First Hour Review

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  A very addictive, yet simple game

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Battlestations Pacific

Alas, for this review, GameCam refused to co-operate with me, so there will be screenshots and no video, all you will have are my experiences. I hope I do not bore you too much.

When I was a child, I enjoyed watching a series about World War II pilots. I still have no idea what it was called, but I remember dreaming of becoming a pilot. That was one of the reasons that I felt very excited about this game when I started. Did it live up to my expectations? I guess you are just going to have to read on to find out (or cheat by scrolling down to the end of the review)…

0:00 - Some Eidos logos, so they could build their brand a bit.

0:01 - Loading screen, with authentic-looking World War II videos playing in the side. Nice way to set the atmosphere right from the beginning.

0:02 - Now I am faced with my first decision of the game: Who to play as. Since I have not played this before, I decide to try the training section. I am surprised when it turns out that I will be playing for the Japanese side, as a member of Imperial Aviation.

0:03 - The instructions tell me to select a base, and so I do.

0:04 - Launching a plane. I decide on a J1NI Geck, since it looks cool. (Some may find fault with my strategic decisions at this point)

0:05 - It takes a bit of time for the plane to taxi out to the airstrip from one of the hangars, and I am notified that a hostile ship is nearby.

0:06 - I see my target ship, I shoot at it, to be rewarded with some very satisfactory looking explosions. I like the fact that I can target differnet sections of the ship, such as the engine, ammo and fuel.

0:07 – I see the word “ineffective” appear outside the targeting reticule… I am not sure if I am too far, or if my guns are just not strong enough to penetrate the armour.

0:08 - Since I have no idea how to select another plane, I try to get in closer… A bit too close, as I impact the ship, and explode.

0:10 - Spent the last two minutes trying to remember how to get back to base selection, finally checking the help system, where I discover that I just need to press “Y”.

0:11 - This time, I chose a bigger plane, a J2M Raiden… It looks like the kind of plane that should take out a ship…

0:12 - The delay between selecting a plane, and being able to actually fly it is slightly annoying, even if it is far more realistic this way. Soon enough, I am back in the air.

0:13 - This time, I manage to hit and sink the ship, getting to see a smoking close up as the ship sinks beneath the waves. I also find out that another enemy ship is approaching.

0:14 - I spot the new ship, easily enough, this time trying to fire a couple of my missiles at it, all of which seem to miss.

0:15 - I see what look like parachutists descending, I try to shoot them down, but I guess they are too far away.

0:16 - I fire another volley of missiles at the ship, and this time I am pretty sure some of them do hit, but the ship shows no damage. Either I am a lousy shot, or the missiles are just not effective against a ship.

0:18 - I lose track of the ship, but I see my port, as I fly a bit closer, to get a better look, I realise that I am going too fast, and end up smashing into it.

0:19 – This time I chose to fly KI-43 Oscar, a tiny looking plane, which seems completely unsuited to dealing with ships, but I have not tried it yet.

0:20 - To my complete lack of surprise, my machine gun is completely ineffective against the allied ship. I almost hit it, but manage to pull out just in time, probably giving some crewmen a huge fright.

0:21 – My guns continue to be useless against this warship, and as I try to do another strafing run, I end up hitting the mast, and going down in flames.

0:22 - I launch another Raiden, since it seemed to work for me last time.

0:24 - I sink the ship with ease.

0:25 – While trying to sink the last ship, I end up doing an accidental Kamikaze attack, as I hit the ship, and sink it… And myself.

0:26 - Having (successfully?) completed the training, I am back at the starting screen. This time, I chose to play the Japanese campaign, since its the first one in the list.

0:27 - Some more archive footage, with some information about the attack on Pearl Harbour.

0:28 - I get to see which planes will be available for the mission, and get to chose the difficulty level. I chose rookie, based on the number of times I was killed by stationary targets during training. If the targets in this mission actually decide to shoot back, I will be in real trouble!

0:29 - A cut scene starts. I see a Japanese airman walking through a garden, and a butterfly flies past, it seems very serene.

0:30 - I watch what looks like an amphibious attack onto an unidentified beach, its a full on battle scene with soldiers running, tanks, ships using their cannons, and buildings blowing up.

0:31 - I now see inside a hanger, as planes get ready for take off. I see them launch and do a strafing run against an aircraft carrier.

0:34 - The cut scene lasts for another three minutes, setting the stage nicely, and really adding to the atmosphere of the game, although after  a while, it seems a bit too long. Finally, I see the Japanese flag, and a loading message.

0:35 - Another cut scene, this one done in grainy looking style, that suits the setting and era of the game. A voice over with a heavy Japanese accent explains about the attack o Pearl Harbour. A nice way to see the attack from a point of view I have not been exposed to before.

0:37 - The cut cene continues, displaying the area and the Japanese air force approaching.

0:38 - With a shout of “Tora, tora, tora!” I finally get control of an A6M Zero. The guy with the Japanese accent from te previous cut scene seems to be my commander.

0:39 - I am surprised to hear an American accent from the radio, but then realise that we are listening to the radio chatter of the target… Another nice way of placing the player into the action.

0:41 - For some strange reason, I get a reminder of how the controls work, just as I get close to my targets: A couple of flying fortresses still on the ground. Apparently I have to take them out before they have a chance to take off.

0:42 - In my eagerness to take out the American machines of death, I end up flying to close to the ground, turning my plane into a fireball when I try to turn. I quickly switch to another one of the planes.

0:43 - I blow up a Catalina (water plane) still sitting in the water.

0:44 - This is one of the moments, I really wish I could have captured: I get very close to another Catalina, and keep firing at it as I get closer. Just before I impact into it, it blows up, and I fly through the fire, smoke and debris, emerging uscatched.

0:46 – My joy is short lived, as I manage to blow myself up once again.

0:47 - My new plane seems to be flying very high, nd as I get closer to the ground, I forget to cut the speed… Next!

0:49 - I somehow manage to end up in a stall, and pull out of it, by running my engine at maximum.

0:50 - I fly around a bit, trying to find more targets.

0:52 - I blow up a truck on the ground, and then hit the burning wreckage…

0:53 - The plane I switch to seem to have already been in a dive, and I fail to pull out of it in time… My quickest death yet!

0:55 - I manage to blow up another plane on the ground!

0:56 – I hit another plane multiple times. Its on fire, but apparently not destroyed yet?

0:57 - I see the I have one plane left, and go in search of it.

0:58 - I see that the last one is a Warhawk, and I blow it up with an entirely unaccustomed ease.

0:59 - I am told that I should land the planes, now that this first part of the mission is over. I promptly do so.

1:00 - The scene fades, informing me that i have reached a checkpoint. Perfect timing!

Conclusion: I think that this game is very good at creating atmosphere, making the player feel like he was really on the battlefield in World War II. The graphics are attractive, and work well with the game. I think it would reward sutained play. I found the planes unresponsive and hard to fly, but this might have been a nod t realism.

Will I play it longer than an hour? No… I suck way too much.

This is my first attempt at a review, so you can expect some teething troubles. I would appreciate it if you let me know how I can make them better in the future.

The first one seems to have been fated, since I won this game in a contest at EuroGamer, so I got the full game for free, as well as a month of gaming time.

One method I already know could make this better is including some screenshots. I tried, but for some reason, my copy of GameCam decided not to co-operate in that department, althought it was happy to record video, so at least there is something to break the wall of text awaiting you.

So, without further ado, let me introduce you to:

My First Hour in Lord of the Rings Online

00:01 After chosing the language, “reading“ the EULA, and deciding that I do actually want to use DirectX 10, I finally get to see Gandalf as he pontificates on the current troubles in middle Earth.

00:03 Using Magic beyond the ken of mortal man (or possibly just dramatic editing), we get to see a quartet of Middle Earth Heroes defeat a bunch of Orks… Of course, the full set is here: Man, Elf, Hobbit and Dwarf.

00:05 I now get to see an advert telling me that I can rename my character or kinship… It seems a bit pointless at this stage, since I do not have any characters, and I am not even sure what they mean by „A Kinship“?

00:06 Finally, we get into character creation… Not too many options, standard race and class selection, pretty much what I expected. I decide to play a man Guardian from Bree-land, and name him “Horth”. I let the system pick a random face for me, and decide that the end result actually looks pretty good.

00:08 A loading screen, with a short cut scene to inform me that I have been waylaid by bandits, even before I start…

00:10 Finally, I begin. I am in jail, and the helpful tutorial tells me to speak to Amdir, the only other prisoner. He hits me with an info-dump, full of names of people that I have never heard of before…. Is he really expecting somebody with a severe concussion to remember all this?

He does have a cunning escape plan, and tells me that I will need to get some weapons, even though my jailers have been kind enough to leave me with a club and shield.

00:11 Amdir’s brilliant plan seems to consist of calling the guard, and hitting him when he opens the door. Much to my surprise, this works.

00:12 I try to search the remains of the guard, and discover that he has been left completelly unarmed, while guarding a pair of dangerous prisoners.

In a nearby crate, I do find a hatchet and shield… If only the guard had thought to look in there, he probably would not be lying dead at my feet right now. But then again, he did fall for the oldest trick in the book, so he obivously was not chosen for his intelligence.

00:13 I earned my first title, and from this moment hence, I shall be known as „Horth of Bree-Land“

00:14 Once again, I seek Amdir’s guidance, and he informs me of the fact that I will have to kill some more ruffians in order to save the hobbits that he was travelling with.

00:16 I run into two stout fellows chatting by the fire, and dispatch them without further ado, on searching them, I don’t find much, just some rotting dagger and sword sheaths. Obivously, these poor souls have been forced into a life of crime due to their crushing poverty.

One of them is carrying a tin token, and I get and offer asking if I want to bind myself to it when I pick it up… Apparently there are places I can trade them in for gifts… Sounds a bit like some demented Middle Earth Gameshow, but I keep it anyway.

00:18 Found another ruffian sitting by the fire, interrupted his repose with my sword, he soon joined his fellows in whatever afterlife scum such as them deserve.

Only now do I actually notice the skills bar at the bottom of the screen, where my special abilities are kept. Apparently I have Guardian Ward, Shiled Block and Sting at the moment. They will surely make my combats even easier from now on.

00:19 I come to a locked door, behind which I can see more prisoners, alas the steel of the locks is far to tough for my hatchet, and I am forced to leave them there.

The Locked door

00:20 I find the last ruffian, tormenting a hobbit. Heroically chopping the tormentor into tiny pieces using my newly discovered skills, I loot the corpse, further enlarging my rotted shath collection.

00:21 I am now supposed to speak to Caroline Brandibuck, and when I try to do so, I get the message that I am too far away, despite the fact that I am standing a couple of meters away from her. Figuring the old hobbit must be hard of hearing, I take a couple of steps towards her, and make sure that I speak clearly and loudly.

She proceeds to tell me that we will have to rescue her travelling companion: Mundo Sackville-Baggins, and she creates a distraction by throwing a burnning torch onto the thatched roof of a neraby building. I did not expect to be dealing with such a pyromaniac.

00:22 The distraction seems to work, and we soon find Mundo, who seems less than grateful for his rescue “What took you so long” indeed… Next time I might just ignore his pleas for help.

00:23 I get my first taste of radiance, an effect that could affect me either positivelly ofr negativelly, depending on whether it is good or evil… This one is definitelly evil. As I follow my companions on a mad dash to find out what’s going on, everything turns into black and white, and adds a tunnel effect to my vision… Its actually nicelly atmospheric.

Through the bars on anearby cage, I get to watch as a dark rider menaces Amdir, and demands that he gets the “Baggins”… I guess they got the wrong guy for him.

Its really a bit like a cut scene, except that I can move around to get a better view.

00:24 Amdir manages to defeat the Dark rider by setting the whole encampment on fire, and has the time to tell me to move on, before expiring, non-dramatically.

00:25 Caroline runs up to him… And after asking her, it turns out that he is just wounded, and we need to get him to a town, so that he can be treated.

00:26 I chose the Finish now option, and the tutorial ends.

00:27 Another loading screen with a cut scene, I get the chance to see the village I am headed to fight of some brigands.

00:28 I start talking to the woman by the gate with a halo around her head (yes, I know its supposed to be a ring, but it looks like a halo to me). She explains that Amdir is badly wounded, and is resting behind a house nearby.

Once I talk to him, I will get to chose my reward, either gloves of threadbare cloth, or ragged leather… They are too generous! I set off on my new quest.

00:30 Found some training dummies, and realised just how tough they are, with over 2000 health points each. I try taking a couple of swings at them, to discover that they are more nimble than the bandits I fought earlier, since most of my strikes at them seem to miss.

00:31 I walk past a row of various types of smiths hawking their wares.

00:32 I see some refugees, and some soldiers training… The NPCs wandering around do give a nice feeling of a living world

00:33 My chat window notifies me that Fealathir has defeated a growling dusk wolf, glad to see I am not the only person around here carrying on the good fight.

00:35 I wonder out of the town gates

00:36 I spot one of the aforementioned duskwolves, and not wiching to spend my time dealing with the wildlife, I head back into the village

00:38 I find Amdir, just afew steps from where I started my exploration of the town. I never did have a good sense of direction, and this seems to carry through to virtual words as well.

He informs me that I will need to warn captain Brackenbrook that his village is about to be berayed, and sends me to find him at the Mad Badger inn.

00:39 The mad badger inn turns out to be right next to where Amdir is lying… He could have asked one of the hobbits tending him to quickly run in, rather tahn waiting for me, but I guess that Amdir just does not really trust hobbits or something like that.

The Mad Badger Inn

00:40 The inn is a bit of a dump, and appears to have been turned into a training area. Captain Brackenbrook stands around, watching his men train.

00:41 The Captain receives the news with poor grace, and I get to go back outside to relay his responses to Amdir, really starting to feel like a messanger about now.

00:42 Amdir sends me train my skills. Tempting me with fried mushrooms if I do so. He really knows how to motivate honourable warriors such as myself!

00:43 On my way to the trainer, I spot a fellow warrior talking to Amdir, glad to see that I am not his only gofer around here.

00:44 I find the guradian trainer, looking haughty as she stands at center of the steps to a building… Apparently to prove my skill I will have to use a sweeping cut on a dummy.

00:45 I dutifully wander off, and attack the nearest dummy, trying to figure out how to do a sweeping cut, to no avail.

00:47 I wander back to my mentor, with a hard heart, ready to admit my failure in this simple task.

00:48 While talking to my mentor, I notice an option I did not notice before, Train skills! It appears I have to buy the skill first, and I do so, using the money I looted of the bandits bodies earlier in the day, the coins still slick with their blood.

So, this is how you are supposed to get skills!

00:49 I go back to the dummies, and picking the smallest and least threatening one, I attack it with all my might, finally hitting it with a sweeping cut! The cut also seems to go through the couple of dummies behind my chosen target.

Die Dummy, Die!

00:50 As I walk back, probably in order to express his happiness at his newfound prowess, Horth does a sweeping cut while walking, with absolutelly no prompting from my part… Lucky nobody was standing in front of him.

“I was cleaning my hatchet, and it just went off! Honest!”

Random Swipe

00:51 After bragging of my great success to my newfound mentor, I decide to stop at one of the many smiths in this street, and buy myself a wornd hand axe.

00:53 Getting back to Amdir, I get to collect my fried mushrooms, and Amdir explains to me the importance of eating… I wondered how Horth managed to survive this long without learning that already… But apparently, you can get many benefits from food. They seem to act like potions in many other FRPGs, although food fits better with Middle Earth setting.

00:54 I get another quest from Amdir, apparently his friend Dirk Mudbrick, has been having some problems with wolves, and rather than building a fence to protect his sheep, Amdir seems to think that I shoul rather go and help him… Wil get the title Horth Sheep-Defender, after this, I wonder?

00:55 Caroline apparently also wants my attention… It seems that Amdir has been putting on a brave face, and actualy needs the leaves from a plant growing around Bronwen’s folly… So, not only do I have to go and hunt endagared species, I have to interfere with the local flora as well… Horth is turning into a walking ecological disaster already! Who needs Sauron?

00:56 I walk past some standing stones on my way to the farm. I am sure they serve some sort of function.

00:57 Dirk tells me of his canine troubles, and informs me of several places I can find wolves. One of them is Bronwen’s folly, and since I needed to go there anyway, I head in that direction.

00:58 I find a wolf… Its not really very tough, despite the fact that it seems completelly unafraid of humans, letting me get close enough to strike it without reacting in any way.

00: 59 Those wolves do not have much of a pack instinct, do they? I attacked a wolf, while another one stands a couple of meters away from me and watched… Until I hack into it as well.

No Pack Instinct Here

01:00 More wolves to kill… I am turning into a butcher of the local wildlife.

What Have I Become?

Conclusion: I found myself really enjoying this game, the graphics are pretty, although non-remarkable, and the quests are just challenging enough to be fun. The server I was on is a bit sparse in terms of population, but I tend to solo a lot anyway.

Will I play it past this: Yes, definitelly… Still not sure if I will continue the subscription once the month is up, though.