Turboweasle
Administrator
WU Guru
Karma: 228
Offline
PSN: Turboweasle
Posts: 16556
Turboweasle: everyone's favorite speedy rodent
|
When I saw an article on The Conduit 2 in GameInformer's May issue, I knew that, if anyone cared, it would be the guys at WiiUnite. So... here's what GI knows:
Platform- Wii Style- 1-Player Shooter (12 Player Online) Publisher- Sega (lulz) Developer- High Voltage Software Release- Fall
The article:
The Conduit was not the FPS savior High Voltage promised Wii owners. Despite tepid critical reception, The Conduit was impressive on a technical level..."for a Wii game." This very caveat stokes developer High Voltage's drive to shove an improved sequel in the faces of its critics. According to High Voltage, the basic framework of the first Conduit - motion control - is among the Wii's best. "While Nintendo may cringe a bit, there's certainly something analogous to holding the pointer and firing a weapon," says Conduit 2 producer Josh Olson. "It feels good." With taht in place the team is focusing on overhauling almost everything else. Enemies in The Conduit were dumb, and High Voltage has the fix. Enemies no longer seek shelter behind combustible barrels and promptly fire upon their flammable cover. Now the more realistic adversaries idly chat or work on computers until you make your violent entrance. Once engaged, heavily armored enemies with shotguns charge, while lightly protected snipers attack from afar. Combine this with their ability to wield any weapon, and you've got targets at least more dangerous than those in Duck Hunt. Not only are the enemies smarter, but they also look better thanks to High Voltage's focus on honing Conduit 2's art style. Randomly generated armor ensures that the fools populating your crosshairs never look too similar. Boss enemies like a raging Leviathan showcase a level of detail unlike anything in the first game, and Siberian robot wolves and 30-foot tall Atlantis guardians help provide much needed enemy variety. The Conduit concluded with protagonist Michael Ford chasing John Adams (the alien controlling the U.S., not the president) through a portal. In order to prevent Adams' global domination in the sequel, Ford must enlist the help of other aliens across the globe. Yep, it's still ridiculous. To do so, he must venture beyond Washington DC to face the foes of Russia, Atlantis, and beyond. Where some Wii owners see The Conduit as a generic FPS, Sega and High Voltage see a young franchise with tons of potential. After less than a year, High Voltage is once again promising a Wii FPS that stands toe-to-toe with its beefier console brethren. Let's hope they get it right this time.
And that's that. My thoughts:
The problem wasn't with the enemy AI. Hell, nearly every FPS has dumb-as-a-sack-of-potatoes enemies charging at you while their allies hurl grenades straight at their own feet. The problem was the online, and considering that the online was the main boasting point of TC (intended to be the main boasting point, I should say) it's a pretty big deal that, within six weeks of its release, TC had been hacked and exploited beyond recognition. I shudder to think what it must be like now.
Seeing Sega as publisher once more screams stupidity to me. If HVS wants Ninty's honest support (and they'll need it if they truly intend to "crack down harder on hackers"), they shouldn't sign a contract with Ninty's fading rival. Pick a neutral party or Ninty itself, for God's sake. I realize that the grownups in the gaming industry should be above rivalry, but I'm ever the skeptic, especially with the gaming industry.
The improved graphics are a nice change of pace, and the change in scenery will be welcome to my eyes for sure. I got tired of blown-up streets and metal laboratories. Bosses are also a nice addition. And like Lawyer said, once you got to actually play the online portion smoothly, without glitches or hackers, it was a blast. But that's almost like saying, "Yeah, Bolivia's a nice place to vacation if the native aren't overthrowing their government when your plane lands."
From what I've read in this topic, I see that Condy may make an honest comeback. But with a $50 price tag, I'm not sure I'm willing to play Conduit version 1.1.
|