Blood Wake release date? (1 Viewer)

[JustinT]

I got an "IOU Blood Wake" for Christmas, but am getting mixed info on when it will be released. I originally thought 12/26, but DVD Empire has it listed as 1/4 and Amazon has it listed as 12/28. Anybody know the exact date I can pick this up?

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

I was hoping for the 26th as well with no luck. Best Buy has it listed as the 27th but I heard that most places have it coming on Friday. So definately by Friday with a small chance of it coming...well today.

 

[Dan B]

I remember seeing it listed as the 28th also. Let us know how it is when you do find it.

-Dan B

 

[Jeff Peake]

Anyone manage to get Blood Wake yet???? How is it?

Jeff

 

[JustinT]

I've heard that most sources will be getting it today, but I'll believe it when I see it. I've got it preordered so I'll let you know how it is when I receive it.

 

[Peter Loan]

I just called my local Software Etc. and they do have it in stock. I'll be stopping by there later this afternoon to pick it up. Wow, am I getting a game earlier than Romier?!? AMAZING!

 

[Ryan Peter]

Peter, we need like a 10 minute review! Don't get sucked in and report to us tomorrow on how it is :p

 

[Romier S]

Wow, am I getting a game earlier than Romier?!? AMAZING!

GGRRRRRR!!!! ()
I cant help it if my stores break street dates!
Definitely write up a review Peter. I'm looking into getting Bloodwake and I would love to hear opinions on the game.

 

[Jeff Peake]

I picked up BloodWake tonight, have played it for about an hour. Here are my initial impressions.

I was hoping this game would feel very much like piloting a boat, it does not. When starting from a dead stop, the boat planes immediatley. Cornering doesnt feel like you are on water. Another gripe, the boats dont generate wake! There is a very small trail that rises straight up from the water behind the boat, but it doesnt continue outward like real wake. It doesnt look very good either, as the wake rises straight up out of the water, and not in a V pattern from behind the boat.

Some of the animations dont look right either. In the first mission, there is some equipment just out of the water on the beach that you can blow up. When it explodes, it leaves a watery crater all around it, even though it sits mostly on sand. It looks like the water just rises out of the sand, makes a few waves and goes away.....not real good.

At first I was not impressed with the sound, it is very muffled and the game music blocks it out. I disabled game music in the menu, and set EFFECTS to maximum level. This, combined with turning up the volume much higher than I normally need to, fixed the muffled audio. I was very happy with the bass generated by the rocket launher. My dual SVS 20-39's really lit up when blowing up enemies with rockets. Increasing the EFFECTS volume also made the water and boat sounds feel more enveloping. Overall, the audio is below average, but increasing EFFECTS volume and turning up the level past the 75db reference level (calibrated with Video Essentials) makes it passable.

The cut-scenes are done in pencil sketches. This dissappoints also. Cinematic style cut scenes would have looked great. I wonder if using sketches was done to get the game to market quicker??

Overall, I give the game a 7/10. The water looks very good, with the few exceptions noted above. In some missions, the water is a deep tropical-blue, in others it is cold and dark. The control of the boats doesnt feel real, and the missions (so far, i have only done the first 6 or so), are a bit repetitive.

I will update this review when I get further into the game, and have a chance to try out multiplayer.

Jeff

 

[Jeff Peake]

I picked up BloodWake tonight, have played it for about an hour. Here are my initial impressions.

I was hoping this game would feel very much like piloting a boat, it does not. When starting from a dead stop, the boat planes immediatley. Cornering doesnt feel like you are on water. Another gripe, the boats dont generate wake! There is a very small trail that rises straight up from the water behind the boat, but it doesnt continue outward like real wake. It doesnt look very good either, as the wake rises straight up out of the water, and not in a V pattern from behind the boat.

Some of the animations dont look right either. In the first mission, there is some equipment just out of the water on the beach that you can blow up. When it explodes, it leaves a watery crater all around it, even though it sits mostly on sand. It looks like the water just rises out of the sand, makes a few waves and goes away.....not real good.

At first I was not impressed with the sound, it is very muffled and the game music blocks it out. I disabled game music in the menu, and set EFFECTS to maximum level. This, combined with turning up the volume much higher than I normally need to, fixed the muffled audio. I was very happy with the bass generated by the rocket launher. My dual SVS 20-39's really lit up when blowing up enemies with rockets. Increasing the EFFECTS volume also made the water and boat sounds feel more enveloping. Overall, the audio is below average, but increasing EFFECTS volume and turning up the level past the 75db reference level (calibrated with Video Essentials) makes it passable.

The cut-scenes are done in pencil sketches. This dissappoints also. Cinematic style cut scenes would have looked great. I wonder if using sketches was done to get the game to market quicker??

Overall, I give the game a 7/10. The water looks very good, with the few exceptions noted above. In some missions, the water is a deep tropical-blue, in others it is cold and dark. The control of the boats doesnt feel real, and the missions (so far, i have only done the first 6 or so), are a bit repetitive.

I will update this review when I get further into the game, and have a chance to try out multiplayer.

Jeff

 

[Dan B]

*The Twilight Zone theme plays in my head...
Hey Jeff, your update sounds familiar.
-Dan B

 

[Bergan Peters]

What kind of multiplayer does this game have? I haven't heard much about it. Does it have Co-Op? Halo's Co-Op is the best, thing ever. Seriously, I wanted a game that harkens back to the days of Contra and Ikari warriors, Halo Co-Op IS that game.

 

[Jeff Peake]

There doesnt appear to be a coop mode, but I havent unlocked all the hidden options yet. Most of the multiplayer games are standard deathmatch variants.

 

[Ryan Peter]

Jeff, what happened to your update? You posted the same thing twice.

 

[Shawn O]

LOL,that's freaky.I thought that he just hit "Submit Reply" twice but they are actually several hours apart.

 

[Jeff Peake]

oops! I left my browser open to this page after posting the first review...must have hit refresh this morning and it got posted again!

I have played through the first 14 missions now, and have unlocked a few of the different boats. The new weapons are kind of cool. The torpedoes look very cool running just under the water. They leave a big crater when they collide with enemy boats.

More gripes:

Force Feedback - The game uses very little FF. Bouncing over heavy chop, you feel nothing. Firing your weapons does not trigger FF either. Some weapons are quite large and cause your boat to recoil, but no FF to go along with it. I liked the use of FF in Halo, when firing the big gun on the Warthog, you feel it....not so with Blood Wake. The only time any FF is present is when you get shot by enemy boats.

Controls - The left analog pad is used for steering, it is VERY sensitive. I wish it could be adjusted, as the default sensitivity is too high for my taste. Also, pushing down on the left stick puts your boat in reverse. This doesnt work so well, as you constantly hit reverse by accident when making sharp turns. You really dont need to use reverse that often in the game, so it would be nice if it was handled a little better.

I think I will be returning this game. All the missions are so similar, and there are only a few types of weapons. There just isnt alot going on in this game. Each mission is basically a deathmatch, with a few waypoints thrown in to make it feel like you are accomplishing something. After the eye candy gets old, I dont think I will play this game.

I will probably finish it tonight or tomorow, and will update again if anything else deserves comment.

I am updating my score to 6/10, as this game is getting old fast! Rent before you buy (or buy from someplace you can return).

Jeff

 

[Ryan Peter]

Can you tell us more about the multi-player? Is it fun? Did you try it out with a few people? Thanks! I'm also interested in Peter's opinion.

 

[Peter Loan]

Sorry guys, I've been occupied for the past couple of days and I haven't had much free time to play games. Well, after an hour or so of Blood Wake, I am rather unimpressed. I think Jeff's comments are pretty spot on. The water effects aren't all that special. Once in a while, your boat will get airborne when you get too close to your target when it blows up. The ship's wake doesn't factor into the gameplay.

The graphics and sound aren't that great on my HDTV and 5.1 system. As I was going through the menus and proceeding through the game, the game has a overall feeling of "cheapness". I don't know how quite to describe it. It feels like a second rate game through and through. As far as multiplayer goes, I haven't tried it yet, but I can't see it changing my opinion of the game. My advice is to pick it up when it hits the bargain bins! I think I will return it for Amped or PGR later in the week.

 

[Ryan Peter]

That's disappointing, thanks for the reviews guys.

 

[Derrik Draven]

Luckily, I didn't buy this semi-dud.
My girlfriend's son brought it over today and, I got to play it for about 3 hours. That was enough.
All the grips listed above are accurate. The water is a hard one to pin down when it comes to a yea or a nay. The surface texture is quite nice, the coloration is nice but, it doesn't seem to "move" quite as realistically as we'd expect from an XBox game. I mean, hell...I saw the demo for the Baldurs Gate game coming out on the PS2. The water effects in there easily compare to or, perhaps, surpass Blood Wake. I even thought ICO's water was a bit more impressive.
Doesnt' say much for a system that is vastly superior and, a game that relies totally on water for it's main ingredient.
There is no real attachment to the game. Nothing really draws you in. The story doesn't do much for me. It seems kind of just, tacked on for a "deeper" reason behind one similar mission after another. It's not like playing Thief, and having a real reason for a mission. Hard to explain, it just feels "shallow"...pun intended.
The voice acting seems to vary greatly. The female in the game does pretty good job but, the voice that is supposed to be you, the main protagonist...well, it's typical video-game hokey. Way over the top and amateurish.
The sound effect and music, in general, were very underwhelming.
I handed the game back to the kid and told him I was glad I didn't buy it.
It's definitely a renter. Give it a try.
You know, it's great that we have Halo but, since the XBox's release, I've come to view Halo as a curse as well.
1st generation games, especially launch games, are NEVER as feature laden and well polished like Halo. This makes it easier on you as better stuff keeps coming out. Well, with Halo as the benchmark, everything that's come out since has been of lesser quality instead of the other way around, IMHO. It's tough having been spoiled by such a high watermark so early in a systems lifecycle.
What's the next "big thing" on the XBox's horizon?????