PC impressions: Hellgate London
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ May 11th 2006 at 2:30AM }
If there's anything more prolific than booth babes on the E3 show floor, it's large men equipped with ludicrously powerful weapons and equally devastating chins, all of them hailing from post-apocalyptic wastelands. Naturally, we were delighted to see that Namco's Hellgate: London featured not only the prerequisite one-man army, but a crumbling London overrun by snarling monsters and hostile punks. Though you're welcome to create a more effeminate avatar via the game's character creation utility, there's nothing about the game's setting that's particularly interesting. In-between the dilapidated buildings and freakishly deformed mutants, I kept awaiting the next cliche' to slither out from the world's wreckage and remind me that a cliche' in its natural habitat is a very ugly thing indeed.The game's combat proved to be more interesting, featuring a combination of third-person and first-person shooting with more traditional RPG elements. Success isn't determined by accuracy and reflex as much as it is by your character's skills, equipment and magical . Essentially, the game's real-time action is running on top a set of rules and character statistics which determine things like how much damage an attack does and how accurate a shot is. Equipment plays an important role and this can be purchased in a central town hub, often populated by NPCs and other online players. The idea is to have all the players meet up in these areas and then venture out into the dangerous world together.
The levels in the world outside are randomly generated--one of those design choices that often sound better than they actually are. It's difficult to tell how well the level generator works (all these post-apocalyptic streets look the same to me), but the combat isn't nearly intricate enough to sustain potentially confusing or linear level layouts. The game really puts FPS players and RPG fans in an odd position, since the shooting doesn't really rely on speed and accuracy, and the game's story doesn't seem like a major focus at all. Keep a cautious eye on this one.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sagan @ May 11th 2006 7:44AM
The following article comes to mind:
http://lostgarden.com/2006/03/never-innovate-halfway.html
MosquitoControl @ May 11th 2006 11:02AM
It's worth pointing out that this is essentially Diablo 3, as the Diablo masterminds are the ones making it.
Some of the videos online are in 3rd person. I don't know if it's the resolution, but they look cheesy.
Meanwhile, I've been nervous about the game since the first previews a year ago. They mentioned that it's a dumbed down FPS, so non-FPS gamers can enjoy it. Serious autoaim. I don't think that sounds fun.
Unlike you guys I like the setting. A lot.
I like the mix of ancient and future weapons.
I like that it has a Diablo-esque amount of items, after being disappointed in Oblivion.
But I don't know if the gameplay will do it.
Brother Laz @ May 11th 2006 1:12PM
This isn't Doom 4 or Baldur's Gate 3. This is DIABLO 3. An action RPG, and all about the item hunt, skill point distribution, character builds.
Soft aim? Just like in D2, except from a true 3D perspective. Random levels? Just like in any other roguelike action RPG, including D2. Of course it doesn't have a storyline to match the one in Baldur's Gate. Neither does D2. And nothing is more cliched than balrogs in D2, but the point of D2 is not to throw amazingly creative and outlandish monsters at you.
THIS
IS
DIABLO
3!!!
IG @ May 14th 2006 11:39AM
First of all this game is not supposed to be a mirror of other FPS games. So yeah the FPS fan boys might be a little confused. For those of us who loved the concept of Diablo, this game brings it. Obviously this reviewer did not like the concepts of Diablo. Seems like the entire basis of the article revolves around him having a problem with "the shooting doesn't really rely on speed and accuracy." All in all this is an extremley biased review.