Impressions

[netnerd85]

I was going to write a "first impressions" but then I beat the game :(

First off the water effects are no doubt why we all bought the game in the first place and they do deliver on the most part. The floating oil flames are just amazing I really liked that.

This game builds itself on a gimmic, water physics, it has a not lame, not boring, not stupid just an "eh" story. Population issues? I hear that enough on the news at the moment here in Australia, so I just don't care. If population isn't an issue rammed down your throat you might get a little interest from it. Floating island cities, aparently the way of the future? I don't buy into that idea (probably cos I hate water).

The voice acting of the main character Kate is so annoying, when she isn't moaning every 5 seconds from the water hitting her bahjinga she is whinging and screaming... and I wanted to drown her. (is it just me or is she Welsh? reminds me of Gwen from Torchwood, anybody else get that?)

Scoot... SCOOT! your trusty HUD buddy had a classic line in the game and I had to laugh from that point on I did like the character... did he make it? think I tuned out at the end so I missed the message perhaps?

The ending is just nothing, didn't leave me wanting more. Just a scrunched up face wondering, "this it?" :rolleyes: The game was too short, it really didn't give you enough time with all the game mechanics and that's a shame because some were good.

The cover system is awful and annoying no thanks to the clunky controls. The AI is stupid, I was standing right next to a guard on numerous occasions and they spawn continusiously in some locations. NEVER do that, it's annoying, not challenging, just annoying and lazy level design - come up with a different challenge. How many stairwells does this game have? Copy and paste :D

For a "ship" it really felt like a boring plain old building. I tried to get into the amosphere but it just didn't let me. The are some great water physics moments and they are indeed cool to see but this game is just a tech demo.

It's not great, it's not bad, it's not good, it's just a cool looking techo demo of water phsics. Here's hoping the developers release another 3 acts as a free DLC ;)

[Edit]
Forgot to mention the most annoying thing, the underwater camera. You'd think a game about water would have a unique and innovative under water camera system but no. It's just plain awful. Not to mention everytime you hit the water your character can't decide if she's going under or above the water line. You have to wait a second. Every time you dive, no matter what level the water is the character will swim down with three big stokes taking you some distance, it's annoying.

Perhaps some control issues are due to it being an xbox port??? shame.

[Another Edit]
There are more good things about the game other than the water effects. The character models and facial expressions are good but these things are not that high on my importance list - gameplay, gameplay!, gameplay!!! The game looks futuristic as well, kind of like Alpha Prime, infact I think this game takes from Alpha Prime a bit.

[Paul_cz]

I am playing with x360pad and controls are perfect, cover system good. For me it is really enjoyable. But yeah the water physics adds so much. It would be mediocre without it...with it, it is just awesome.

I like Kate's voice, eventhough she sounds a bit strange sometimes. Scoot is cool.

I still have not finished the game, probably will today, but if the ending is not great then it is a shame. Hopefully we will se continuation or something.

[MADDOGGE]

Th voice acting is much better in this version than the older 360 version I also own, though I had no complaints.

She is terrified of the water thats why she whines. My one complaint is they really didn't get across how scared she is of the water. I think flash backs when she was in real danger might have helped some. After all the title is Hydrophobia. Other than that I love the game.


I think the game is supposed to be a trilogy so a cliffhanger is suitable as an ending.

[netnerd85]

I think the game is supposed to be a trilogy so a cliffhanger is suitable as an ending.
Cliffhanger?...

she fell to the floor after shooting up. Hardly call that a cliffhanger ending.

It would have been better if Mila got up and ran off, coming back from the dead is always a movie classic... eh, anything but what happened

[netnerd85]

2nd play through took at max, 2.5 hours. Performance was worse than first played. Boss battle was buggy and I was looking forward to it after such a dreadful story... what a joke. 3 revisions, 5 patches of 3rd revision so far... ever heard the term "floggin' a dead horse" ;)

[Kacsa]

Cliffhanger?...

she fell to the floor after shooting up. Hardly call that a cliffhanger ending.

It would have been better if Mila got up and ran off, coming back from the dead is always a movie classic... eh, anything but what happened

she fell to the floor, because she gave herself the antidote. although she lost her consciousness, she didn't die:)
but I'm curious about the water effects! could Kate just lost them forever?:(

[oliathsg]

I just finished the game also and agree that after such a great and atmospheric ride the ending was a massive anticlimax and a huge let down.

I really wanted the story to continue. I will certainly be playing through the game again as I enjoyed it.

Netnerd - no offense - but how can you say that this game is clunky and criticise it for all those points - when you firmly defended a game like Phantom Ops and denied that game had any issues.

Double standards methinks.

[netnerd85]

how can you say that this game is clunky and criticise it for all those points - when you firmly defended a game like Phantom Ops and denied that game had any issues.

First of all. I never denied Phantom Ops Shadow Harvest had any issues as it clearly does, bloom is high, performance issues, some level design quirks and low poly enemies but the controls were very solid (snap-to cover system - will never go back) and the AI is challenging, in mine and many others opinions.

This game is a console port, the other is not. The underwater controls for this game are DREADFUL. It's a game about water yet the underwater camera and controls make it frustrating. Take a look at step one, when she dives. She gives 3 massive strokes, yet she is rarely in open areas that need it. The level design is on a ship with many corridors. She should have submerged a lot softer, wouldn't have you?

The story is a huge let down, there's no arch - mainly because there was no time to develop one over such a small gameplay time, there's a pathetic ending.

The gimmick water effects this game ride on aren't that great, they are the most realistic we have seen but they aren't realistic at all. There's no dynamic filling/accumulation of water, when the game does it. It's control like all the rest. This game just has random waves that happen in confined rooms, how does that make sense?

This game is terrible in terms of game design and story telling. It was okay to play the first time but the second time was dreadful. That woman that does the voice acting for Kate needs to be replaced before I touch this thing again. She is painful to listen to. If this is the best the studio can do after 3 tries and 5 patches then... that's just sad.

They should have greatly improved on the adventure aspects of the game, giving you more challenging puzzles to solve.

Gameplay of Hydrophobia is:
1) Collect frequency key
2) Locate and collect cypher
3) Unlock door

Then maybe "hack something" using the same puzzle over and over.

Unlocking doors using hidden keys? Wolf 3D had that... not many games had this after Quake. For a VERY good reason.

[p90]

Have only played the game for 1h right now, so here are my first impressions for you guys ^^

1. ♥♥♥♥ing doggy jump and run mechanics
Had to do this stupid elevator 5 times as I could not bring her to where I wanted
2. Doggy swimming mechanics, if there are any obstacles she will constantly jump right out of the water, you go constantly above water, below water, above water below water
If you start diving she goes like 90° down directly so in any corridor you will hit the floor right away.
3. Silly locking swimming movements
Are you kidding me? Has anybody of the developers ever been swimming in his hole live? Its just silly
4. Worst voice acting ever
5. Silly water mechanics
You call this realistic?
This is ♥♥♥♥, sorry for the harsh words. No idea if you had to make it like this due to missing CPU power but if you let water run into a small room and close the door it will be a plane and not create a 1m high wave which does not even move.
But my guess is that the engine itself could do much better as if you give it more time it will behave as it should but right now it looks like the water is calculated at 1/10 the speed it should normally do.

[Bear Cat]

That's a few times I've heard complaints about the controls, but I just don't see it. The only time I sorta had troubles was with the water control ability, but even then, it was workable. And the only problem I have with swimming is her tendancy to try to surface right away, although I just pushed on through that and continued on, wasn't enough to really frustrate me.

As for funky water effects, are you really surprised that it behaves quirky sometimes? For the most part, water behaves normal for me. Rarely, and I mean rarely, will it do something weird on me, such as the cresting wall of water in a hallway. Only seen that twice in the numberous playthoughs I've done, if I remember right. Otherwise, you open a door, and water floods in as you'd expect. Heck, I can tell when someone opens a door, as the wave of water washes past a corner, and raises the water level a bit.

But voice acting? I'm sorry, but Final Fantasy X still takes the cake with the Tidus laugh. Although there are some strong contenders amongst JRPGs. Now there's some bad voice acting.

[netnerd85]

As for funky water effects, are you really surprised that it behaves quirky sometimes? For the most part, water behaves normal for me. Rarely, and I mean rarely, will it do something weird on me, such as the cresting wall of water in a hallway. Only seen that twice in the numberous playthoughs I've done, if I remember right. Otherwise, you open a door, and water floods in as you'd expect. Heck, I can tell when someone opens a door, as the wave of water washes past a corner, and raises the water level a bit.
I have to admit when I first read on the forums about the water being too wavey I didn't notice this much with my first play through, second time around it was much worse. Patch issues? not sure. The performance was definitely worse second time round.

The water rushing into the next room really bothered me the second time round because the height level in one room would completely change in the next. It would not dynamically fill the next room, only if it was scripted like the elevator section. Disappointing but expected... one day maybe.

[Bear Cat]

Well, I'm just saying, it's a small studio attempting something pretty ambitious. I really can't recall another game off the top of my head that attempted to utilize dynamic water like this. Sure, some games let you make ripples in the water, but nothing like this. (to be fair, I do have a bad memory)

So I don't feel bad for cutting them some slack. Being it was for about 12 bucks, I wasn't expecting a triple A production (although what they have produced has been very good, for me at least)

I think they should get some kudos for taking on such a challenge, and backing it up with support, all things considered. Yeah, maybe they had some PR misteps, but for the Steam release, they've been top notch (even helped me find the last two imprinted docs).

[CenturyChild]

Im more of a Keyboard+Mouse player, but a few games the Xbox360 controller just seems better.
Its just easier to control.

This is one of those games IMHO.

[jo291]

Cliffhanger?...

she fell to the floor after shooting up. Hardly call that a cliffhanger ending.

It would have been better if Mila got up and ran off, coming back from the dead is always a movie classic... eh, anything but what happened

The devs have stated its going to be a trilogy.

Also that thing she injected was a antidote.

So yea.

Also did anyone else like chief B as much as i did? The honesty corner notes were brilliant!

[oliathsg]

Well, I'm just saying, it's a small studio attempting something pretty ambitious. I really can't recall another game off the top of my head that attempted to utilize dynamic water like this. Sure, some games let you make ripples in the water, but nothing like this.

This is exactly the point.
Name one other game that has production levels this high for the same price.

And name one other game where the devs have been this active and put out this many patches and given users personal support to get things working.

Controls: Yep they are awquard at first and in a frantic situation you can fumble.. but you do learn them and get used to them. Hopefully most people realise very early on that the combat isn't the games strongest point.

I never once had a situation where the controls let me down though. I'd use the cover... take guards out. No problems.

Underwater camera / controls: First thing i did as soon as i went underwater was to change these in the settings and made them more comfortable to me. There is a dodgy bit as soon as she submerges - but again - the intelligent part of me adapted to this and waited a moment before trying to fight the camera during the transition from above water to beneath it and I didn't have a single problem after that.

So the only real let down for me was the way the story felt like it got chopped short. The boss battle was also rather pathetic and frustrating and actually the only time the controls did wind me up (and the enemies).. but i won't let that one moment take away from what a good experience the rest of the game was.

I was kind of hoping after being trapped underground the whole game for the ending to see me emerge into open air or something - rescue choppers on their way.

My favourite parts of the game were the adventuring. The claustrophobia of being trapped - the sound design supported this perfectly too and built on this.

The main character didn't annoy me at all. She actually reminded me of a girl I work with who is in tech support - so it was actually pretty funny and helped add characterisation to it for me. Not sure where you are from NN but lots of people in the UK sound just like her - so maybe it's an accent thing for you?