Black (PS2 and Xbox)

  • Thread starter Thread starter CAMAROBOY69
  • 255 comments
  • 15,203 views
smellysocks12
The gamespot review of this game isn't very positive, I think I'll wait until this game drops in price and then reconsider whether to buy it. From what I read so far this game is pretty much Killzone with more stuff to blow up.
Click to expand...
Well I haven't read GS review but I will say few things:

1) From the graphical stand of view - this game is in arcade FPS genre what Burnout is in driving genre - 100% eye candy
2) From the physics part - RenderWare does it. Afterall it is a Criterion Studios middleware. ;) Blowing up White House in Independance Day is nothing if you compare it to what you can do here, how it breaks, changes, looks and sounds. No place to hide - but many ways to die.
3) From the controling scheme - easy to catch, very precise analog controls, no unneeded features and gadgets that will mess up your fingers and take focus from the action
4) From the sound - top notch. Period.
5) From the gameplay - Amar said it allready - it's bringing the house down at it's best. Really one of a kind FPS platformer that makes you amazed (from the technical part) and scared (from the superb sound, very good enemy AI) at the same time.

Maybe Killzone is more realistic, Halo have all the 23rd century weapons, Doom have all the space MF's, Half-Life is out of this world - but Black is like one hell of a party on which everyone is invited, but only one goes home with the most atractive girl (J. Haze - if you prefer). At least in 2k and 6. :sly:
 
Hopefully next tuesday I can pick it up. After reading all of the positive reviews, I am pumped to get this!!!!! Why dont some of you with the game get us a few videos or screen shots of the game play?
Oh yeah is Black in 480p. 720p, or 1080i????
 
I was playing the second level yesterday but I got lost at the end of it so I'll have to do it all over again. :ouch: And the AI is so ****ing dumb sometimes I can hardly believe it. I noticed a couple of slowdowns too, but very quickly.

Still I'm liking this game more than Killzone so far.
 
CAMAROBOY69
Hopefully next tuesday I can pick it up. After reading all of the positive reviews, I am pumped to get this!!!!! Why dont some of you with the game get us a few videos or screen shots of the game play?
Oh yeah is Black in 480p. 720p, or 1080i????
Click to expand...
I know for sure that PlayStation(R)2 version, unfortunetly (if you wan't to say it that way), doesn't support any progressive scan resolution, not even the lowest one that some of "this-gen" games have - 480p. But but but read more hype... :sly:

Game moves (almost) always @ 60 frames per sec and looks really beautifull - from design to texture mapping. Criterion didn't spare Emotion Engine with this one. Contrast of colors is surelly far on it's side if you compare it to grayish-brownish-greenish look with-red-eyes of Killzone.

Light effects are pretty nice, and particle affects are probably the best we'll see till the dawn of this generation. From dust and smoke that look like Criterion used volumetric geometry, to fire and haze effects that adds those small touches of fine crafting.

In-game screenshots and gameplay videos are all over the internet - you just have to use your best friend - google.com . They're all true - as they were from the beginning of project.

P.S. I've manage to pull thru first two missions on hard setting. It was everything but walk through a park. Okey, maybe it was, but crouching and moving on my toes. As Amar said it before - stealth approach is essential if you want to survive later missions on normal setting, but on hard it's all about loorking behind cover and putting the bullet from the back right in MF's skull. :)

EDITED: Black have support for widescreen (16:9 picture format) - true size, no letterbox crap.
 
Was dying to get this after playing the demo a month ago. Got it today and i am not dissapointed, im up to level 5 (on normal). I dont agree with the need for Stealth. Ok u maye need to hide often, but its nothing like MGS.

Best FPs i've played since Timesplitters (2 or 3). Shame about no multiplayer. I love the P90!! kicks-ass.

Graphics are great (i have PS2 version), i have only noticed one instance of slow-down and that lasted about a second.

Black is FPs gaming at its most fun and purest form. Just (mostly) running and shooting, sort of like Serious Sam, only light years better.
 
555
I dont agree with the need for Stealth. Ok u maye need to hide often, but its nothing like MGS.
Click to expand...
Get back to us after finishing last one. You'll see why we mentioned stealth approach, taking cover and evading WoMD. :nervous:

P.S. (offtopic): There is no stealth like one in MGS. You got that one very much right. Memo x Gene x Scene ;)
 
Ok, i will get back to you after the last level. But if thats all that requires stealth, then its not a stealthy game, is it?
Did 2 more levels today. The one were you keep going over a coupla bridges with loads of (conviently placed) buses, that ends with them having a minefield, was blumin annoying, i kept getting right to the end and dying, the checkpoints a very sparse.

In the end i found going in all guns blazing was the easiest way to do it! even if i kept the silencer on my M16 (it just sounds kool).

Fav gun so far.......... P90 or Magnum.
 
555
Ok, i will get back to you after the last level. But if thats all that requires stealth, then its not a stealthy game, is it? Fav gun so far.......... P90 or Magnum.
Click to expand...
OK, I will wait so we can discuss "stealth" approach at the end of 8th level and carefull planning of your every move on hard settings. Knowing your enemy is and will be the best and only way to beat him. :)

Possible spoilers about enemies and weapons ahead.

Magnum is very good but have slow fire rate so I don't prefer it's use against enemies. Those MF's with shields I'm taking care with grenades. Kaboom! Bwahaha! P90 and Uzi rocks, not to mention I like enemy-headshot-death system. Shotgun is essential when you come head-2-head with guys wearing bulletproof vests.
 
Well here's my 2 cents on the xbox version...

Played a few levels now, and there are some things I like, the awesome graphics and sound, the destruction (the explosions are just great). The game is just mayhem, but this is also where it kinda falls over. It's just alot of shooting, and not much else, you don't really give a toss about what's going on overall, just that you have to shoot a crap load of people. That leads me on to the AI...talk about a step backwards, it's utter trash, which for me really spoils the game, especially after games like farcry. I've had enemys who have me in plain site just stop shooting, allowing me to aim up a headshot and blast em...what the hell! Also, the lack of blood is just wrong in a game like this, and takes some of the satisfaction out of it.

I must mention more of the graphics though, they are simply fantastic, so much smoke and dust etc, and I have yet to see any slow down what so ever. The destruction is just so great in places, blasting holes though plaster walls, shooting out towers with rocket launchers, with it collapsing correctly, plumes of smoke and dust billowing out. Just great. Also loved the cars that shook with every single bullet hit, very nice. Shame then that some bits are indestructible. I was also quite under whelmed with the enemy animations, they lack any character, and hit locations are handled poorly, seemingly shrugging off bullet hits.

Overall it just seems to shallow for me, the technology is just great, but the content is abit weak. I guess I've been kinda spoilt after the likes of Resident Evil 4 and Half Life 2 (which have both amazing tech, excitement, and depth), 3 years ago this game would have blown my socks off, now...meh. Good but not great. Gamespot were spot on.

There is no other FPS that requires so much stealth.
Click to expand...

You playing the same game as me? Yes you need to duck etc, but stealth? No.
 
Im trying to decide if this is worth buying or not. Its out for xbox at our EB store and im leaving in 15 minutes. Hmm to buy or not to buy?
 
There are some real irritations growing that I think stem from the director's movie making backround...

1. Apparently (so far), there is no way to bypass the intro and movie clip so everytime you want to play this game you have to wait however long it takes to get though the clips.

2. The controls are a bit limited (at least for me being used to PC). Oddly, I feel retarted when I aim but somehow hit my targets, don't get me wrong it's not like there is auto aiming but it doesn't feel precise or natural.

In the end, like how Clarkson hates the SRT10 but finds it absolutely fun BLACK is the game equivilant of this.
 
I decided I will just rent and burn it for the PS2. Since its only single player and the AI looks terrible, I dont think it will be worth buying.
 
i decided to rent this game instead of buying it because I know I won't play it for a second time, great game indeed. The sound of the guns are wonderful, you can actually see and "feel" when the bullets hit the the the doors, the walls...ect, which is great. I am playing this game on my new 27" LCD:sly: so the game looks wonderful:tup: . BUT.. I always feel dizzy after playing this game for about an hour,:crazy: I've never had this problem with other FPS games, anyone has the same problem?:scared:
 
WTF? LOL
I know the frame rate is pretty good, in fact, I've seen no slowdown so far, may be it's because I had been sitting in front of the computer all day in my Computer graphic class, and my brain can only handle so much...lol
 
code_kev
Well here's my 2 cents on the xbox version...

Played a few levels now, and there are some things I like, the awesome graphics and sound, the destruction (the explosions are just great). The game is just mayhem, but this is also where it kinda falls over. It's just alot of shooting, and not much else, you don't really give a toss about what's going on overall, just that you have to shoot a crap load of people. That leads me on to the AI...talk about a step backwards, it's utter trash, which for me really spoils the game, especially after games like farcry. I've had enemys who have me in plain site just stop shooting, allowing me to aim up a headshot and blast em...what the hell! Also, the lack of blood is just wrong in a game like this, and takes some of the satisfaction out of it.

I must mention more of the graphics though, they are simply fantastic, so much smoke and dust etc, and I have yet to see any slow down what so ever. The destruction is just so great in places, blasting holes though plaster walls, shooting out towers with rocket launchers, with it collapsing correctly, plumes of smoke and dust billowing out. Just great. Also loved the cars that shook with every single bullet hit, very nice. Shame then that some bits are indestructible. I was also quite under whelmed with the enemy animations, they lack any character, and hit locations are handled poorly, seemingly shrugging off bullet hits.

Overall it just seems to shallow for me, the technology is just great, but the content is abit weak. I guess I've been kinda spoilt after the likes of Resident Evil 4 and Half Life 2 (which have both amazing tech, excitement, and depth), 3 years ago this game would have blown my socks off, now...meh. Good but not great. Gamespot were spot on.



You playing the same game as me? Yes you need to duck etc, but stealth? No.
Click to expand...

code_cev's review of the game is the closest to my review of Black. I rented this last night and played up to level 4. Overall I would say it is an excellent rental but not worth buying. So far level 4 has been the best. All the land mine explosions, glass shattering, and huge fuel tanks exploding become extremely rewarding. The sound is perfect especially in surround sound. The AI wasnt quite as pathetic as the demo showed but the AI is still lacking. However I think it leaves excellent potential for Black 2. 👍
Conclusion-Great rental but not worth buying.
 
I beat Black tonight on the normal setting. Level 5 was by far my favorite! it seemed like I could blow thru everthing in that level. The bathroom and the rooms with the drywall were just insane!! The last level of the game (level 8) is brutal at the very end. Took me 3 tries and it was an hour and a half to beat level 8. I cant even imagine even trying to beat the last level on hard or black ops. I was able to burn it for the PS2 so I will probably play thru the game as far as possible on hard.
I was also more impressed with the AI the further into the game I got. They really seem to wake up once you hit level 4. 👍
Overall I think it is a pretty good game. Definetly a very very good rental. If they make Black 2 with multiplayer and these physics I think it will be a huge hit! :)
 
I have no FPS for my PS2, the last one i bought/played was Doom 2! - do you think Black would be a decent purchase for someone with no other FPS?
 
TheCracker
I have no FPS for my PS2, the last one i bought/played was Doom 2! - do you think Black would be a decent purchase for someone with no other FPS?
Click to expand...
After playing thru the game on normal and beating it, I would say its a very vary good rental that you can beat within 6-10 hours on normal. Then you could go thru it again on hard and black ops. Its probably impossible to beat on black ops.
I am thinking of going to level 5 again just to get some video of how much stuff can be blown up.
 
CAMAROBOY69
After playing thru the game on normal and beating it, I would say its a very vary good rental that you can beat within 6-10 hours on normal. Then you could go thru it again on hard and black ops. Its probably impossible to beat on black ops.
I am thinking of going to level 5 again just to get some video of how much stuff can be blown up.
Click to expand...

What i'm asking, is that i'm looking to buy a FPS, and whether you think Black would be worth buying over any other game in the genre?
 
TheCracker
What i'm asking, is that i'm looking to buy a FPS, and whether you think Black would be worth buying over any other game in the genre?
Click to expand...
Do you have a network adapter so you can play games online? Black is not online and is not a multiplayer so for that reason alone I would not buy this game. RENT FIRST BEFORE IF YOU ARE UNCERTAIN ABOUT BUYING A GAME. :)
 
I'm not bothered about playing online, i know that Black doesn't support it anyway. What i want is something fairly simple to control, not for me, but for my wife - she loved Doom, but when i rented her Time Splitters 2 she found the control method hard and soon lost interest. She's not bothered about racing games, and has no interest in GTA, so that's every game that i own!

If i play the PS2 it mean's she'll just do something else - i'd like to include her a bit more (meaning i get to use it more too :sly: ). She liked the tomb raider games, so i've ordered her Shadow of the Colossus(sp?) but she also loved Doom, so i'd also like to get something reminisant of that. From the reviews i've read, Black seems to have a similar level of depth to it.
 
Black is a great game but I dont know if its what a new person would enjoy. Some of the missions could be a little confusing if your not a regular FPS shooter. I found myself just walking around on a few levels not sure what to do. Then I would walk to a certain point and the game would say checkpoint reached. You should get Timsplitters 3 for her. Timesplitters 2 was a great game but the controls were confusing at first unless set up. However T3 has the controls set up perfect this time. I think thats a wonderful game that almost anyone new can enjoy. You can also play with her and go thru the missions together as a Co-op. I always thought that was the coolest part of that game. In your situation I would highly suggest Timesplitter 3. There are also sooo many other side games in T3 that could keep her busy forever. :dopey:
You also have a PM.
 
TheCracker
I have no FPS for my PS2, the last one i bought/played was Doom 2! - do you think Black would be a decent purchase for someone with no other FPS?
Click to expand...

I'd say this or Killzone are the best way to go but like Camaroboy here says... RENT FIRST. PC still blows away consoles though. (no pun intented)
 
I finally completed Black on Hard. And my god the last level is hard!! Black ops will be impossible. Its fun dont get me wrong, possibly the most fun i've had playing a game in ages. But Black ops is gonna be so hard, i did the 1st level, but on every other level, your going to have to explore every single little bit of each level & if you miss one thing you dont complete it!

Still excellent (if flawed) game. I hope theres a sequel on PS3 or 360 at some point with some kick-ass multiplayer.

However didnt Red Faction do all the blow-up-able stuff ages ago??

Whats peoples favourite gun?? I love the P90.
 
You beat it on hard!!!! You are the man. That must have been brutal on the last level. Took me 3 times on normal and I was almost dead. :scared: I cant even imagine on hard. Favorite gun: hmm not sure. I set most of them to single shot and tried to snipe as much as possible. I guess if I had to decide, it would be the guy that had around 150 bullets in 1 round. That gun just mowed the place down!!!
 

Latest Posts

Back