Black Comments by Kristan Reed

This is a solid 8. From every review. Everywhere.

So Black's the new black then?

That review just tells me that you're a terrible shot! ;)

vvv"looks sweat"vvv How apt!

Wasn't my cup of tea from the demo tbh, but then most fps are boring as frig imo. Seemed sound enough if you like that sort of thing though I suppose.

"BLACK is the most progressive and exciting shooter to emerge on the console platforms for years"

How many years, krud? I'm just trying to work out which game previously held this title. ;-)

Wasn't my cup of tea from the demo tbh

Me neither. Technically brilliant, just not really very much fun.

Watched a friend play this last weekend. It looked nice, but also incredibly repetitive. And I really didn't like that you could clearly see the predetermined breaking points on, well, everything. Scripted destruction != fun.

hype-o-matic

But does it play on 360?

gun p0rn. oh yeah...

5th level, that wud be the asylum then:-)

/me unloads full clip with M16.

tis good.

very good.

To be clearer, this is probably the most excited a console shooter has made me since Halo. There. Said it. Certainly the best shooter on PS2 by some distance.

No it doesn't run on 360, and no there won't be a 360 version.

So, as good as Halo then?

Certainly the best shooter on PS2 by some distance.

In your opinion, of course. I disagree most strongly.

Well, Mr Blerk, you're certainly entitled to that view - and it's an interesting one. But, tell me: what's better than this on the PS2?

TimeSplitters? Nope.
Killzone? Bwaha
MOH? Come now.
Cold Winter. Meh.
/gives up.

well tried out the xbox demo yesterday (which was extremely short) but it was pretty fun. the weapons/graphics are a showpiece and if this is what you think makes a great shooter then get the game.

Well, Mr Blerk, you're certainly entitled to that view, but, tell me: what's better than this on the PS2?

Timesplitters 2 ftw! Technically less impressive, but far less boring. Imho.

since when has your 'o' ever been 'h', Blerk? :-)

People I know who've played this hate it. Then again some people I read on the Internet seem to love it. Marmite game!

TS2's challenge mode is ace, but the story mode was...less so.

Personaly i say not as good as Timesplitters 2. That is the best FPS on PS2.

Kind of like Burnout Revenge in a way, Looks fantastic but not actualy quite as good as it should have been.

In my opinion of course;)

yes, but humble?

i bought Timesplitters 3 for £6, played it for about 30mins and never since

On my life, no Black on 360.

"with sensible control mappings and the instant realisation that aiming isn't ever going to cause a problem"

I was starting to worry you weren't going to mention the controls. They are really key for me, glad to hear they actually work. Maybe a few other FPS devs will get the idea in the future that being able to aim at stuff is really pretty crucial.

I'm still a little cynical about this one, as about half of the review seemed to be given over to how nice it looked (which is great, but I wonder if the focus isn't in the right place for my personal preference).

Plus, distantly spaced checkpoints do my head almost every time I come across them. I've said before and I'll say again, repetition != tension. I've seen several games keep me on the edge of my seat AND utilise a quick save system so I simply don't buy the argument that they can't co-exist.

One to rent methinks (there is an XB version right?).

Looks nice.

However, no PC plus stupid comments from Alex Ward equals no cookie.

Next!

anyone played the Xbox version yet? Does this suffer from the same slowdown issues as the Ps2 version?

"plus stupid comments from Alex Ward equals no cookie"

Hehe, I have to check myself to be sure I'm not just being cynical due to the bollox they came out with in that interview (same as I was with the F game that I am really trying not to go on about anymore).

I was considering this, but would prefer a 360 compaitable or dedicated 360 version. If neither are forthcoming, what should I do?

It's my cup of tea, but I consider Xbox games to be a step in the wrong direction being a 360 owner these days. Which I know is silly, its like cutting your nose off to spite your face.

Oh I'm such a graphics whore. What to do?

Yes there's an XBox version. As for the 360:

"We don’t yet know if BLACK will run on the 360. Contrary to what many believe, the emulation support is in the hands of MicroSoft. It’s up to them whether or not to provide emulation support for a title. It’s not something we design the game for. We have had no word yet that it will in fact run on the 360."
- Tim Sweezey, EA

i rushed to pre-order this, i wish i hadnt been so rash

myiagros

xbox version is sweet and runs great. looks superb too. nice bloom lighting :)

Ooo, that's interesting Gurgeh.

I had assumed (with most others) that it was being controlled jointly by MS and the publishers. Hence no Burnout 3 or R backward compaitability for example because........ funny enough EA are just republishing a new version for the 360.

@KTroopA - cheers, i think i might return the PS2 version then and wait for it to become backward compatible on Xbox360. The slowdown in the Ps2 version makes it almost unplayable at times.

the checkpoints are annoying as the game does not save, so if you get stuck on later levels and come back (after turning it off) you have to replay from the start of the level. Also the blur effect when you reload is annoying

So its like any other shooter only less content and more graphics?
Pass.

meh

it's quite fun, but to suggest that these are the "bare bones" of shooting is kind of weird. real-life shooting is very disciplined and serious. this game extends on the "bare bones" of videogame shooting.

yes i've used the ak-47 :)

I fear this may knock shadow of the colosus of the No.1 spot!

@myiagros

anyone played the Xbox version yet? Does this suffer from the same slowdown issues as the Ps2 version?

only encountered slow-down once. that was on lvl 4, nazran factory or nazran furnace, cant remember name exactly. t'was right at beginning, i was high up on a ledge and i'd pissed off about 15 soldiers who were charging down my position blasting the windows all to hell. i let them get right up close and lobbed a nade out the window onto the truck with petrol barrels.

chugged slightly when about 3 buildings and upteen barrels went nuclear and destroyed everything in sight ... its so good X-D

I haven't noticed any slowdown in the PS2 version personally, it sounds like you have a duff PS2 Miyagros.

Think I'll wait for a price drop. Doesn't sound like its worth paying full price.

On my life, no Black on 360.

Will you need pall-bearers? ;)

"real-life shooting is very disciplined and serious"

well, depends who's doing it, really...

The slowdown on PS2 isn't serious at all. Compared to the nightmare that is the end level of Halo, it's fine. If anything, it tends to happen when it doesn't actually matter - like just after a ridiculous set of explosions. It does chug on the very end level at the end bit, when it's all going crazy, but to suggest it makes it unplayable is very wide of the mark.

xbox version is the best, runs very smooth. the 4th and 5th level show this off well, when you reach the steel mill and factory sections.

i can still hear it..

RPG!

:D

I really need this game to work on a 360 - someone tell MS to get their giant collective arse into gear

@Cheapshot - you may be right about it being my Ps2, i was playing GTA:SA at the weekend and noticed it was taking a little longer to load in the scenery than i had remembered (eg. more pop up). I thought i was just remembering it better than it was.

So... good as SotC?

@KTroopA
@krudster

How can you guys say how well it runs before it has been released? Pirate copy? Downloaded? If So I bet it wasn't the final code..... For me it is what says on the tin....