In recent years there has been a slow but steady revival of the once popular genre of the classic CRPG. Not so long ago I told you about the magnificent Divinity: Original Sin, many players are left in complete awe released in the spring from Pillars of Eternity, and somewhere on the horizon looms a full-fledged sequel to Planescape: Torment. Post-apocalyptic game Wasteland 2 appeared in the fall of last year, and a year later was published an updated and largely improved version with the subtitle of Director’s Cut, which I would like to tell you today.
It is unlikely that many modern gamers remember the original Wasteland, released in 1988 for Apple II, Commodore 64, and IBM-compatible PCs. This project has developed a keen enthusiast Brian Fargo (Fallout series, The Bard’s Tale), Michael Stackpole (The Bard’s Tale III, Neuromancer) and Alan Pavlish (Galaxian, Out of this World, Carmageddon). The player was in the role of a desert Ranger in a nuclear war scorched wasteland of a sample of 2087. The graphics of the game was quite advanced for its time, but the modern player is that laugh at similar visual component. Wasteland quickly built an army of fans and became a kind of progenitor of the Fallout series.
In 2012, the Studio inXile Entertainment, founded by Brian Fargo, has announced the beginning of fundraising for the development of Wasteland 2 with the help of crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. This news inspired many fans of the original 1988 and the first two Fallout, because after the rights to the last series passed into the hands of the publishing house Bethesda, the atmosphere of the original little has survived. Brian Fargo back in 2003, bought the rights to Wasteland from publisher EA, but the opportunities to develop the sequel at that time he simply was not. Within 42 days of the Kickstarter campaign managed to raise more than $ 3 million of that guaranteed issue not only for Windows but also for Mac OS and Linux.
To the development of Wasteland 2 were involved in the cult of personality of the gaming industry. In addition to the original team of the first Wasteland, were specially invited to the first two Fallout designer Jason Anderson, and the Creator of Planescape: Torment and such games series as Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale and KOTOR, Christopher Avellone. The music for Wasteland 2 was written by the composer of Fallout and Fallout 2 by mark Morgan. As the graphics engine was chosen as Unity free, but personally, I think it was the most serious mistake of the developers, as it is with the engine eventually proved to be associated with the fundamental flaws of the game.
The first version of Wasteland 2 was released in September 2014 and was very warmly received by critics and players. Gamers are so starved for classic computer RPG that were willing to overlook the numerous bugs and weak graphics level smartphones. For the first four days of sales the game has brought in a moneybox of the developers $ 1.5 million. In February 2015 it was announced that inXile Entertainment is hard at work on a second version of the game with the subtitle of Director’s Cut, which is scheduled for release for next autumn. What is the difference between the updated Wasteland 2 from the original? Let’s face it.
Well, first of all, as avid consolemenu, I am very pleased that the game was released not only for PC (owners of the original got the update is completely free), but for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The developers solved the problem with the adaptation of control under a gamepad quite effectively, as far as I can tell. For this we used a radial context menu, which have lately become very popular in the gaming industry. Of course, hardened PC gamer from this model almost certainly has a heart attack, but console gamers will quickly become familiar with the game. The second important news is that the Unity game engine has been updated from version 4.5 to version 5.0, which led to global improvement of the graphical component and more pleasant image of many visual effects.
Another important addition of the game was its advanced voice. Additionally, they recorded more than 8,000 lines of dialogue involving the actors. The game has added brand new perks characters, known as “Quirks”. Each of these features of the hero gives not only the advantages but also certain disadvantages. This is completely optional perks, and you can discard them initially, but their use is quite able to change the feel of the game. In General, the character creation in these games is perhaps the most important aspect of the gameplay. On how to properly and prudently you distribute your skill points and basic settings, depends, what will be your game in the future. Personally I’ve spent in the character Creator for hours, but in the end still went to the Internet to read detailed manuals on creating a balanced team of heroes.
The interface has also been significantly revised and brought to mind. For example, you can now choose the font size by optimizing it in such a way as to read from the TV screen as comfortable as possible. Three-dimensional character models were redrawn from scratch: now they are more like people and not be so afraid of blurred textures and low detail. Global remake has also undergone game locations, this is especially please those who managed to read the original. In some places the game right not to know, and it’s great because the developers listened to the comments of the fans and finally made it right. Not to be unfounded, look at the model of one of the characters below. Left old version, right is updated. Good job on the bugs, isn’t it?
One of the most enjoyable moments of the reissue was the finalization is very controversial in some places of the game mechanics. If you are on the road met a closed door, previously, you had to remember who on your team is engaged in hacking, to choose this character, to come to the door and hack it. Now you just invoke the radial menu, select it in the skill of hacking and confirm your choice. A character with this skill itself will run up to the door and will do everything necessary. Doors can not only be hacked, but check for traps and to open using brute force. But remember that the lower your corresponding skill, the higher the chance that will happen critical misfire and then the lock can break.
To praise the employees of inXile I’m not going. Even updated the game is not without glaring shortcomings. Many questions are concerned with the hideous camera that behaves so inadequately, which sometimes begins frankly annoying. If the space between you and the characters will get a mountain or a tree, do not expect that they will be transparent, as is common in contemporary video games (remember the same Divinity: Original Sin). Instead, you have to look at the mountain or the tree that filled the whole screen. And the camera constantly twitches that over time quite naturally can lead to nervous twitching of the eye of the player. And control it is implemented not the best way. Like this camera or not, and to love her in the end will not work.
I was very annoying in this game is a mismatch avatars, painted by artists, and three-dimensional models of the characters. Why the developers made this dubious step – I find it difficult to answer, but just crazy to see when NPC is absolutely not similar to his portrait appearing near the dialog box. The same problem occurs when you create a team of heroes in the character editor. The player is offered a choice of several painted portraits and a set of elements for Assembly of hero. If in the PC version you can just make avatars for a screenshot of the resulting character, then both the console versions for some reason this function completely devoid of it.
Have not gone anywhere and very “evil” mathematics of the original game. Well what is the gateway, when the hit chance is 80% from a few shots before the enemy reaches just the one cartridge? I am so unfortunate? I doubt it. And such strange calculations, bordering on “pure randomness” in the game are just everywhere. Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut, as before, are incredibly difficult to pass and requires a player with deep knowledge in UI, the skills, the control that raised the bar for entry to unprecedented heights. You only explain the basic principles of the game mechanics. From time to time you’re faced with the question “how to cure a character?” or “what is this strange icon over his portrait?”, but the developers just don’t want you to explain anything. And I consider this a huge flaw of the game.
Wasteland 2 is one of the few games in which you have to make really important from the point of view of morals elections, the consequences of which will immediately affect the further development of the plot. Literally at the very beginning you have to decide which of two settlements will save you from certain death. And there is no such option in which you get to save all at once. Over all its decisions need to reflect carefully, since any such selection may eventually lead to serious consequences. You can solve your problems in different ways: where-that to persuade the opponent, to intimidate or fool him, and then apply “good old ultra violence”. The nonlinearity and this feels really wonderful!
Pros:
- Greatly improved graphics component.
- The size of the interface can now be customized to fit your requirements.
- Well adapted controls for console gamepads.
- Were almost completely redrawn characters and environments.
- Your actions truly affect the game, changing the plot.
- The developers managed to achieve almost complete lack of bugs.
- For the Director’s Cut was recorded more voice characters.
- Deep role-playing system, allowing you to recoup 100%.
- In the game there is the true legacy of the first two Fallout.
- Added new optional perks – “Quirks”.
Cons:
- Extremely convoluted and confusing game interface.
- Strange mathematics I’m impressed with the game.
- The Unity engine is still far from perfect.
- Inexcusably clumsy game camera.
- The threshold of entering the game is incredibly high.
After beating the game, which will take you around 60-70 hours, you’re wondering: why the developers have not released this version right? Yes, it’s not ideal, but there are no billions of bugs that spoiled the experience game 2014. In my gut I sense that inXile didn’t have enough time and money, and fans who donated their money to create Wasteland 2, just couldn’t wait any more. Only a year later the developers were able to implement all the ideas that were planned initially. Its quality is, of course, sometimes there could be significantly better. But, even in this kind of Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut is one of the best CRPG of recent years. Put the game 8 out of 10 points.