We recall the main games of February 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015.
You read “What We Played” – a section where every month we recall the most vivid games that were released this month 5, 10, 15 and 20 years ago. And it just so happened that in the February release, four actions were gathered at once. One is steampunk, the other is retro, the third is in a fantastic setting, and the fourth is a zombie horror. Which one do you remember more?
5 years ago – The Order: 1886 (February 20, 2015)
Another thing is that as a game of The Order, there were not enough stars from the sky. It took only five to eight hours to complete, with one half of that time being occupied by cutscenes and the other by simple linear skirmishes. Developers from Ready at dawn clearly more interested in the plot and the universe of the game than its gameplay filling. And therefore from The Order: 1886 came not so much action as an interactive film. Spectacular and convincing – but very indifferent to the player.
If you have been playing games for a long time, then at the very least, you will be impressed by the art direction, design of costumes, objects and surroundings. “Order” is the case when the stunning performance of non-game elements changes the impression that the gameplay devoid of innovation leaves in itself. Now he is “just” not annoying.
10 years ago – BioShock 2 (February 9, 2010)
In terms of plot, the second part really justified many public worries. The quality of the script did not reach the original, the characters came out flat, and they didn’t say anything new about the universe. Fans did not wait for unexpected turns that caused so many genuine emotions in the first part. But there is a silver lining: what BioShock 2 exactly surpassed its predecessor, so it is in terms of gameplay. Firstly, the main character was made Big Daddy – that giant boss with a drill on one of his hands. Secondly, 2K Marin retained as much as possible all the mechanics and balance of the original, but cleaned up the flaws from there and slightly increased the complexity. Exploits became less, levels, on the contrary, increased. And the main character learned to use weapons and plasmids at the same time.
If we ignore the first part, then BioShock 2 is just a worthy shooter with deeply developed mechanics, an entertaining setting and not such a bad scenario. Come out as an independent project, critics would definitely carry it in their hands. But the second part had to reckon with the exaggerated expectations of the fans – and many of them did not materialize.
BioShock 2 is still an amazing, richly designed and generously decorated game. She will certainly enter the textbooks as a selfless attempt to make a sequel to a work that did not require a direct continuation. Its authors probably had a chance to work out more elegant, inventive, smarter, finally! But its fundamental concept, its DNA, consists of solid granite – it will not withstand it.
15 years ago – Star Wars: Republic Commando (February 28, 2005)
But in fairness, I must say that the picture was gorgeous, the battles were spectacular and brutal, and even tactical mechanics worked well. And most importantly, the scriptwriters revealed each clone from a human point of view, endowing the attack aircraft with different characters and the past. Of course, not all fans of the universe liked the idea of turning Star Wars into a regular action game about paratroopers. But the game came out worthy – and received appropriate recognition. So much so that players are still asking developers to release a remaster.
Republic Commando is a fine adrenaline rush action. Bright, straightforward and swift – just like any Hollywood blockbuster. If you are ready to close your eyes to the Star Wars console first, get a weekend full of simple testosterone fun. If “Star Wars” is not an empty phrase for you, it’s better to launch Half-Life 2 a second time. Nerve cells, rightly speaking, are not restored.
20 years ago – Resident Evil – Code: Veronica (February 3, 2000)
Although she had something to brag about. This is the first part of a series with full 3D levels, not just static backdrops. In the story, Claire Redfield is trying to infiltrate the Umbrella Corporation to find out where her brother disappeared. But the girl is caught and sent to a huge private prison on the mysterious island of Rockfort. Fortunately, she does not have to sit there for long. Soon, a bomb is dropped on the island, the prisoners turn into zombies, and Chris himself arrives to help, and that mess begins.
After the previous chamber parts, the story of Code: Veronica has unfolded to almost Hollywood proportions – and not all fans have approved it. Although the prerequisites for Resident Evil 4 can be seen in such changes, it was she who, five years later, finally transferred the series to the genre of spectacular action films. And only the seventh part, released in 2017, returned the franchise to its origins.
This is where our retrospective comes to an end. And what did you play in February five, ten, fifteen, and twenty years ago? Be sure to tell in the comments.
