Silent Storm

[Schleicher]

Picked this one up lately and im baffled. Im also baffled that such a great game seems to being rather overlooked (thats my impression) and thats why im posting here. Short summary :

Its a WWII Squad based round time strategy thingie very similar to Jagged Allliance 2. But opposed to JA2 (which i found very dull and unrewarding for some reason) it totally drags me in.

First theres the absolute fantastic graphics, which really do their part for the atmosphere.

Then ya got shitloads of authentic WWII weapons - like 70 or so from all warring nations including MG34, FG42, PPsh41, Luger, Nagant, Mauser, etc, etc, blah, omgish *gasp*. Some sort of robot suit and laser stuff is available later but im not that far into the game yet.

Then ya got destructive environments, and thats not just some fancy crap, its important for strategy. For example if ya know some enemies have holed up behind a wall, and ya got no grenades you can order your Machinegunner (im using this loosely coz there arent really predefined classes) or some other using high kaliber rifles to shoot the wall to rubble so that the others can pick em up. Or you can shoot thru floors or ceilings at enemies which you heard. This goes as far that entire rooms end up with no floor ^^. Or shoot thru walls at enemies other squadmembers have spotted (can become quite unrealistic some times...if ya got good shooting skills, that is =P ). Snipers on a wooden tower bother you? Shoot it to pieces and see the fuckos splat. Door or locked chest? Lockpicks are rare, bullets not. Light revealing your position at night and no switch near? Guess what. Enemies hiding behind trucks or fancy red barrels? Hee-hee. Some smartass covering behind a tree or bush? Well... Ya its really fun.

Then you got ragdoll physics. Not really necessary for this type of game but doesnt hurt. Enemies can fly thru windows pretty spectacular when shot or they slide down stairs. Nice touch. Oh and there are painskins too. :ebil:

Last but nost least it got very good game mechanics. For the fist time i didnt find it bothersome to drag more than 4 people around with me. There are some basic classes which define some basic skills, but the overall developement of the characters is very open ended. The enemy AI isnt too shabby either. I had some pretty spectacular gunfights lasting for almost an hour. Too bad you cant record it and view it real-time.

Ok advertisement over - grab it if ya dont have it and are at least remotely interested in round based strategy. Its very good. In fact so good im ashamed i warezed it and gonna buy it the next time im at the shopping district (^o^ ; )

[Radamanthus]

sounds alot like BF1942.. I'll hceck this out.

[Bucchus]

Hmm.. I remember advertising Silent Storm earlier this year here, but it's a good thing to see someone finally noticed this gem of a game. It IS one of the best games I've ever played. I've played it since last fall and still it keeps kicking while re-played.

But: The main thing why I haven't been playing Thievery in 10 days or something is: The Silent Storm add-on Sentinels came out in Finland some 10 days ago, and I've been playing it like mad :P. The russian version came out already in spring, but as far as I know, the english version hasn't come out ANYWHERE else than Finland as of yet. For once things arrive here earlier than rest of the world. Probably has something to do with the fact that when compared to the population, Silent Storm sold amazingly well in Finland.

It should come out in september for the rest of the Europe, not sure about North America. But it's sold separately and as a "Silent Storm Gold" which has the add-on and the original game together, so no-one should have an excuse on why to miss this spectacular game.

The Add-on makes it even more like JA2, main addition is money. You need to buy new soldiers and better equipment now with hard earned cash. I can say that the add-on is definitely harder than the original game because of this.

Then the add-on adds some more mercs (I think), and a crapload more weapons. The high-end type, assault rifles and stuff. And the missions get way more varied, for instance there are sneaking missions (BJ the AI from behind!).

While some people who have reviewed Silent Storm have complained about the AI and the sci-fi stuff, I find both of them excellent. The AI sets up devious ambushes (and in the Add-on finally uses grenades and shoots through walls if he hears you well) and the panzerklein (armor suits) are nicely powerful, it's a religious experience when you first get those and then make a few houses collapse with the cannons...

Right now I'm in trouble with the add-on, since my old tactics against the panzerkleins no longer work and it becomes one hellish fight to the death against the buggers... :wolfe:

[Machine]

Its very similar to X-Com and JA 2, very good game. Hasn't dragged me in like JA2 did, once the panzerkliens appear it decends into a sci-fi game, which isn't bad.. but I was playing it like a realistic tactical shooter :-/

[Schleicher]

For no particular reason, a pic of some mess i made using filthy camping (but on the other hand...they were all in one building originally...and i hate crawling from room to room to snuff out some wiseguys sitting in a corner) :

Ohohoho delightful slaughter (http://s95328126.onlinehome.us/uploader/uploads/pics/Filthycamping.jpg)

Too bad i didnt make a pic at the end of that mission were ya have to capture some english traitor in his mansion. Half the floor of the ground floor blown out coz i shot some barrels in the cellar, almost all doors riddled with holes or completely destroyed coz i shot at lurkers behind them, almost all windows shattered coz i shot at patrols outside, almost every wall having big holes or being littered by stray fire, bodies hanging into a hole at the first floor coz i shot them from the ground floor, some trees outside destroyed coz i just wanted to try that otherwise useless stationary gun....oh blew up a truck too...but mostly by accident...i thought they meant it when saying "avoid damage to civil property"...doesnt seem so.. :ebil:

Gonna post another pic next time i end up with some funky havoc :guard:

Btw whats "Panzerklein" supposed to be? "Tanksmall/Armorsmall/Tanklittle/Armorlittle"? - it doesnt make sense in both languages :joking:

[Firetiger]

If anyone has a copy they don't want, i'll trade for it ;)

www.gametz.com

[Sohtaraz]

Good game, but when the panzerklein came in i stopped playing...

Btw whats "Panzerklein" supposed to be? "Tanksmall/Armorsmall/Tanklittle/Armorlittle"? - it doesnt make sense in both languages :joking:

Its kleinpanzer, but it has been used in some game for a small tank (1 man assault tank) so they swapped it around.