Path of Neo - Anger Management
Why? Because I need something to vent my anger.
GRAPHICS – like an ancient flip-book:
It all begins with the first tutorial mission when you have to fight certain waves of enemies. Right from the start the frame rate sucks hard and gets worse in the later levels –
For example the mission with the security guard in the church tower: The mission itself would be quite easy but in the end it becomes nearly unplayable because of the sick frame rate and some other serious problems.
To name a few:
Whenever Neo and his opponent stand in a cone of light their character models turn into white "crash test dummies" making it impossible to differ one from the other.
In this fight you also have to deal with:
1) a pumping frame rate
2) some weird camera changes caused by
3) a broken "lock-on" feature
4) unidentified flying objects
=> Neo, the Agent and sometimes the security guard you have to protect - instead you punch him by mistake cause you can't tell who is who.
The "Lock-on" feature – on paper it is a good idea because the camera would stay right behind Neos shoulder making it easier to evade attacks (roll back etc.) and to avoid the weird perspectives leaving you completely disoriented.
The problem here is that after a few seconds the Lock-on automatically resets (when you're without weapons) and instead of rolling in one direction you find yourself in neverland or facing a wall or an invisible pillar (tutorial level – you can't see the broken pillar but it's still there).
When you have pistols attached the "lock-on" sometimes changes automatically to the next opponent – when the first opponent went down ( BUT IS STILL ALIVE AND GETS UP AGAIN) but therefore it stays ON DEAD opponents forever (or at least until the magically disappear).
Neo can't even walk in a straight line without "lock-on". So we better not talk about the platforming portions of the game. It took me half an hour to get the 2nd secret kick in "Storming the Drain" because of the sudden camera changes and those "don't know which direction to" - jumps. Believe me, I played a lot of "Prince of Persia" and "Ninja Gaiden" – Games in my life but I never saw something like that.
SOUND – are all "THX-certified"- games crap?
First I said that you cannot rely on your eyes in this game – but even if you're a Ninja with a towel wrapped around your eyes – relying on your ears isn't an option in this game either. Sometimes you can hear the punching and crushing … and sometimes you hear … NOTHING.
It seems like everything in this game is too slow – the graphics, the sound and even the controls and the collision detection. One time I was surrounded by a lot of Agent Smiths and so I jumped up and did this 360°-attack with a pole – and let me tell you how many of the agents I hit – you guessed it – NONE. The fighting animations look good but what are they worth if they're useless? Is this a game for Posers?
CUTSCENES AND TIPS:
Whenever the Level-Intro ends I'm ready for action – so I press some buttons for a cool combo – but HEY – suddenly the game interrupts and starts to play some more cutscenes – okay – they're over and now is the time – but HEY – suddenly the game interrupts again to show me helpful tips. And it doesn't stop after the first retry – it shows you all this helpful tips again and again and again – where is the option to turn this off?
Man, this game is crap in every department. Whoever says this game deserves a good rating must me deaf, dumb and blind. The only ones deserving something, are the developers of this dung – they deserve to go broke.