Thanks for the words of wisdom...and warning! This is the first solid recommendation (or recommended wait, actually) I've heard as of yet for D3 on Xbox! Thanks again! :up:

I completely disagree with that.

Halo 1 plot:

Now let's look at Half-Life 1 and 2:

It's reasonable to say that these plots are equally detailed and interesting. It's probably more reasonable to say that Halo's story is more interesting, more original, and less cliched than Half-Life's. In fact, Halo 1 has more story than both Half-Life games put together.

- David Stein

^^^I am not sure that spacemanspiff was just referring to plot.

I could make an even stronger case for Halo's gameplay over Half-Life's. HL1 and HL2 both boil down to conserving ammo and health while plodding through the story. Halo dispenses with this via the regargeable-shield tactic, and by allowing you to pick up anyone else's weapon. It's much more fun as a result. The weapon balance in Halo is also much better - Half-Life has too many specialized weapons, and the rest kinda blur together.

- David Stein

Again, I haven't played Halo 2, but while I liked Halo, I thought the game play wasn't much more than average in my book. I thought the lack of variety of bad guys as well as too few weapons really hurt this game. Story was good, but did get a little repetitive at the end.

Not sure why a rechargeable shield is a big plus. All it does is have you sitting around more waiting to charge back up before you advance. In HL2, Gordon does have a suit with a shield though you have to recharge at stations/power-ups instead of it rechaging itself, so doesn't seem like a big difference to me. HL2 allows you to pick up weapons off of those that you have killed and I never really had a problem with conservation of ammo except for some of the more specialized weapons that they don't want you using the whole time anyway. With the gravity gun, ammo is even less of an issue. Only being able to carry X amount of weapons in Halo and Far Cry did involve a little more strategy but I would rather carry all weapons at all times. In Doom 3, ammo was a problem in that I basically just used whatever weapon had ammo. Since it was all indoors in small areas, it didn't really matter what weapon you used anyway.

Four games: Halo; Half-Life 2; Far Cry; Doom 3

Impressions:

Doom 3: (I'm not finished with the game yet-- just passed the Hell level). VERY repetitive and often boring. Even the creatures jumping out are not shocking any more. It becomes routine and predictable. The boss level in "Hell" is so repetitive and boring. It is also too dark. I half to play only at night so there is no ambient light. Can't really notice the graphics because it's so dark. At this point in the game, I would rank it last out of the four games mentioned.

Halo (Single player): Short and repetitive. Story was okay, but I really didn't get into it. Multiplayer is where it gets good. But for a single player game, it was only average. I would rank it in third place out of four games.

Far Cry: Excellent graphics. Multiple approaches to solving objectives. Story was okay. Length was good. AI was very good. Challenging. I rank this game in second place out of four.

Half-Life 2: Excellent graphics. Engaging story. Length was okay, but it could have used a little more. AI was good. Fairly easy to complete. There was variety and some surprises. It was fun. I would rank Half-Life 2 first out of the four games.

Of course, my favorite game of all time is Deus Ex. Nothing has surpassed that game for me.

I would suggest playing these games on a high end computer. It makes a hella difference with the highest settings, especially with hl2 and farcry.

But if you want a new game with the best of all three look for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Looks like this one should be pretty cool. Open game play with character development, and good AI. The latest release date that i've seen is 10/31/05. They have a few trailers out but i don't think they do it justice.

Thanks for the tip on STALKER. I'll read-up some on this.

I'm just playing through Half Life 2 now so I'll have my impressions up soon on it's single player.

STALKER looks pretty good... i'm looking forward to FEAR too :)

HL2 by a mile.

Far Cry is the best of the three.

Why? Because it's the only one of the three that's different. Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 look great but the game play in these games is the same as their predecessors Doom 2 and Half-life. Yawn. Great graphics are great but after a few hours of playing these games you realized you're just playing a dressed up version of the same thing.

Also Doom 3 and Half-life 2 are linear and have no replay value. I had to force myself to finish Half-life 2. But don't think I didn't like Half-life 2. I thought it was a great game. It was fun playing with the physics but they just don't make enough use of the physics to alter the same-old-same-old gameplay.

Now Far Cry was a breath of fresh air. Yes, FREEDOM! It really feels like an adventure. It makes you feel like you're Arnold Schwarzennager or some bad ass taking down mercenaries in the jungle. The freedom adds to the realism and the AI is great--not perfect--but much better than HL2. Of the three games Far Cry has the best COMBAT.

Also the vehicles in Far Cry are far better than HL2. Far Cry is the first FPS game I played where the vehicles are such an integral part of the gameplay. And the vehicles (at least the combat boat and jeep) are easy to control, have great guns and are a blast.

I think it depends on your tastes.

If you like combat, real weapons, vehicles, and freedom --> Far Cry.
If you like scripted, polished, story like games --> Half-life 2
If you like horror and satanic themes and old school gameplay --> Doom 3.

I concur; Far Cry is the better game. When Doom3 came out I compared the two on several web sites and was torn apart by the fan boys. To summarize ...

Doom3: The first three hours are some of the most intense you will ever play. Then you quickly learn that the levels are very linear, the AI's not that good, it repetitive, relies on cheap shots, and punishes you for doing a good job. In the end it can't decide if it's a run & gun or a tactical. Replay value is low. If there's a game that not in the same league as the others, it's Doom3.

HL2: Immersive with a decent story and some mystery. Uses a combination of humor and self-refernce in a good way ("Dr. Freeman? I'm coming with you!") Stlll, very linear. Shades of greatness in the gravity gun, but not enough is done with it until it's too late to have fun with it. Replay value is low.

Far Cry: The best tactical FPS to date. Non-linear in a way games have not been before. Very good enemy AI. Great use of humor. Replay value is very high.

Non-linear game play and a good enemy AI mean that you're getting money's worth. Placing your objective out there and giving you the freedom to pursue it is what these games should be about. Otherwise you might as well just be making a rail shooter. Note that I've completely avoided graphics, and for the most part, story/plot. I don't think either makes much of a diference. It's 2005; you should all be demanding enemy AI and level design as good as Far Cry in your games.

Computer Games magazine was ripped for not listing HL2 in it's top 5 editors picks. They were right. Top 5 FPS's? Ok, sure. But top 5 overall? Nope, not even close.

hmmmmm....I was going to get Doom 3 on Xbox on release day...but I may wait for a price drop on it after reading some of these posts.


wlj

I played all three of these when they came out, and would have put HL2 in first followed by Far Cry then Doom. I'm giving them another go around since I got a new videocard, and I must say Far Cry is king. It's the wide open gameplay that does it for me, not to mention the breathtaking graphics (HL2 might be technically better, but I think FC's jungles are more impressive than HL2's ruined city). Far Cry makes me feel more than any other game I've played, that I am there creeping through the brush, killing mercs. I feel like I'm Jack Bauer in the jungle.
HL2 is amazing though, it's the first time I can recall that physics have had a positive influence on the game experience. Sure other games have tried realistic physics before, but it either was gimmicky and made no real difference (Max Payne 2) or a nuisance and made the game unbearable (Tresspasser).
Doom 3 is my least favorite of the three. If you had of asked me 2 weeks ago what I thought of it I would have echoed some of the complaints already made in this thread and given it 5/10. I reinstalled it as a benchmark and got to playing it, and am having fun. If you take it for what it's worth (just a mindless shooter) it ain't that bad. I think the let down factor played a lot into my previous opinion (I was expecting the second coming, damn hype).

The scene in Far Cry in the beginning when you come out of the caves and see the island/lagoon is absolutly breathtakingly jaw dropping. I don't think D3 or HL2 has a moment like that.

Strangely enough, i wasn't impressed by Far Cry's graphics at all, and i have a GeForce 6800 GT. Graphically, Doom 3 was the most striking to me. Far Cry had some impressive open areas, but nothing leaped out at me outside of the nifty water and some of the foliage. I never felt Half Life 2's graphics were anything special, except for the character models.

I picked up HL2 for some friends since i can get copies cheap at work, so i'm trying to replay it and give it another chance, so we'll see.

So far, i've liked Chronicles of Riddick more :)

Like I mentioned in my last post in this thread, I was playing HL2 for the first time and will have my impressions up soon. Well, that time has come and here's my take:

Half Life 2 has a great script. The story was executed very well which helped me get into character and helped me believe "I" was Gordon Freeman. I thought it was a good idea (just like in the 1st installment) to have the NPC's calling out your name and also having them look around the room and back at you once in a while. Because of the story design, you're forced to perform several things most of which showcase the awesome physics engine of the game.

The scare factor is there at times, especially in Ravenholm. The dark atmosphere is also represented in rooms and alleys where your flashlight becomes more of a necessary tool and not just graphical eye-candy. Neither the scare factor or darkness was overdone.

The weapons are typical which you'll find in almost all FPS nowadays, namely the pistol, automatic rifle, grenade, and RPG. The Gravity gun was a nice addition. I felt the developers had the right idea with this: force the player to use it in certain scenarios but don't make it mandatory throughout the game. Also, if you had the ability to pick-up enemies from the start, that's all you would have been doing and it would get old quick. Saving it for the final chapter was a good way to have you revisit the weapon and have you learn how to use it in a different way.

Enemy AI, well, that could use some work. At times, I found it easier to show your position to the Combines, hide behind a corner/wall, and have them come to you or at least come closer to you where you could just open up guns blazing. Yes, the same is true on the most difficult setting. I did, however, enjoy how the AI would lob grenades to flush you out. I remember this from the 1st installment and glad to see it still utilized. The scene where you have the ant-lions assisting you fight-off the Combine I think was ridiculous. The idea of having the wild animals your enemy, turned friendly, was lame.

All things considered, the game was a blast to play. I'm going through it another time on the highest difficulty (I now, there's only 3 settings :)) and the game is a little more tactical in that you have to reserve more of your ammunition. But like I mentioned, the AI remains the same unfortuneately.

I'm not talking about graphics since HL2, D3, FC, and Halo2 are all impressive in this department, but if I had to choose (the only other I've played is Halo 2) I'd go with Half Life 2.

Next on my list will be Far Cry and it's price has already dropped. I saw it at Fry's for $30. However, if I get my hands on Unreal Tournament 2004 Editor's Choice, I may never get to FC or D3. I gots to have me some bots! :D

I've heard that about Riddick as well, when compared to the other 3 we're discussing. I'm trying to get it at the $.01 eBay auctions, but keep getting trod upon by by $.06 bidders. :)

I've been slowly playing through Far Cry for a couple months now and still feel the same way I did before. While it is a fun game, the lack of saving where you want kills this game for me. Last night was a perfect example. There is a level where you have to cross a bridge to get where you want to go. There are guys on the other side as well as to the left in the jungle. I have tried a few times to Rambo across the bridge but ended up getting taken down. Next I tried to go around through the jungle. Made it pretty far but ended up getting pinned down and shot from long distance and died. I then tried to sit back and snipe guys across the bridge before crossing. I slowly took my time and killed everyone. Took me a good 5-10 minutes to slowly take people out while I avoided any damage. Finally got across the bridge and boom, get hit by a long-range missile/bazooka shot. Shit. So while all of this is fun, it just gets old having to replay the same part over and over until you get it exactly right. It does at the realism and does extend the game play, but overall it just kills my enjoyment of the game. I want to be able to reward myself for all my tactics that end up taking a long time by being able to save my progress instead of having to go through it all again b/c I didn't see that one guy that ends up sniping me. In areas like this, I end up doing a lot more sprinting as fast as I can in hopes to find the automatic save area. I usually end up quitting after a couple of tries if I get to a hard area b/c I get frustrated by having to replay an area that involves a lot of stealth. People who don't mind replaying an area multiple times and those that love realism should really like this game. I just think it is a good game that my only goal right now is to get through it so I can move on to something else.

Has anyone looked around for mods that might add a save anywhere feature? I know there was things like the duct tape mod for Doom 3, seems like some sort of save mod would be perfect for Far Cry. I also hate not being able to progress in games, I only have so much time to play, I hate spending a half hour playing only to end up right back where I started.

EDIT: Did a google search and found some info on how to quicksave here. Does this help?

http://www.tweakguides.com/Farcry_11.html

I know what you mean. When you find yourself changing your objectives from completing the game to 'see how the story unfolds/beat the challenge' to 'I just want to get this game over with', then you know the game developers went wrong somewhere.

For me, it's when games get repetitive. The same thing over and over again (i.e. Halo's Library level) for no good purpose.

To follow up with another example along the same lines as my previous problem. So I did get by this area last night. I sat back and killed everyone(been doing this level so many times I am actually getting good at it) and have full health and ammor. The guy that killed me previously with a bazooka was on top of a silo so I think might as well climb up and get ammo before I move on. Guess what, I get up there and then as I am getting back on the ladder, I fall off to my death. Shit, I have to do it all again b/c of my stupid mistake. So yeah I suck, but I would have normally saved after I cleared everyone out, but instead I have to do it all again. Of course the next time I am so pissed that I don't take my time and though I get through the area to the next save point, my health is low with no ammor b/c I just wanted to move on. Of course, made the next area a little more difficult being low on health so again, multiple attempts to move to the next area before I cleared it.

That sounds funny.
Sorry.
I'm laughing only because it reminded me of a scenario in Half Life 2...

The part under the bridge (I believe the chapter is called 'Highway 17') I've fallen to my death several times. Twice while the scene was quiet and twice while trying to get back and avoid that damn chopper).

It seems that falling to your death is a pretty stupid way to die in a "shooter". :lol:

Ketamine---why don't you try playing on an easier setting? That might be part of the problem.

Just a thought.

I guess that I could do that but I tend to pick the middle difficulty level on each game and go with it. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to walk through this game with ease but at the same time, when I do die, I don't want to have to go through a bunch of stuff I have already been through (especially in a game like this that may involve walking hundreds of yards just to get to the next area). I guess that is my biggest complaint. In my specific example above, you have to run down a long corridor just to get to where the action is taking place. I wish I didn't have to do that each time. Also, when everything is clear and I want to do a little exploring before moving on, I don't want to worry about a stupid death by fall or unexpected bad guy sniper. I don't think easier difficulty would help me there. I think I am actually a good (not great) FPS gamer so don't think I need to take it down to the easy setting. I just get frustrated with this game b/c I may do everything right for 10 plus minutes only to be killed unexpectedly. No big deal if you can save, but having to do everything again up to the difficult part which may take multiple attempts is just not fun. As a result, I get frustrated with this game and stop playing where in games like HL2. Doom3, etc, I can just make small advancements in difficult areas and save when I need to instead of getting killed and having everything be very repetitive.

Add a save feature and this game would be close to the HL2 single player in quality. Without it, it is just frustrating.