Dead Space

If there’s one game that hardly needs a remake today, it’s the original Dead Space. Don’t get me wrong, the remake is awesome, but the 2008 original still holds up remarkably well. The graphics were at the top of the industry and still look amazing today. But it’s the way the atmosphere was crafted that particularly leaves a lasting impression on us. The diagetic HUD is partly to thank for the top-notch immersion, but the Necromorph designs are especially timeless in their ability to send a chill down gamers’ spines. Dead Space also doesn’t have an ounce of jank in its DNA; it feels remarkably precise and intuitive to play today. We’re still seeing tons of triple-A games use that iconic over the shoulder perspective, and we have the original Dead Space to thank for convincing us that it’s awesome.

Crysis

Back in 2007, Crysis was the rosetta stone benchmark for PC performance. Today, maybe not as much, but it can still be confused as a modern game. It was one of the games boasting advanced volumetric lighting and crazy far draw distances, and the lush jungle environments made for an attractive display piece to show off that tech. Crysis was also pretty dang modern with its gameplay systems. The campaign let players freely explore the tropical sandbox with its wide-linear design. Like the studio’s Far Cry titles, a smorgasbord of vehicles were up for the taking to accomplish missions in varying ways. If the day/cycle or gunplay didn’t impress, the visuals sure did, and continue to.

Red Dead Redemption

The year was 2010, gamers were absolutely starving for an immersive wild west game, and Rockstar was the one studio poised to do it. They already released Red Dead Revolver in 2004 and had the technology to finally meet the setting’s great potential. And that they did. Red Dead Redemption’s sprawling open world is filled with fun activities and more interesting personalities than you can fit in a stage coach. It’s Rockstar’s best pre-GTA 5 game to return to have good time without much friction. And it’s highly recommended players go back to this gem to understand Red Dead Redemption 2, as it functions as a sequel to that game. It’s not hard to fall in love with it today given the tight gunplay and solid graphics.

Max Payne 3

Max Payne 3 is the second pre-GTA 5 Rockstar game that’s easiest to return to today. The big selling point is the bullet-time mechanic from previous entries being turned up a couple notches. There’s not a single game that I can think of that does slow-mo shootouts as well as Max Payne 3. The modern third-person shooting feels great to control, and carefully lining up slow-mo dive shots is a joy. Being the Rockstar game that it is, cinematics are top-notch as well, with zero loading between cutscenes and player-controlled action sections. A port to today’s platforms would be appreciated, but the graphics actually hold up just fine without need for an upgrade.

Dying Light 1

Dying Light achieved something few games outside Assassin’s Creed were willing to do at the time, and that’s a realistic and smooth parkour system. What’s more, you can parkour across pretty much any building or object in the large open world. Besides the advanced parkouring, the game also boasted dynamic day/night lighting that still impresses today. Dying Light is the newest game on this list, but the dark atmosphere and gritty story have an edge over its sequel, Dying Light 2, making it well worth playing 10 years later, especially to see Kyle Crane’s earlier adventures.

Heavy Rain

David Cage games were always ahead of their time, but it wasn’t until Heavy Rain until they started being legitimately fun to play on top of that. You can probably thank Heavy Rain for PlayStation’s recent narrative emphasis. The game was largely an interactive choose your own adventure movie. But unlike TellTale’s string of narrative games, Heavy Rain had truly spectacular graphics that many felt were lifelike at the time. The game still holds up today, partly thanks to its simple gameplay mechanics (it’s hard to make quick time events janky) and high budget graphics and acting talent.

Ninja Gaiden Black

And then there’s rarities like Ninja Gaiden Black which boast deeply technical gameplay that still feels smooth today. For being a 20 year old game, it sure does feel fluid and intuitive to pull off combos, thanks in part to great optimization. It also holds up to current trends in game. Ninja Gaiden Black was notorious for being one of the most difficult games at the time, but it fits well beside contemporary titles like Elden Ring and Hollow Knight Silksong with its difficulty. With distinct art direction and stylishly detailed character models, it’s a game that’s still easy on the eyes.

Borderlands 2

Many were rubbing their eyes when Borderlands 4 was revealed. Accusations were thrown around that it looked like the previous Borderlands games, and they’re not too far off. Borderlands has maintained a bold cartoonish look since the first game, but it’s really the second entry that polished and solidified its identity. Just like the graphics, the gunplay holds up remarkably well today. And with memorable villains like Handsome Jack, the story remains the best the series has ever seen.

DriveClub

If you can get a hold of a rare copy of DriveClub, do yourself a favor and grab it. The PS4 exclusive was notable for its photo-realistic rain effects and grounded yet approachable driving mechanics. I regularly see racing fans comparing modern driving games’ weather effects to DriveClub. That’s how dang good the game looked. While the online component can’t be experienced today, the single player career has plenty of races and challenges to warrant the price of admission. And with a simcade handling model that’s not too intimidating to learn yet difficult to master, you’ll find yourself glued to the rainsoaked windshield for many hours even amid today’s racers.

Far Cry 2

I know, I know, it’s easy to overlook Far Cry 2 now that we have over six entries, but it does some pretty unique things. A number of playable and non-playable mercenaries can be rescued and hired to go on missions with you. These teammates can be permanently killed if they’re not rescued or healed in time, making it easy to feel attached to them. Other than the buddy system, the game just looks great, featuring a robust African open world environment. If you’re a fan of the Far Cry series, the second game is a must-play that holds up perfectly fine today.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Ever since Skyrim’s release in 2011, players have memed it to death. One of the most popular memes, that being its constant string of re-releases, still finds itself with legs even now. It’s the game that refuses to die, whether it be because of its wealth of quests, role-playing possibilities, or extensive mod support. Even without any mods, it still looks and plays fantastic. Sure, you’ll encounter a handful of backwards-flying dragons, but even the bugs are worth experiencing in this beloved open-world RPG.

Batman Arkham City

2011 was a good time for games in general. Arkham City also came out in that year and it represents Rocksteady’s zenith. Arkham City is their most beloved game for a reason; it’s got the tightest example of their signature freeflow combat, some of the most intricate and addictive world design, and some amazing characterization. A lot of late PS3/Xbox 360 games still manage to look good today, but Arkham City looks and plays downright flawless.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Speaking of timeless PS3 titles, Uncharted 2 just refuses to feel outdated. The rollercoaster pacing and attention to detail continues to be emulated and studied today. Even detractors of Uncharted 1’s gameplay love the way Uncharted 2 improved aiming and enemy encounter design. If you want to see what makes the Uncharted series so special, check out Uncharted 2, it sets up the rest of the games wonderfully and plays like a modern-day adventure title.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

But if there’s any PS3 game that went above and beyond its contemporaries, it’s MGS 4. In true Kojima fashion, the storytelling is outfitted with a ridiculous amount of bells and whistles, perhaps even overstaying its time in the spotlight just a bit (looking at you hour-long cutscene). Motion capture was some of the most advanced for the time, and the voice talent gave Hollywood a run for their money. Many fans even say the gameplay is the best the series has ever had. It’s also the only game in the MGS series besides Peace Walker to feature the Psyche Gauge. Stealth was emphasized because killing spiked the gauge, making Snake more prone to shake while shooting. Now if only we’d finally get a remaster or port of MGS 4 so more players could experience it.

The Last of Us

The Last of Us has seen numerous remasters, a remake, and even a show, and for good reason. It represents Naughty Dog at their absolute peak. The Last of Us shocked just about everyone with its realistic graphics and mo-cap in 2013. And the brutal melee takedowns and hard-hitting story kept us hooked ever since. It’s hard to overstate just how good the original game plays all these years later, which is why all these remasters and remakes seem somewhat redundant to many fans. The original holds up so well today, and with a story so iconic and gripping, we won’t see the last of The Last of Us anytime soon.

Black

Criterion Games might be best known for its work on the Need for Speed series, but its 2006 release Black also deserves a fair amount of appreciation. Despite being a far cry from what the developer was used to, Black was a compelling first-person shooter with some of the best visuals of its time. The story might not be something to write home about, but a solid set of shooting mechanics and thrilling firefights make Black a noteworthy game nevertheless – and it holds surprisingly well to this date.

Mass Effect Trilogy

The much-acclaimed Mass Effect trilogy needs no introduction, these action RPGs ushering a new standard for narrative-heavy third person shooting that other space-faring shooters have struggled to match. The series’ central antagonist are the Reapers, a race of sentient star-ships who originated one-billion years prior when the galaxy controlling Leviathans created the synthetic lifeform the Catalyst which then turned on its creators, absorbing their genetic material to create the Reapers. The Reapers awaken every 50,000 years to conduct galactic-level mass destruction with the trilogy centring on Commander Shepard and his crew stopping them.

]]> 604774 https://gamingbolt.com/15-best-first-person-shooter-campaigns-of-all-time Tue, 01 Oct 2024 19:36:29 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=600361 There’s more to first-person shooters; it isn’t exclusively guns. For a first-person shooter to be regarded amongst the best it needs to showcase other elements such as evocative, well-designed settings within which to battle, or harbour engaging stories with meaningful characters. Away from multiplayer, single player campaigns are the best way for FPS games to demonstrate these other integral elements. So, here’s 15 FPS games with great campaigns that display great settings and stories alongside shooting. 

Halo 2

You could make a case for any Halo game featuring on this rundown – Halo 3 for its gameplay, Halo 4 for its writing and character development, Halo: Combat Evolved, where it all began. But Halo 2 gets the nod here because it has all those standout elements but additionally its easily the most varied in terms of locations visited, with each locale itself superbly designed. The introduction of Arbiter Thel ‘Vadamee as a playable character not only put new weapons into our hands, but greatly expanded Halo’s lore too, presenting deeper purpose underlining Covenant motivations.

]]> 600361 https://gamingbolt.com/crysis-4-officially-announced https://gamingbolt.com/crysis-4-officially-announced#respond Wed, 26 Jan 2022 12:55:29 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=506274 The Crysis games have always had a strong and dedicated fanbase, but in spite of having enjoyed plenty of success, the series never got a fourth sequel. While the first three games have been recently remastered, and the originals are still lauded for their technical achievements (especially the first entry on PC),  fans have always wanted the next entry to arrive. It seems the developers are on the same wavelength with the community.

Crytek recently took to Twitter and shared a teaser trailer confirming that the next entry in the Crysis franchise is in works. The video is a fairly cryptic one, showing a red ball of flame blowing up, some hexagonal pillars rising from the ground, a shot of dilapidated buildings, with the video ending by showing a number 4, officially confirming that Crysis 4 is in development at long last.

This comes shortly after the announcement got leaked by Crytek China on Chinese social media BiliBili, which got taken down immediately. Either way, no more information has been made available about what platforms Crysis 4 will launch for, what it’s story and gameplay will entail, or even when it will launch.

In a blog update published on the official Crysis website, Crytek CEO Avni Yerli said that the studio is “working hard to bring you a truly next-gen shooter”, with several positions across the team looking to recruit more people for the project.

Yerli also confirmed the game is in early development, saying, “Right now the game is in the early stages of development so it will be a while yet, but we wanted to bring you the news at this time as we are so hyped for the future, and to let you know that we will be listening to our community.”

As reported by Eurogamer, it seems Crytek itself may have leaked Crysis 4 before the game could be officially confirmed. Crytek China recently took to Chinese social media site Bilibili, and in a post that has since been removed, seemed to confirm that Crysis 4 is in development. You can check out a screencap of the post (roughly translated) below.

In the absence of an official announcement, for now we’re going to have to treat this as a rumour. We’ll keep an eye out for any details though, so stay tuned for more updates.

Having worked on games such as the Crysis trilogy and the original Far Cry, Crytek as a studio has a strong pedigree as far as development of first person shooters in sandbox open world environments are concerned. According to a job listing posted on the developer’s website, it’s likely that they might be looking to do something similar with their next project.

The listing, which calls for applications for a Game Designer role, mentions that the developer is working on an unannounced AAA game. While the listing itself doesn’t divulge too many details about the nature of the project, the requirements for the position explicitly mention experience with having worked on a AAA first person shooter in the past. Additionally, Crytek are also looking for someone with a “deep passion for gaming, preferably FPS sandbox games.”

In late 2020, Crytek released Crysis Remastered, following which there have been many who have wondered whether a revival of the series might be in the works. Crysis 3 came out all the way back in 2013, so it’s certainly been a long time since the series went on a break. Of course, a job listing on its own doesn’t guarantee anything, but the prospect of Crytek making yet another sandbox shooter is an exciting one, to say the least.

Starting today, the Nintendo Switch can proudly say that it can run Crysis. Crytek’s beloved first person shooter, which was (and has been) the bane of man PCs, is out now in Nintendo’s hybrid platform, thanks to Saber Interactive’s efforts with Crysis Remastered. A launch trailer for the game has also been released, which you can check out below. There’s gameplay footage in there, of course, and it continues to look surprisingly great, especially considering the hardware it’s on.

Crysis Remastered on the Switch is an impressive port, running at 720p-900p resolution when docked, and at 540p-720p when being played in handheld mode, with a locked frame rate of 30 FPS across the board. It also features FXAA, but software-based ray tracing – which will be featuring in other upcoming versions of the game – is not included. There is gyro aiming though, which is good.

You can check out about 30 minutes of gameplay footage of the game’s Switch release through here, if you want a taste of how it looks before deciding whether you want to jump in yourself.

Crysis Remastered was originally supposed to launch on PS4, Xbox One, and PC today as well, but following negative reception for leaks, those versions got delayed, and currently have no specific release date.

After years of a hiatus, the Crysis franchise will be making its comeback soon, and though it might not be in the form of a sequel, we will at least be getting the next best thing- a remastered release of the first game in the series, which remains a fan favourite to this day. Recently, however, following tweets (that have since been deleted) by Tim Willits of Saber Interactive – developers of the remaster – there has been speculation that remasters of the sequels – or maybe even Crysis: Warhead – are also in development. Sadly, it doesn’t seem like that’s the case after all.

In a statement to Inverse, Crytek confirmed that the upcoming Crysis Remastered only includes the first game. Its expansion, Warhead, or any of the sequels are not part of the package. “Crysis Remastered is just the original game,” a Crytek representative said. “It won’t include Warhead or any of the other games from the series.”

While it’s no surprise at all that the upcoming release does not include any of the sequels (if they do ever get remastered, they will probably be separate releases), it is a little disappointing that Crysis’ expansion, Warhead, is not part of the package. It’s a beloved part of the franchise, and many would have expected that it would be part of a remaster. It’s unlikely that Warhead will be a separate remastered release, so in all likelihood, the expansion is going to be left in the past for the foreseeable future.

Crysis Remastered is confirmed for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, but currently doesn’t have a release date.

Yesterday, the internet was abuzz at a seemingly out of nowhere tweet from the official Crysis account that seemed to be pointing to some kind of revival (you can read all about that through here). It seems the teases keep coming as another tweet from the account has sent out a very familiar line for fans.

The official Twitter for the series tweeted out a simple line. That line is what the character says during the initial airplane scene that sets the stage for the first game’s plot. It’s not clear right now whether they are teasing a remaster, remake or sequel, but this definitely points to something in relation to the first title.

Crysis was originally released in 2007 and was, at the time, a graphical showcase. It enjoyed an expansion as well as two sequels, but the franchise has been on ice since 2013. It may very well be time to thaw it out once again.