The gameplay is good overall, it’s the classic HL2 formula, even down to the gravity gun which is repurposed as telekinesis. Pyrokinesis is a new mechanic, but it felt very contextual, and even in said contexts, it’s often hard to use. I feel like it could’ve been made into something cooler and more useful.
The gunplay feels okay, only a few weapons like the shotgun feel satisfying to use. There’s also a lack of feedback when you get hit or take damage, which sucks. I do like hearing the MC gasp for air when taking damage though, it adds to the immersion.
The environments are in my opinion the strongest suit of the game. The levels have a great aesthetic and are a pleasure to explore thanks to that, especially the rundown sections (which make up for like two thirds of the game). The source engine is put to good use, in particular to add extra interactivity with physics.
While G String does run on the source engine, it comes with its own set of assets. Almost no HL2 assets are used, which helps make the game feel fresh and contributes to world building.
The sound design is also great, your imagination often being put to work with sounds being played without showing you the source. Those range from mundane sounds to strange screams and yells. Those, as well as the frequent street fights and other environmental story telling cues, make the world feel very alive.
While the levels do look great, it’s a bit more complicated when it comes to how they play. It’s often hard to make out the path to progress, which I disliked at first, but then ended up liking. It might sound strange, but it made me feel like the main character, just exploring without feeling sure of where I was going.
It’s also worth noting that the game feels too long, which makes it suffer in other areas. For instance, there’s not enough enemy variety. The sex bots enemies are a great idea, but they do get old after a while. Also the spaceship segment at the end of the game was a very pleasant surprise, although it was quite short.
I found the story a bit hard to grasp. In a sense, the same reasoning can be applied here, where I feel closer to the MC because I’m not sure what’s going on, just as she doesn’t because her memory was wiped (IIRC?). That being said, I still feel like some more clarity would’ve helped me feel more connected to the story. I did dig the more abstract scenes though.
The OST is full of bangers and is a perfect fit, not much more to say about it.
Overall a good game, not perfect but its environments are what really make it shine to me. It’s impressive that this was mostly crafted by one person. You can feel the passion behind it.
The gunplay feels okay, only a few weapons like the shotgun feel satisfying to use. There’s also a lack of feedback when you get hit or take damage, which sucks. I do like hearing the MC gasp for air when taking damage though, it adds to the immersion.
The environments are in my opinion the strongest suit of the game. The levels have a great aesthetic and are a pleasure to explore thanks to that, especially the rundown sections (which make up for like two thirds of the game). The source engine is put to good use, in particular to add extra interactivity with physics.
While G String does run on the source engine, it comes with its own set of assets. Almost no HL2 assets are used, which helps make the game feel fresh and contributes to world building.
The sound design is also great, your imagination often being put to work with sounds being played without showing you the source. Those range from mundane sounds to strange screams and yells. Those, as well as the frequent street fights and other environmental story telling cues, make the world feel very alive.
While the levels do look great, it’s a bit more complicated when it comes to how they play. It’s often hard to make out the path to progress, which I disliked at first, but then ended up liking. It might sound strange, but it made me feel like the main character, just exploring without feeling sure of where I was going.
It’s also worth noting that the game feels too long, which makes it suffer in other areas. For instance, there’s not enough enemy variety. The sex bots enemies are a great idea, but they do get old after a while. Also the spaceship segment at the end of the game was a very pleasant surprise, although it was quite short.
I found the story a bit hard to grasp. In a sense, the same reasoning can be applied here, where I feel closer to the MC because I’m not sure what’s going on, just as she doesn’t because her memory was wiped (IIRC?). That being said, I still feel like some more clarity would’ve helped me feel more connected to the story. I did dig the more abstract scenes though.
The OST is full of bangers and is a perfect fit, not much more to say about it.
Overall a good game, not perfect but its environments are what really make it shine to me. It’s impressive that this was mostly crafted by one person. You can feel the passion behind it.