such projects are obtained only in units. Creoteam was among the fortunate teams.
Apparently, something in the Soviet air forces of former citizens of our country to embark on such adventures. In the Ukrainian Collapse mixed all at once, and this mess did not initially fit into the head. But further, beyond the first level, none of the weird mechanic is not forgotten - in the course is and magic, and guns, and even a sword. Only here the theme of apocalypse team still in vain stir. Comparisons with STALKER not be avoided - both games are ready to leave Ukraine in ruins. At this time the cause of the accident was an anomaly in the center of Kiev, from which the city selected furious monsters. Government decides to fence the area, puts the machine gunners on the perimeter, does not let people inside and not let out. But to live there, to "Dump", someone has. Authorities in the area captured bandit group, headed by the so-called Lords. One of them - the main character, sort of. When the regular meeting of the Lords detonates a bomb, the war begins between the gangs. Our hero tries to restore order, at the same time sorting out the anomaly - for doing this and we caught.
In the game story filed awkward spots small, and most of the details have to get out of character diaries scattered throughout the levels. Texts they drafted poorly and with grammatical errors, making the rough and tumble stories get bored. The main source of knowledge remains the user manual: everything is there, even detail than in the scene scene.
 | |  | Came to Kiev wars the clone. | | This giant boss would have done honor and western blockbuster. |
The few videos that still got the game worked perfectly: animation exciting with the actors, and it is noticeable both in the scene, and in the gameplay. Character design is good, but only superficially attractive characters - their characters are not disclosed.
A couple of years ago, when the project came on the horizon, many were quick to compare it with the "Prince of Persia." It turns out we were wrong: there is limited jumps tumbling yes rifts. Much closer to two targets of GoW: God of War and Gears of War.
Collapse attracted major cliché as shooters, and slasher. Barrels explode shelter crumble bosses assigned quick time events, the hero is able to slow down time and even working in a team with a partner.It seems to Collapse missed only two iconic element of the modern action games: transport and, oddly enough, a grenade. The first was originally intended, but in the process ceased to exist, but lack the second does not explicable - even hiding in the game breaks down, do not want to blow up.
 | |  | Inventive level design - one of the nice features Collapse. Here the player co-worker helps raise the grill, firing a zombie on the other side. | | Quick time event in the action. Click the button strike as quickly as possible to throw the enemy on the ground. |
Pull out from behind the machine - the game turns into a shooter. A lot of weapons to choose from, but with an offer to take only two species - one attached to the thigh of the hero, the second he keeps behind his back. Enemies in once, behave sanity: they skillfully use the shelter and blindly fire back because of the angle (in such situations, especially lack of grenades). Our hero this console tricks are not trained and can hide, except that squatting tucked behind the box. Smoke opponents from hiding place is aimed fire: hold down the right mouse button, you bring the camera to weapons or look in sight. Add to this the competent level design and a large park of monsters and get a decent old-school shooter, who just spoil the rare bugs in the intelligence of enemies. Well, no grenades, of course.
Push the button Q - the hero gets the sword and the game turns into a slasher. Cut the armed soldiers do not get: they do not fool running back and shoot you from a distance. But against swordsmen, According to the authors, the course is just edged weapons. The system works is simple: the left mouse button hitting, right one - is protected by E rolls. Combo in the genus four pieces, one for each direction. Over time, the hero gets and superataki: in order to comply with them, you should pause after the first two attacks, and then, when the on-screen sight focus, continue to have enhanced combo. Cyber-sword kind in such attacks is transformed into a heavy dvuruchnik, whip, and even a couple of short blades. True, the gameplay this metamorphosis is almost never recorded. Managing your melee pretty intuitive, but the battle with swords still seem out of place. When surrounded by enemies on all sides, about any combo will not think, just get a shotgun. And that is bad, the developers did not punish such a passage. If you have enough ammo, you can run through the entire game, exposing the blade only as bosses.
 | |  | When you work with a partner, most importantly not to crumble it with enemies. | | Walls can be destroyed, but the gameplay mechanics of such a bad fit. |
And finally, the last piece arsenal - four magical reception. They can be used not only to beat or repel enemies, but also slow down time and create your own copy - "phantom". The last trick is particularly interesting: the second Rodan distract opponents, and you at this time to calmly shoot all the brethren, or get away far away.Slowing down time is less than useful - as long as the spell, time to develop that into enemies to release the clip from the gun. The combat system looks complicated in words, but quickly become a reality.
Main merit of the authors Collapse - an excellent level design and enemy. Monsters are good-looking and require an individual approach, they never merge into a faceless crowd, as it was in "Onibleyd. In local zombies, for example, it is better to release automatic fire from a distance, you can remove the headcrab aimed shots from a pistol, a monster with the sword, a skilled player tumble down magically blow and kill are making an attack. If all of these creatures have attacked at once - not a problem, call the "phantom" and shoot the enemies, keeping your distance.
Contrary to fears, the authors do not make us spend hours staring at boring streets of Kiev - the zone change, one after another, showing all the new scenery. Then we are sent to a local version of Xena and forced to jump on the platforms, then closed in a secret laboratory with the zombies, then drained directly into the anomaly on the Maidan. Levels are constantly challenging for the players fresh puzzles and shoved it unpretentious puzzles, then a partner in the party, the enemy or boss of a new type.
The most controversial element of the game - choice of music. Under the energetic breakbeat on the streets of Kiev was destroyed fight is not very comfortable. In addition, music is often interrupted by the sounds of all: the steps of the hero you are, for example, never rasslyshite. Soundtrack from the infamous NewTone certainly find fans, but most players tracks will only be confusing. Impression that the developers chose the music for personal preferences, and the atmosphere it often does not fit.
Of course, like any major project, Collapse can not live without bugs. The game crashes and freezes opponents are stuck in the walls, and their bodies provocatively ragdoll-hop along the ground. Although the error is not so much the game would not stir a couple of months improved.
Collapse - a rare domestic action, which is not ashamed to put on a par with the world title. At such heights the game and climbed through the graph. Of course, before Crysis her away - here, even higher resolution of 1280x1024 choose not to give. But the picture looks decent, and this is achieved not only colorful effects on the entire screen. However, without them, too, was not.
In Collapse on a player dump a bunch of mechanics, but thanks to intuitive controls, each of them fairly easy to master. While fighting with swords bad fit to the gameplay, if desired, edged weapons can not be used. And then the game turns into a quality shooter.
 | Title Frame |
Talks Collapse on the long walk. At KRI 2006 the project won the "Best game without a publisher, and at the recent GDC-2008 -" Best Action ". In this case, the developer more young team's performance Creoteam, while working in it are not newbies: key employees are behind the experience of working on such games as Far Cry, 80 Days and Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Silver Earring.
|
