Windows

Requiem: Avenging Angel

Overall, Requiem is the best FPS (First Person Shooter) that has been released so far this year. Personally, I don't know how any other FPS this year is going to compare to it because it is just such a complete game and it has a whole new fresh outlook for a FPS game that is something I and many others have been waiting for.

Requiem stoot Half-Life niet van de koninklijke troon maar komt een heel eind. Requiem valt op door zijn bijbelse karakter, afwisselende en angstaanjagende settings en natuurlijk de wraakengel Malachi. De verhaallijn en de Angelic Powers maken dit schietfeest compleet. Een goddelijke game oftwel Deum Agnosis Ex Operibus Ejus!

If the EEC passed a bizarre law requiring all videogames to have incredibly accurate titles, Requiem would probably have to be rechristened The Weird, Holy 'Quake-a-Like' That's Not As Good As Half-Life But Is A Damn Fine Chunk Of Entertainment In Its Own Right Nevertheless. Not that that would fit on the box. Anyway, if you're tired of waiting for Kingpin (reviewed on page 76) and you fancy a bit of Half Life-style fun, give it a spin in your CD drive. And who knows, maybe all that angelic goodness will rub off on you, and you'll stop spending so much time looking at filth on the Internet. No - thought not.

Within the first five minutes of playing this game I knew I was in for some long nights and unproductive days at work. Requiem has to be one of the better first-person shooters that I have played. The graphics “wowed” me and the storyline was simply engrossing. I actually wanted to finish the game so I could see the ending (not many games make me feel that way). The only reasons that I can give for not giving it a better score were the glitches with the graphics and poor multiplayer play. I was not impressed with the ending and I think the game was far too short. I was left sitting in my chair in disbelief that it had ended. Maybe if I pray tonight the Fallen will send some more minions down to try again ... or maybe I'd better pray for world peace instead. We’ll see how I feel when I go to bed.

Besonders gut gelungen sind den Entwicklern die Engelskräfte, die für deutlich mehr Abwechslung und Spieltiefe sorgen als manch ausgefeiltes Waffenarsenal. Kombiniert mit den aufwendigen Massenkämpfen (endlich mal wieder) geht in dem jenseitigen Ballerspektakel gut die Post ab. Ein dicker Pluspunkt ist die Story. Die kann sogar mit der aus Half-Life mithalten, wenn die Handlung dort auch viel cleverer erzählt wird. Sehr gemischte Gefühle hinterläßt die Grafik. Stellenweise sieht Requiem großartig aus, besonders die Texturen in »jenseitigen « Umgebungen sind umwerfend. Dafür hätte ich einige Orte auf der Erde ohne Erklärung gar nicht erkannt – ein Krankenhaus besteht doch nicht nur aus farblosen Betonklötzen! Ähnlich zwiespältig wirken die Gegner. Die sind fein animiert, aber langfristig viel zu eintönig. Alles in allem: Requiem sorgt für frischen Wind im Genre und für eine Menge Spielspaß – ein echtes Highlight ist es nicht.

As a solo game, Requiem has heavenly moments (like watching guards twitch and scream as the locusts descend upon them), and a hellish side as well (like the garish cut-scenes). But it's a blast in multiplayer mode--especially if you're turning a buddy into a pillar of salt. As new skins are created for the angels to inhabit, the game should get increasingly popular. However, 3D card conflicts clipped Requiem's wings. Before I swapped my ATI Rage Pro for a Voodoo3, the game crashed or locked up on almost every level. But put that all aside and forgive-because if you've ever been a fan of Quake II or SiN, Requiem's got the wings to fly with you.

Overall, Requiem is a very entertaining action shooter. There are a few things that make it stand out from the crowd, but most of the game has been done before. Requiem does do its job well, and if you're a shooter fan this game is well worth your time. This game wasn't just thrown together to make a buck, it has a good story, excellent graphics engine, decent AI, and gameplay that is just different enough from everything else to be worthwhile on its own. Bottom Line: Good story, very nice graphics engine, plenty of action. Just enough stealth involved to make the game slightly different than most other action shooters. The AI is good, and most of the environments are quite well crafted. The weapons are fairly standard, but the introduction of both offensive and defensive powers is very nice.

While those mainly after multiplayer action will be disappointed, Requiem is the best single player first person shooter since Half-Life. It's intensely involving, has an awesome storyline and great missions, and the most innovative and interesting character abilities ever seen in a first person shooter. A few minor disappointments may rear their heads from time to time, but for fans of hardcore action Requiem is almost a godsend.

Dennoch gehört Requiem für mich derzeit zu den bemerkenswertesten Shootern, da aus den Zutaten ein ausgesprochen bekömmliches Action-Süppchen entstanden ist. Speziell in den späteren Abschnitten geht es dermaßen zur Sache, daß man eigentlich ein Kühlgerät für seine Maus bräuchte. Da es angesichts manch' zäher Bösewichte und einem beängstigend rasch fließenden Nachschub an Feinden nötig ist, situationsabhängig zur richtigen Knarre oder dem passenden Zauber zu greifen, kommt auch Ihr Großhirn ab und zu zum Zuge. Freunde geruhsamer Knobeleien sollten jedoch lieber zu einem Spiel mit niedrigerem Metzel-Faktor greifen.

Bref, sans arriver au niveau de pointures comme Hal-Life, Requiem reste un très bon "first-person shooter", qui ravira les amateurs du genre. Graphismes très corrects, ambiance angoissante, et de nombreux ennemis à tuer, tout est là...

Het zo langverwachte Requiem is niet meer geworden dan een matige shoot 'em up die niet eens in de buurt komt van de toppers van het genre. Op elk vlak valt jammer genoeg wel wat aan te merken. Enkel de magische spreuken geven het spel nog dat vleugje originaliteit waardoor het zich nog enigszins verheft boven de grijze middelmaat.

Requiem is a good, solid, traditional 3D shooter with a interesting premise that has never quite been done before. The low system requirements and good action make it a fun, if somewhat short diversion for those not on the cutting edge of technology. For everyone else, it's a good way to pass the time until Aliens vs. Predator, Descent 3, and Duke Nukem: Forever come out. Unfortunately, Requiem doesn't really do anything revolutionary at a core gameplay level, aside from a few really cool angelic powers. The twisted Biblical premise just isn't quite enough to qualify (though killing the pagans is a blast).

Overall, this game is a fine shooter. Its supposedly gripping plot is merely adequate. The game is pretty linear, but then most shooters are. The pacing and story aren't as good as Half-Life's, but the character interaction and angelic powers elevate the game beyond many other shooters. Then again, Requiem also could have benefited from an integrated search for open Internet multiplayer games in progress. It's a feature that shooters typically haven't had, but Half-Life, which raised the bar in so many ways, had it. Requiem isn't a game that will duplicate Half-Life's critical success and compel all forms of gamers to play it, but for shooter fans, Cyclone's game of fallen angels is fairly well-crafted, albeit typical.

Så vad finns då kvar? På ytan, ingenting. Men vi bör ändå uppmärksamma att spelet i alla fall använder sig av sin egen teknologi. Och det är en ganska bra teknologi, dessutom.

All said, Requiem is a fairly fun yet prosaic shooter that has some neat effects, but it's not destined to become a classic. Those of you searching for a good multiplay experience should look elsewhere, but if you're into single player shooters then Requiem will offer up enough action to keep you busy for a while.

Technically, Requiem isn't up to the standards of Half-Life or Aliens Versus Predator, but it's still a fun blast, and the powers add an extra element, especially in deathmatch. Most of the game's problems are cosmetic and could have been solved by a bit more attention to detail, but if you're simply looking for a shooter to tide you over until Quake III: Arena, you could do a lot worse than this.

I didn't much like Requiem. I’ve played so many better games, so why should I bother with Requiem? Everything about this game is tired; it has all been done before. I’m still looking for a first person shooter that deviates from the standard design of searching for keys or buttons. Maybe in the future there will be a multiplayer patch that will add some flare to Requiem, but until that happens, play something with a little more purity.