Hard Reset
 | |
| Developer(s) | Flying Wild Hog |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | Flying Wild Hog Kalypso Media |
| Director(s) | Michal Szustak |
| Designer(s) | Michal Szustak Klaudiusz Zych |
| Artist(s) | Pawel Libiszewski Zbigniew Siatecki Lukasz Zdunowski |
| Composer(s) | Wojciech Blazejczyk |
| Engine | RoadHog Engine |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release | September 13, 2011 |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Hard Reset is a first-person shooter exclusively for Microsoft Windows, from Flying Wild Hog,[2] a Polish developer that is made up from members of the team behind Painkiller (People Can Fly), and former developers from Polish companies CD Projekt Red and City Interactive.[3] The game features a cyberpunk plot. It draws inspiration from the works of William Gibson, Neal Stephenson, and Philip K. Dick (especially Blade Runner).
The game received an expanded re-release, called Hard Reset: Extended Edition.
Story
The world as we know it ceased to exist. Humanity is at the verge of extinction, living in the last closed city of Bezoar. Mankind wages war against the machines controlling vast areas of what became the Barrens. Machines want to control and assimilate The Sanctuary, a network that holds billions of digitalized human minds. Game hero, Maj. Fletcher, is a soldier of CLN - a corporation combat unit, established to protect the city. Machines are constantly assaulting the walls of Bezoar. Fletcher moves in when Bezoar's protective barrier is breached.
Gameplay
Hard Reset is modeled on "old school" video games such as Quake and Unreal, which results in more straightforward gameplay than most modern first-person shooters. The various stages have secret areas with hidden pick ups such as health and ammunition. The environments are designed similarly, as there are explosive barrels and various vending machines outfitted with electro-shock anti-vandalism defenses, that can trigger splash damage by being shot at, scattered throughout the levels, which the player can use by luring enemies near them. The game lacks a multiplayer mode, which was a chief criticism.[3]
Unlike most old school first-person shooters, which feature a liberal variety of guns and throwable weapons that can be stored in a magic satchel-like inventory, Hard Reset features only two weapons, the CLN Modular Assault Rifle, and the EEF-21 Plasma Rifle. Both weapons have unlockable firing modes, the Modular Assault Rifle including the option to strap add-ons such as grenade and rocket launchers, and the plasma rifle allowing railguns and stasis modules.[4]
Exile and Extended Edition
Hard Reset: Exile is a free expansion for Hard Reset. It was first released in April 2012 as a part of boxed Hard Reset re-release called Hard Reset: Extended Edition. The expansion is available for all owners of Hard Reset for free since May 2012.
Hard Reset: Exile features a few new weapons, levels, enemy types, and a boss. It further continues the story of James Fletcher, as he journeys into robot controlled territory.
Reception
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 73/100[5] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Game Informer | 7.75[8] |
| IGN | 7.5[6] |
| PC Gamer (US) | 58[7] |
Hard Reset was released on Steam on September 13, 2011[9] and received slightly mixed, although mostly positive, reviews.[5] Reviewers cited the visual quality and the intensity of the gameplay as strong points, evoking comparisons to other "old school" shooters as Serious Sam or Painkiller. Common points of contention were the game's relatively short length, and the perceived difficulty.
References
- ^ "Hard Reset Updated". Steam. November 21, 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ^ http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2011/08/hard-reset-pc-exclusive-single-player-only-new-engine-omg.ars
- ^ a b http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/hard-reset/news/6326099/hard-reset-qanda-whats-old-is-new-again?mode=previews&page=1
- ^ "Hard Reset Weapons Trailer". Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ^ a b "Hard Reset Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2011-10-05.
- ^ Onyett, Charles (2011-09-13). "Hard Reset Review". IGN. Retrieved 2011-10-05.
- ^ Cobbett, Richard (2011-11-13). "Hard Reset Review". PCGUS. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
- ^ Biessener, Adam (2011-11-09). "Hard Reset". GI. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
- ^ Fahey, Mike (2011-08-29). "Hard Reset Gets a Firm Release Date, Solid System Reqs, and Sharp New Screens". Kotaku. Retrieved 2011-10-05.