» Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:26 am Video Previews
5th Avenue Preview
http://youtu.be/Cg1pkHjjhbY
Chasm Preview
http://youtu.be/SXNWNIVAnkk
Apartments Preview
http://youtu.be/vGNr0XS4scc
Prism Preview
http://youtu.be/KMivAlL35Ak
Plaza Preview
http://youtu.be/VKYYZffXjAw
My First Impressions:
First off, I think the Decimation Pack blows the Retaliation Pack out of the water. Plain and simple. Retaliation had 4 maps, this one has 5, plus a new weapon and smoke grenade. Also, I really felt with Retaliation, the only real maps I overly enjoyed was Shipyard and Compound. Park Avenue I feel is a bit of a mess on layout and, while I like the idea of Transit, its just too bloody huge.
So, for these packs, here's my breakdown review based on short gameplay with a play tester.
Levels
5th Avenue
This map has a fairly standard layout. Its not anything too crazy, a center building in the middle (two story) and a street that surrounds it, and that's mostly it. However, it should make a nice smaller map, and saying it has a standard layout isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's easy to get down without a lot of weird frills. The map I believe is based on a SP level, but there have been some modifications to it. Interestingly, there is a LIVE anti-aircraft gun in the level. It turns, rotates, and launches missiles at passing Ceph gunships. You can go up to the AA gun and stand on top of it while it rotates and fires missiles, but you can't control it. Also, this level does not have an HMG placed anywhere on it, which makes it a bit unique as well.
Chasm
I think with play, this level could become a favorite. Its based in a chasm (obviously) it seems to be sort-of in the same area as Transit. However, the level is much smaller, about a medium sized map (just about right). There's lots of interesting locales, such as being able to run through the head of the Statue of Liberty. Due to the design, there is also TONS of vertical gameplay. There is a couple strange areas, one side of the level seems to have multiple sniper areas blocked by billboards, whether this is for balancing or not I'm not sure exactly. There is also an abundance of HMGs on this level for being one of this size, with 3 being present on the level., all with large clear line-of-sights through the center of the map. Lots of tunnels and areas for cover around vehicles should slow the game a bit to make it so the HMGs cannot annihilate the level. Definitely an early favorite. It reminds me of an SP level (like the one Transit was pulled from) but there is clearly a lot of changes to make it unique.
Apartments
This level is almost the opposite of Chasm. It has very little vertical gameplay. It takes place on the roofs of apartment buildings. This level was pulled from SP with some extra areas put in. It's small-medium sized. There is lots of areas where you need to power jump over vents and onto higher roofs, and also tons of holes that you can fall in to to your death. This requires knowledge of the level and being a bit careful with your parkour around the level. Highlights include an internal apartment setting in the center of the level where I could see a lot of shotgun play getting exciting. This level seems pretty standard fare, and I would say is probably my least favorite so far, although only real gameplay will be able to tell for sure. It has one HMG with a pretty clear line of sight down one half of the map.
Prism
This is a Cell Compound at night. I don't remember seeing the level specifically in SP, but let me know if I'm wrong here. There are some buildings here that were pulled from SP (The Hargreave building, for example) but I think more than anything its a bit of a collage of different things. Its a good smaller map as well, with a central building in the middle and roadways around the outside. Unlike 5th Avenue, you can get on the roofs and in the buildings of the buildings around the outside streets, allowing some opportunities for possible sniper play. Also interesting is how they used the Ceph lines (those black things you can run on, not sure what exactly they are called) They are throughout the level, and usually above the ground level, allowing quick transport from roof-to-roof around the level, with the obvious danger of being shot or falling off if you aren't precise in your footsteps. I think gameplay on this one could also be a favorite, a la Compound from the Retaliation pack. I wasn't really on the lookout for HMGs on this level, but I believe I saw one or two.
Plaza
This is a city-setting map, pulled out of a similar area from the SP as the Park Avenue map. It's by far the largest map in the map pack, but not too enormous (definitely not any sort of Transit). I would also say its the most intricate map in the pack. Lots of zig-zag back alleys and secret areas to drop in to and pop behind your enemy (for example, you can get in the lower sewers area). It has a big spire in the center of the level that makes an easy marker and will probably dry the gunplay in to the central area in a full MP arena. Also located near the center is the SP building with a giant donut, which I was delighted to discover can be shot down to drop on an unsuspecting target below. At least one HMG is on the map, looking towards the central plaza. While I do have a few concerns with the size of the map (there is a LOT of back alley areas that make it pretty large) I think this map may also be a favorite in normal gameplay. Lots of little hidden areas and backways to get the drop and flank an unsuspecting enemy.
Weapons
FY71
The FY71 is basically an AK47. Seriously, it looks like a futuristic AK47, that's really the best way to describe it. A somewhat pleasant surprise was the purchase of the DLC unlocked all the attachments for the weapon. I would assume this is because they didn't code in challenges for it, but I didn't really bother to look yet. It DOES have recoil, but it is fairly light, especially with a silencer attached. It handles with the recoil quite similar to a silenced Scarab. It has a decent power quota. Body/leg/foot shots take 6-7 shots with full armor activated. Interestingly, it also took 6-7 shots to the head as well with full armor activated, which is a bit worrying to me. It has decent range due to the low recoil, especially when fired in bursts. Watch me take out my test-buddy DrearAxe across Chasm with it burst shotting to get an idea of how the range acts. Note I was testing it with a silencer, I haven't tried it yet without it.
Smoke Grenade
Does what it says on the tin. You throw it, a small burst of smoke from the ensuing explosion, and then a decent sized cloud. It sticks around a bit longer I feel than smokes usually do in other games, about 15 seconds or so. The visor gets really cloudy when you get in to it, its actually a really interesting effect it has. Would likely have usefulness in objective gameplay.
Well, there you guys go. Please put your comments below, and let us know what you are thinking so far about these levels and weapons if you have purchased the set yet.
Special thanks goes out to DrearAxe for letting me talk him in to buying the pack so we could play test them together, and also for being my pincushion for testing the FY71
