Alpha Prime – Cosmic suffering

Frankly, I’m not a cosmic lover. I was never pulled there, to the stars and distant planets, into the unknown depths of the cosmos. I like the design of spacecraft and the mysterious alien essence, without fanaticism, but still. All these panels with many bulbs, panoramic review, laser weapons, large -eyed humanoids (film E.T.) or, conversely, a formless something that is similar to oil (Prey, Venom), then to the sea inhabitants (Crysis, Film arrival). This attracts this primarily by its atmosphere, often frightening, chilling, but sometimes kind, according to family warm.

This time, I chose the game just with space theme, the first -person shooter – Alpha Prime. It was developed by the Czech studio Black Element Software for PC. The developers promised a complete immersion, and chic shooting with the Bullet Time effect, and physics for interacting with objects, and smart enemies. Not indifferent to shooters and space were supposed to jump with happiness. However, the audience retained the share of skepticism in relation to the game, since before that the studio had not developed anything large -scale. Her only game – Shade: Wrath of Angels, did not jump above her head, and even crashed about critics, despite an interesting setting. Alpha Prime was released in May 2007 on Steam. Critics did not appreciate the game, and now it has 59 points for Metacritic. User assessment in general coincides – 6.0. Let’s see that this is an underestimated masterpiece, a typical middle peasant or a complete passage in which there is nothing original.

Now the game costs 99 rubles, starts without problems in any resolution, does not fly out and does not lag. Russian is missing, but it doesn’t matter. The only thing is that there is no vertical synchronization in the settings. Without it, the picture is torn very strongly, because of which it becomes a little unpleasant to play. Can be turned on in the file Setting.CFG in the folder with the game, but then there is a strange delay when turning the camera. Forced inclusion through the panel NVIDIA it did not help me, so I played at all without Vsync.

The plot tie

Alpha Prime – This is the name of the asteroid, on which the field of the analogue of the oil was discovered – Hubbardia (Habbardium), perfect fuel for spacecraft. However, the radiation spoiled plans, and they turned the prey.

The game begins in a bar with a monologue of some alcoholic broadcasting to his nameless friend about living Glomara’s heart, which lives on an asteroid, or this is the asteroid itself. The camera then switches to the protagonist – Arnold Vaisa (Arnold Weiss), whom the former girl Libya persuades to save their common friend – Warren Reynolds (Warren Raynolds), which is stuck on an asteroid. Arnold tries to joke, issue irony, but in the results agree, and they fly to salvation.

Nothing can do without problems, since the ship on the approach is faced with the deposit. Do not ask how this could happen, there will be no answer. Moreover, it turns out that there were other people who died in a collision on the ship. We find a hammer, quickly get to the compartment with Libya, but the door is locked, but it cannot open it, it simply does not work.

The first shots inspired optimism

Note: This is only the beginning of the game, and I already fell out and could not seriously perceive what is happening. Firstly, a hammer as the first weapon. Yes, it’s fresh. The mount was occupied Valve, The fire ax was already flashing, the shovel in space seems to be not needed, a simple knife is corny, scissors are stupid. Oh, for sure, the hammer will be cool. And the most common, like everyone’s house. Everyone used it, so it will be easier for the player to associate himself with the main character. Secondly, we fly to a closed asteroid, to save a person, it is not clear from what or from whom. At the same time, without taking with you any weapons or tools, nothing at all. Thirdly (spoiler), the hero by the radio tells Libya that the door will open the door now with a hammer, in all seriousness. And she answers in all seriousness that he will not succeed, since there is a special protection. That is, any other metal door with a thickness of about 20 cm he could definitely open.

Libya says that we must fly on an asteroid without her. There is a capsule, just sit down and fly, no problems. So we fly away, having previously familiarize ourselves with the local “armless” system of interaction with small objects. The whole trifle that lies badly can be safely lifted and moved. Having reached the button, you can quit a little, but the throw power is so weak that this function becomes completely useless.

By landing, which is not shown to us, announces that the atmosphere here is generally unsuitable for ordinary people without special equipment, and the air will end soon. You can replenish it in special terminals, which, like therapeutic terminals, resemble those of Half-Life.

And this is a terminal for replenishing oxygen. The picture of the sound does not convey, but the annoying voice without stopping repeats that it is necessary to replenish oxygen.

Note: And our heroes are definitely adequate? We did not know whether the asteroid is suitable for being on it or our spacesuit with oxygen reserves remained locked on the ship. How the oxygen replenishment system works, we just breathe in a tube or a cylinder? But if there is, then where, because the hero in a simple tight -fitting suit without a single hint of a helmet or a respiratory mask. Such little things strongly spoil the impression of the game in the early stages.

Next, we go to the station where oxygen no longer needs to be replenished. There we find a gun and cope with a couple of miners and robots who attack both each other and us. Why this happens incomprehensible, because people here look adequate. They are not beaten, not distorted, nothing. The weapons are kept quite confidently and the squirrel in the eye falls by one or two.

The first meeting with the inhabitants of the asteroid. “Stop, without a mask and shoe covers is prohibited”

In the course of the plot, we meet with several characters, namely, with four, for the most part, communicating with a walkie -talkie. The main acting characters:

– Arnold Weiss (Arnold Weiss), the main character and all, no more information. It looks like Bruce Willis retired.

– Libya (Livia), without surname and other data. The former girl of the protagonist, like the current girl Warren Reynolds, whom we fly to save. The developers made the face not attractive, although in the image she is such a seducer.

– Paolo Bellini (Paolo Bellini), Italian, a member of some kind of association there, and in fact the most ordinary coward. Constantly chatting on a mixture of Italian and English, but does not pull the Italian, there is no charisma.

– Warren Reynolds, Our friend and guy Libya. https://playmillion-casino.co.uk/ Stuck on an asteroid after its closure. It feels like the prey was turned off as the TV was turned off, so it stayed there. Present in the game to give out a couple of monologues and end.

– Bruce Lawrence (Bruce Lawrense), another employee of the Khabbardiya Production Company who was stuck on an asteroid. Talks with a characteristic accent and the use of typical phrases. YOU, brother. (He is a black guy).

– Olivier (Olivier), commander of the mercenaries who arrived behind the heart of Glomar, which they want to use to develop Hubbardia.

The whole essence of the plot can be described in one small paragraph. There is a good guy – this is Arnold. He flew to the rescue, but fell into an unforeseen situation and now understands what’s what, although there is a feeling that he is already tired and wants to dump from an asteroid. The rest of the characters serve to open the doors, say where we go and who is really bad here. Everyone throws each other, forcing the hero to doubt. Who can be trusted and who is not? I did not have such a problem, since they do not give a choice, the characters do not warm interest, the dialogs are long and stupid. Absolutely everyone appears as a hacker that opens the doors, encrypts signals or information and organizes surveillance. Only the main character is not from this party, about which he tells everyone, constantly repeating “I am not a hacker”. There are also bad guys led by Olivier who want to find and take the heart of Glomar. Additional materials and quests in the game are absent.

A wonderful intro in a bar with the best dialogue that I heard. Bar, by the way, without a bartender. Sounds on the background, as if in the hall, a whole crowd, and somewhere in the intervals a characteristic creak of sneakers on linoleum or parquet is heard. But the budget was not enough not only for this, but also on the face of Libya.

Gameplay

In fact, this is an ordinary first -person corridor shooter in the scenery of the space station. The shooting here is average. Only hit the enemy enemies. One or two shots in the head is enough for an ordinary enemy, and the weapon behaves approximately as planned. The game has a Bullet-Time effect, which is made in the manner of the first f.E.A.P., But you can use it only if there are reserves of processed Hubbardy, which the hero apparently injects to himself, since the device looks like a syringe. When you press the desired button, everything is blurred a little, the screen blushes and we run to kill enemies. There is just a big problem with them in the game, which is called the lack of diversity and artificial intelligence. Only three and a half types of opponents: people, humanoid robots, robopauki and something similar to flying webcams with guns. There are still more turrets and spiders, but they are found only twice, so you should not pay attention to them. Although people are divided into three types, they behave the same. The workers who are crazy, security guards and mercenaries of the company. The latter are also three-blue with machine guns, red with shotguns and red-black with flamethrower. With the first two more or less clear. Shoot from what is, but it is better to keep flamethrowers at a distance, otherwise they will be fried. There are two types of humanoid robots, but I did not find differences except the appearance. Some in places are similar to droids from Star Wars. Walk with machine guns. Robopauki have a built -in machine gun, so it is better to shoot them at a distance from the shelter, if there is something. There are no other creatures in the game. There is a final boss, but this is a separate story.

So here the Bullet-Time effect looks like here

Artificial intelligence is a small set of scripts that work when the player appears. Opponents are manually placed in strictly defined places and act only in a certain way. If the shootout has begun, then they will take a position and will periodically get out of the shelter to pour us with lead. The corridors and spaces are generally narrow, so the speeches of the hero somehow bypassed. If there are more enemies than two, and we shoot because of the shelter somewhere at a narrow gap, then enemies will run in a circle until one of them takes a clear position. We release one or two cartridges, if we are talking about robots, and we are waiting. One runs away, the second is his position. We shoot like this until a pile of metal is formed at one point. Sometimes opponents are too sharp. Either shoot, then begin to run away so that the heels sparkle. In general, shooting their labor is not.

Well, a bunch of mala, boys?

Difficulty in another. I played at a high level of complexity, which I later regretted. Cartridges and first -aid kits in the game are catastrophically small. They are scattered by manually, there is no talk of generating. Almost does not fall from the enemies of cartridges. From one can fall from 4 to 8 rounds for a pistol, machine gun or shotgun. And there are more opponents themselves and they shoot painful. You can’t stand in the open space, kill in seconds, approach or sneak up to one or two, but you won’t kill them right away. Stealth Mechanic or some secretive blow with a hammer is not here. In a situation where you are with a shotgun at a middle distance and an enemy or two with shotgun here is often here, and it is very difficult to go out the winner. You have to boot very often, the benefit of you can do this anywhere anywhere. The level of health was the entire game from 1 to 40%, there is almost no Hubbardium. More health is rare, and 100% only at the beginning of the game and closer to the last third (that is, twice, and not two large segments).

In fact, this is the beginning of the game. Health 49%, cartridges in shotgun 14. From such a distance, it is necessary to plant 4 rounds in one robot, but here it was lucky, a rare barrel saved both life and supplies.

As a result, such a forced tactical shooter is obtained. You go into a new room or location, remember the location and number of enemies, die. You can hack cameras using single -blood -breed mechanics and look like this, but it helps a little, because in most cases you are still shooting out. The average game in the second half is 4-8 rounds in two types of weapons, 15-20% of health without the ability to replenish at least something and the lack of a slowdown in time. 3-4 enemy on the room and the probability of appearing a couple over the corner. The hammer serves to beat nails, so it is useless. The opponents are very well -aimed, and if they find, then leave or not leave the room with a sliding door, as you come again, you will get in the forehead before you see the enemy.

Look, he is surprised. Of course, I loaded 10 times on this room

I missed an important part – weapons. Only 6 types of guns, fragmentation grenades and a useless hammer, which can only be beautifully broken glass, physics, after all, Physx in all its glory.

– Gun. We find at the beginning of the game, shoot before the appearance of another weapon. Since the cartridges are rare, and only fall from opponents with a gun, in the middle of the game it is not used at all. Although the gun is powerful and at the near-medium distances is perfect. One or two cartridge on an ordinary enemy. 10 rounds in a clip.

– Shotgun. At the near distance it kills from one shot, the average will need 3-4 shots, and there is little meaning for the distant meaning. There are situations when the rest of the rest is at zero, but there are 32 cartridges in a shotgun and as a specialty a room with distant distances or ups. 8 rounds in a clip.

– Gatling (essentially an automaton). If you shoot in the head, then a couple of rounds and ready. In the body 6-8 rounds. Sometimes you have to shoot like this if the enemy is not visible, but you can’t go out in any way. 28 rounds in the clip.

– Sniper rifle. At long distances is certainly good, but there are few completely distant ones, and there are rarely more cartridges more than 5. It is better to use it on spiders, although you have to plant 3 rounds. 5 rounds in a clip.

– Rocket launcher. Flies far, looking high. It seems that you need to shoot under the feet so that the impact is higher, but no, the direct hit is important. It is sometimes incomprehensible whether I got the enemy or not if the distance is distant. Easy to get on itself if you shoot from shelter. There is little meaning in narrow corridors. Ammunition rarely exceeds 2 units. 1 cartridge in a clip.

– Flamethrower. In fact useless. Hits at a very close distance. While you fry the enemy, it is not at all visible and incomprehensible whether he died or not, only by sounds. Ammunition is spent quickly, there is little efficiency. It looks like robots. Napalma is 300 units, but they end in seconds.

– Grenades. Thanks to memorizing each room, they become useful, but only at the beginning of the battle, if the enemy has not yet noticed, or to smoke. They run away from grenades, they very deftly, and sometimes the grenade does not take under the feet.

The description of the weapon corresponds to the icons from above-down

In addition to the shooting and memorization of locations, it is possible to connect to the cameras to see where the opponents are and how many of them are, in rare cases, to manage loaders and in even more rare turrets. No mini-game or riddles need to be solved. One button and ready. Real Mamkin Hacker. Closer to the end of the game will be allowed to ride bugges, but this is not enough pleasure. The machine is very sharp, accelerates quickly, but the irregularities of the road and a lot of turns will be quickly sent to the ditch. The car does not have any weapons, if they shoot at us, then life is spent by the main character, and the local physics does not allow to knock down at full speed.

They wanted Halo, but it turned out as always.

Physics

Interaction with objects as in Half-life2, in the sense that the hero’s hands are not visible. And so all, she is not here. Take the hatch out of the ventilation, insert a battery, open a closet or a box, suddenly there are cartridges. Usually all these things are interfered under the feet so hard that it is difficult to get around or jump. You have to take them, put aside, take it again, put off again. The hero itself rolls from inclined surfaces. Jump from the box to the box that stand close, this is a real challenge. Jumped just over half a meter-minus 20-30% of health. You try to jump through the window through standard Ctrl+Space, it is not accepted here. Better go around. The enemy lies in an unnatural pose or as if in his hands was a weapon, but as if not, it is normal here. The shotgun soars in the air, and not in the hands of the enemy – excellent. But when fired, the sleeves fall and roll on the floor and the pumps are pumped when replenishing the supply of oxygen. The cartridges are shot through the lattices, but the grenades do not sink there, as well as the ammunition of the rocket launcher. At the beginning of the game there is a small room with basketballs. You can try to abandon the ring. I was interested, but the first bounced ball killed the hero. I repeated with the same result. Just look video:

Look as I can. And he did not fall after the shot, no. So the poor were put up by the developers

Note: At the end of the game, I got stuck in one place, which was actually impossible to pass. Ammunition at zero, and enemies in open space, like me. The difficulty from the game cannot be changed, so I went to Settings.CFG, What if. It turned out to be impossible, but I found a line there Physx= 0, although there is no such parameter in the settings. Remembering the jamb with vsync I did not put a unit, but at least it became clear that the developers could not in physics.

And another video on the topic of physics. Power fields work here only in one direction:

Graphics and sound

The picture in the game for 2007 is generally not bad, but no more. Comparable to f.E.A.P. and quake4, although some excessive plane in the game is felt. Outdated animation and sluggish facial expressions exacerbate all this. Only a pistol, gatling and a rocket launcher are high -quality from weapons. The rest is very simple and flat, without a highlight. The levels are all monotonous, this is a space station, around silver metal, gratings, some boxes and cabinets around. I tried to make screenshots in different places to the maximum, as far as the game allowed, but even at the same time the monotony of the environment is striking. Some points are still pleasing. In some places, light sources are well located and objects are pleasantly discarding the shadow. The glasses on the windows are beaten in pieces, but then you stop paying attention to it. It turns out a one -time chip. The shooting effects are too intrusive and block the review if you shoot at aiming mode at the same level with the enemy. Sometimes point lighting sources are too bright and blind. When you need to shoot in such a situation, then anger rolls.

The flash is not particularly clear who shoots. Yes, and I don’t remember anymore.

The center is the final boss. See it? No? And I don’t see

Sound, he is in the game. The weapon shoots with a dull sound, it feels budget. Opponents constantly use only two phrases-Quickly, Go and Go-Go-Go. Moreover, this is more like non -stop spam, from which it begins to ring naturally in my ears. They die even with one sound, and even that unpleasant. Music could be good, if not for the same – the lack of diversity. Boiled electro-techno during battles and atmospheric, albeit simple, an emphanty in calm places of the game, pleased only at first. Then all this merged into a monotonous mass that was difficult to distinguish. A kind person loaded the entire soundtrack on YouTube, just listen. There are good impressions of the first listening:

The voice is flat here. Actors do not pull out, and do not try. The whole plot is built on radio communications between the main character and another character, but in their dialogs there are so many emptiness and meaninglessness, so many template phrases that if they miss them, then nothing will change.

Note: You probably noticed an abnormally high number of cartridges in the last screenshot. No, they are not given before the boss. I just took advantage of the cheats for ammunition. The reason is quite banal – I actually stuck at the end of the game without cartridges and lives. To replenish them, it was necessary to start long before this moment. And the game already managed to get bored, despite its short timing at 3-4 hours. I set an approximate value, as I was distracted by recording, for lunch and just many times passed the same location.

Result

Alpha Prime is a simple shooter whose sisters could be seen on store shelves in 2001-2004. There are no original mechanics in it, the AI ​​is harshly scribbled, and the plot is banal and bored. Dialogs are simple and without a highlight, and the actors do not play their characters. You associate yourself with the main character in only one moment – you want to quickly escape from here. The rest of those present are a simple filler. The monotony of opponents who cannot surprise, the constant lack of ammunition and health forces to learn the same locations that are already the same gray mass. There is an ending of the game, but just to finish. Does not catch anything, does not give turns, does not reveal the characters. I was only glad that it finally ended. And yet I enjoyed the first shootings and from music. I do not exclude that I play in a light difficulty, then there would be more fun, but it turned out as it turned out.

My assessment – 3 hammers of 10, clogging nails into a spacecraft sheathing.