My Unbiased Review of Hells Highway for Xbox360

[Futuristic_WarMachine]

First I got to say I am Extremely disappointed!

I had higher expectations and hope for this game, here is my breakdown of it..

(Graphics) I have to agree with some internet reviewers, Hells Highway doesn't have very good and polished graphics. After playing Operation Market I saw way too many texture pop-ins, and low resolution textures. I even saw textures being poped onto my BAR during the game, I was like WTF! Little details are missing, like Blood on ground after shooting German and bullet decals. I'm only on Written in Stone but from what Im seeing the graphics are pretty shoddy and out of date, I thought the graphics were supposed to be at least 20% better then Gears, well there not Im afraid.

Also why in cutscenes you will frequently see a mesh with little to no texture applied to it and the Depth of field makes the game feel very unnatural when viewing.

To me Graphics are NOT everything but if your graphics are not up to Gameplay intensity there can be alot of immersion lost and you feel like its just unreal and your not breathing and walking in Bakers footsteps.

Pro's
Nice fire weather effects
Good detail on destructible cover On SP not MP
Good detail to characters and cutscenes
Good Level Design, except for the Solo parts since those are flat out linear.

Con's
Seeing the same German Face is kind of bizarre you think that gearbox would at least make a dozen faces so you wouldn't tell you saw the same face after killing a squad of Infantrie. Just lame!

Not many Bullet decals, Bullet holes, etc (IE I shot a piece of cloth inside a house and a wall and there where no decals.

Slow loading Textures and bad color pallet, I think Color was somewhat washed out in the final product lack of intense color.

Poor Textures on the BAR and Kar98k ( I thought they looked to simple)

Not enough High Res Textures on Buildings and Walls. Made The Characters stand out like a sore thumb!!!

Score 7.7 out of 10 (Graphics)

Artificial Intelligence

Well since the second level I have seen over 20 AI glitches thats poor.

Bottom Line, Good at sometimes and Sh** in other times (usually times when you need them) AI Squads are not very responsive.

Score 5 out 10 (A.I.)

Controls

Flexible but long learning curve for new players.
Score 8.7 out of 10

Animations


That should explain it!

Basically Hit and miss.

Score 4.8 out of 10

Storyline

EPIC, AWESOME EVERYTHING YOU WOULD EXPECT IN A BIA GAME!

Score An EPIC 10 out of 10!! Excellent Job Gearbox!!

Well I don't want to spend all day typing this review, I think BIA HH is good not Epic nothing new. BIA is deffenitly a Rent if your not a fan.

MP I will not even score its just **** I played it for 5 matches and gave up

FINAL SCORE


7.5 out 10


PS: GEARBOX what happend to the PING noise the M1 Garand makes it's barely noticable!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MickityMike]

Originally Posted by Futuristic_WarMachine

First I got to say I am Extremely disappointed!

..."Unbiased"?

[Raider65]

I was going to say the same thing MM but it is his opinion.

[Jed]

Originally Posted by MickityMike

..."Unbiased"?

He's disappointed, that's not a bias.

[krisaim]

I hardly think you can pull him up over his opinions when 90% of reviews say the same as him.

[SiNuSiTiS]

hrm...maybe I'm just blind or something but I don't see any of the problems with graphics or AI gameplay that other people are experiencing. To me it just seems like people are looking for reasons to bash the game. I mean come on same face on the germans? I never would have even thought to go up to each and every german I've killed to see if they looked different, to me that's just plain nit-picking trying to find something wrong with a game. Try getting involved with the story rather than trying to find flaws with a game, and maybe that's why I'm not noticing all the (extremely nit-pickish in my opinion) flaws with the game.

You mentioned Gears of War and well in my opinion GoW has nothing on BiA graphics wise or gameplay wise.

But everybody is entitled to their opinions, and that's cool.

[Deja_Vu]

seems more like a detailed graphics review than anything else. You severely skimped out on the gameplay/AI/storyline. Those are what make the game...not the ZOMG GRAFIX!!11

[Ollywood]

Originally Posted by Deja_Vu

seems more like a detailed graphics review than anything else. You severely skimped out on the gameplay/AI/storyline. Those are what make the game...not the ZOMG GRAFIX!!11

well actually its a package deal that makes a game. Good graphics but terrible gameplay is good enough for some but not for others and vice versa, etc... Judging how different types of people (forum vets), some who I respect and others who I despised the moment they said "hello my name is ....", hence creating a diversity in matters of taste, both groups share and equally contradict one another regarding their opinion on the graphics, AI, Storyline and MP. Not having the game myself yet, I am going to come to the conclusion that I shouldn't expect too much when I finally have it, but I am still thinking that certain aspects of the game might be to my pleasing allowing me to overlook the one or other mentioned issue.

That's the problem when niché games attempt to expand their audience. Good for all those people who enjoy the storyline so very much. I'm always happy to be entertained by a decent plot, but in the end, if that's all I care about I'll read a book, watch a film or go to the theatre. If that's all GBX care about, they should make these products and not games. Like I said, its a package deal that makes a good game regardless of individual's personal opinions or preferences to a game's elements. On that front I don't even need to have the game in order to say that it is probably not a good game, considering the length of development and other factors that should have actually contributed to making it an amazing game. In my humble opinion, the ambivalence between lovers and haters is too large as to claim it good. At best its average, as in the middle is where the two extremes meet.

As far as the subject of being "unbiased" is concerned. Having enjoyed the earlier parts of the series, I basically hope, as a consumer, that I will be able to retrieve elements of gameplay that will allow me to be properly entertained for a period long enough to justify the purchase. Then I can say that I enjoyed it. That however is just my opinion then and doesn't make the game 'good' or 'bad' per se.

[Ciraxis]

well written review, thanks!

[Pooky]

I'm pretty sure half of the comments on graphics and glitches are due to limitations of the consoles they are played on. let's wait for some pc reviews!