Cryostasis Review

[TheEdge]

First off, let me say that Amazon has amazing customer service. They really get the product to you fast and in the same condition it is advertised.

Ok, so I was roaming around the internet a couple of days ago and I went over to Destructoid to check out the news and they had an article on how Amazon.com was having a super sale on the new game Cryostasis. So, Me being a sucker for sales I checked it out. It seems to be a $39.99 game and it was on sale for $12.99. I said sign me up! So I purchased it and it got to my house yesterday.

Now when I finally got into the gameplay I had this old familiar feeling. I couldn't place it until I got my first weapon (A heavy lock) which my character used as brass knuckles. Right then I new exactly what game I was dealing with. It seems to be a more detailed clone of Sega's Condemned: Criminal Origins. If you haven't played a game like this the way to describe it is that its not soley based on long range combat like many other FPS's, its more of a down and dirty, in your face, first person brawler. Like Condemned. At least in the beginning.

They did inject something new into this tired old genre. As you progress throughout the game you will come upon corpses that blink red. Kind of like if they had one of those lights that the cyclists use clipped on to them. Its funny the first time you see it because the corpses are lit up and blinking like christmas trees in all these strange positions.

So, you go over to them and right click and instantaneously you are transported into their past, playing as them, trying to change the events that led up to their demise. For example: I found one dead body huddled up (blinking of course) by a door. When you click on him you are brought back to the situation that killed him and you have to run to the right, lock the door so that water doesn't flood the chamber and then use the broken handle from that same door you just came from to fit into the other door that is missing a handle. Then you open all the locks by using all the handles and you move through the door and its over. His soul is saved! I like the mix of puzzle, creepiness, and action. Good stuff all around!

Beware though......This PC game is for those who have tricked out their PC's. Don't get this if your PC has trouble running Pac-Man emulators.

[Pulstar]

I believe this is Action Forms Ltd.'s last game as they closed shop soon after the release of Cryostasis. I want to try it but since my PC chokes on Crysis I will give this a miss. Shame about the lack of 360/ps3 versions.

[TheEdge]

^ Ya, the game is jam packed with detail so it will take a somewhat powerful video card to handle it.

I didn't know that Action Forms Ltd was closing its doors. That's probably why Amazon.com put it in sale then even though it's a wonderful game.

[Knuckle Duster]

Nvidia's Physx is supported by pretty much 'all' of their current hardware, down to the bottom end. I would buy a 9 Series videocard for it,even if it's essentially a sloppy upgrade based on the 8 series design.

If you're not hardcore into "PC Gaming", then dropping 60-70 bucks on a PCIe card isn't 'that bad' a deal right now.

The tech was offered 'openly' to ATI so they can support it as well and they flatly refuse to write a driver for it. Choosing to back Intel with their native Havoc engine support.

It would take a quiet driver update to support PhysX on their cards, no big scene need be involved between the rivalry, stupid politics.

Fuck Cryostasis!
Get PSYCHED for:

"Dragon Age: Origins"


I hope it lives up to the "Baldur's Gate 3" expectation and I can't wait to get my hands on the development toolset.

[TheEdge]

^ is that a new MMO?

[Knuckle Duster]

^ is that a new MMO?

No, it's single player. It's graphically mediocre. (On PC it's coming with the toolset so mod's can be built like Neverwinter Nights, it'd be hard if they tried that with stuff looking good like Mass Effect)

The protagonist is "voiceless" like in the Baldurs Gate games. It's the spiritual successor to that series, without the D&D backbone.

It's supposed to play like BG more than Kotor/JadeEmpire/Mass Effect

Their MMO is "Star Wars: The old republic"

[TheEdge]

No, it's single player. It's graphically mediocre. (On PC it's coming with the toolset so mod's can be built like Neverwinter Nights, it'd be hard if they tried that with stuff looking good like Mass Effect)

The protagonist is "voiceless" like in the Baldurs Gate games. It's the spiritual successor to that series, without the D&D backbone.

It's supposed to play like BG more than Kotor/JadeEmpire/Mass Effect

Their MMO is "Star Wars: The old republic"

I never played a Baldur's Gate game but I heard good things about them.

Do you think that Star Wars: Old Republic is going to topple WoW? Or do you think the nerd powers of Star Wars and Warcraft with literally cancel each other out in a giant nerd explosion?

[Knuckle Duster]

I never played a Baldur's Gate game but I heard good things about them.

Do you think that Star Wars: Old Republic is going to topple WoW? Or do you think the nerd powers of Star Wars and Warcraft with literally cancel each other out in a giant nerd explosion?

Baldurs Gate (especially 2) was the cat's ass.

The biggest problem I have with 'The Old Republic' MMO, is that it's not "Knights of the Old Republic 3", yet will set that expectation. (Kotor 1 is a fucking masterpiece, if you're a SW fan, and 'like' RPGs, you owe it to yourself to experience it. It was better than the prequel movies by far.)

Star Wars TOR will be unique, it aims to bring a Mass Effect like single player interaction with NPC's to an MMO for story advancement. Ambitious, and could backfire easily if not done right. There are millions of people waiting to 'abandon' WoW for something better, nothing has showed up yet.


The old republic & to a lesser extent, Final Fantasy 14, are the only 2 notable MMORPG titles that 'could' take it from wow.

[roguetrip]

I may have to give this another look, most sites say its trash.

I just recieved my Pre-Order copy of Batman Arkham Asylum for PC tonight and playing it a bit, its great so far!

I just bought alot of PC games on the Cheap and now waiting in line.

Ghostbusters for $14.00 shipped on ebay
X-Men Origins: Wolverine for $6.44 shipped on ebay
Prince of Persia for $5.89 shipped at gogamer
Chronicles of Riddick: Attack on Dark Athena for $16.xx shipped on ebay

Right now Direct2Drive has a $5.00 sale going on tons of games, even new games.
Chronicles of Riddick: Attack on Dark Athena
Far Cry
Stalker
Bioshock
Assasin Creed
Manhunt
Sonic Mega Collection Plus
Max Payne 2

many many more!!!

[TheEdge]

Hmmmm... Bioshock for $5 dollars????? I may take a look at that.

[Cornugon]

Far Cry has been 5 euros 'CIB' for ages in the Netherlands, just like Manhunt. The first Stalker, Bioshock and Assassin's Creed now are around 10 euro's or such.

By the way, speaking of Star Wars, are 'Empire at War' and it's addon any good? I saw them both boxed (in the same box) for 10 euros in Aachen, Germany (but unfortunately in German language so I haven't bought it). I also noticed in Germany a lot of PC-games are sold in nice cardboard boxes, while everything here comes in DVD-cases.

I have bought Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway for 10E, and am quite curious how well they recreated my local surroundings and town of the 40's

[TheEdge]

Just beat Cryotasis yesterday and I gotta say that it's a good experience all around. If you into adventure / FPS games then definitely pick this one up. The last boss is really cool and its interesting how you beat him.