Toasy's Gravy Stop

Where you can enjoy the better things in life, like rants, game reviews, and other strange things that serve no true purpose other than to amuse me.

Author: toastngravy

"Oh no! He is talking about something not a mmorpg! How dare he do that!"
If that is your first thought when reading the title, stick it. If it was the same thought, but worded differently, good for you, but still stick it. I’ll end that there and skip the formalities. I’m sure you would rather I get on with the "review".

So I’m fairly sure most of us have heard of, watched a movie, played a game, or in some cases pretended to be one for Halloween. What am I talking about? Zombies. We adore these brain eaters like it was when we were 5 and had a favorite teddy bear you always had with you. Why do we love them? That could be any number of reasons, the bloody corpses of our relatives coming to kill us, the fun of beating rogue zombies that escaped the horde with a golf club, or just grabbing a generic zombie movie shotgun and blowing their head off. No matter what the reason, many people adore them. What people really adore is zombie movies. Wave after wave of the undead at a seemingly endless rate attacking maybe the only survivors left in an entire city. This is where left4dead delivers the goods.

In left4dead you basically take control of one of 4 survivors (Bill the sometimes grouchy war vet, Zoey the college girl who watches too many zombie movies, Francis the tough guy biker, and Louis the black guy) in 4 different campaigns. Each campaign puts you into a movie setting (with its own snazzy poster while the game loads), each have its own unique environment to play in. From the country side to the city you are going to hit zombies no matter where you are. In each game your overall task is to (other than survive and kick zombie butt of course) make it to a location where you can call for rescue. This is accomplished by making your way through city streets, sewers, across roof tops; even through a cornfield at one point (The Children of the corn are never around when you need them). Weapons include a default pistol (which has unlimited ammo, and at some points in the game you can pick up a second), shotgun, hunting rifle, assault rifles, pipe bombs (which beep and blink, they attract all normal infected in the area too it before exploding), and quite a few other random goodies.

Just like traditional zombie movies, breaking away from the group is never a good idea and often results in death. This is enforced by a few “special” zombies (The game refers to them as ‘infected’) in place. The special zombies are unique zombies that each have their own special way to ensure your fate if you don’t have people to help you out. First let us go with the Boomer, in short this is what all the overweight and poor diet people will become during the zombie apocalypse. These guys will “puke” or explode (upon death, hence the name) on you causing a horde of zombies to be attracted to the people who get covered in its slime. This leads to fun times. The Hunter waits in the dark shadows before pouncing on top of you and, for lack of better terms “Rips your nipples off” quite literally. The smoker (AKA: The Gene Simmons of zombies) has a long tongue that wraps around you and drags you off away never to be seen again. The last that I will mention in detail is the Tank. The name is fairly self explanatory but if you want a fairly good visual, type “Body Builder” in Google images. All of these require other teammates help in one way or another to be sure you make it out alive. The default zombies or “The Horde” are quite a funny thing to see at times. They behave naturally, you can sometimes find them fighting amongst themselves, throwing up, just hanging out, or other things. These guys are attracted by light, or louse noise. Setting off certain vehicles car alarms in game will cause a large amount of them to rush your location from anywhere they can. It’s not all bad though, these guys die in roughly 1-2 well placed shots.

The games graphics, while showing a bit of date compared to others, excel for the purpose of the game. Dark rooms full of zombies that you don’t see until your turn on your flashlight only to have said zombies attack at first sign of your light. I could go on but I’d be here longer than I wish. Each character displays different reactions, verbal and otherwise (facial emotions) to different situations, which can cause some giggles. Let us not forget about audio as a whole. The music in the game switches as per the situation each player is in, meaning it is possible for two players to hear different music at the same time per situation. This adds unique music to fit what is currently happening to your character. To be just pure honest, nothing beats hearing the scream of the Witch (the special I never mentioned earlier) when she is startled by a foolish teammate that gets too close.

This game is meant for multiplayer, I wouldn’t suggest playing it any other way than multiplayer. Ignore that there is even a single player option, it doesn’t exist, and the option is dead to you. You can team up in any of the campaigns, on any difficulty, with other players. Each time you play through any game, it is always different. This could range from gun locations, med pack locations, pipe bomb locations, even places where special infected wait for you. That contributes to adding a new experience each time you play through a campaign.

Multiplayer doesn’t stop there, it also includes “versus” matches that let you take control of 4 of the special infected (Boomer, Hunter, Smoker, and the Tank when the game allows someone to be it). While as an infected you die as easy as a person in a wheel chair loses a 50 yard dash. That doesn’t ruin the fun by a long shot. Nothing is as fun as lurking in the shadows waiting as a hunter waiting for one of them to fall behind then pouncing out and ripping their nipples off. It makes everyone feel better.
Just to be fair this game isn’t perfect. The zombies sometimes may move awkwardly, and the learning curve of the game does not go anywhere. When playing the game, you learn as you go and you better learn fast if you want to live (which in turn adds a zombie movie feel). There are a lot of other small things I could go into as well but I would just be nit-picking by that point.

In the end, there is more I could have explained, more I could have went over, and some things I could have just not said at all. That doesn’t ruin the point that the actual game is fantastic. The only thing that could make it better was an option to be an elderly lady that used a handbag pepper spray that constantly tries to figure out why people are offering her free samples.

8.3/10

(The number is just for show)

Please note, this is a quick (very quick, yes it's lengthy But I made it quick) review of the game I put together over a week ago. I just never bothered to fix it up or put it on this site. So no I won't be fixing it up to be more accurate and detailed. Fun Fact: I also, while doing this quickly, made this at 4am in the morning so I was also tired. So I'm going to ask you to bare with it, it's not one of my best works (considering the mmorpg.com community has only seen one other of my works...that may not be the best wording) but it gets the job done..some what.

Enjoy

I recently picked up this game. It has some great ideas, but it's lacking in some aspects from what I can already see even after the minimum play time that I have done. Though the thing that is bugging me is this: Zero 3000?... So why have a game thats name is just two numbers in it. As far as I could tell it has nothing to do with Zero, or 3000. Well those numbers are in the game...but nothing to do with it as far as i can tell.

Hell, I want to start calling it 03000



This game, unlike most of the games in the market, you are in a 'giant' mech. Which for me is an instant turn on to take a look at it just because I always like to try games like this. Though, unlike what i wish, this is a top down game, sort of. There is a slight angle, but still a top down game. You are thrown into a world where you seem to be in space, on a station floating above earth.

Gameplay:7/10
This, for a top down game, is one of the best ones I have found to date and plan to stick with for quite a while. You start off with a choice of basic male or female, and choice of ranged or melee. There isn't much customization at all. You get to pick an avatar, which you only actually see if you go in certain building, which there are few of those. It's basically the simple " grind level up" game, but it's made some what simpler-er. You eventually can get some skills that hit in an area. So you can take out a few at once and speed up the process, even on mobs lower then you. Though the movement is a bit annoying, they do have a thing i love and abuse when ever i can: Auto Pilot. You can set it to anywhere you want, some mobs, a shop, it's very helpful and easy to use.

The combat, the combat is amazing..at least for a top down game. I currently use a melee mech. and while attacking you do a number of acrobatics while fighting. Most of it being slash, jump over the mob, while throwing the sword in the air and slashing it, going back over slashing. It is quite fast too. Though i do have to complain considering the bots look no where near like that should be able to do that. They look like the slow movement based mechs not the super fast slash and jump.

Also, while playing this % goes up, when it hits 100, you use a "exp skill" of sorts. It is a powerful skill which almost always 1 hits normal mobs (there are bosses..though they are pretty easy) it is a great feature to help with the killing. Considering there are often huge groups of mobs and this just makes it easier to kill them all for faster exp.

Graphics: 5/10
I have to say, for a top down game, the graphics aren't that bad compared to other ones I have seen. Though the perspective of the background seems to be a off quite a bit. Some of the weapons also look the same. Though, the fact it's a top down game i just have to take that off.

Sound/Music:5/10
I'm not much of a sound and music guy, but If i find a game that actually does have good music, I'll listen too it if i can. This has basic explosion sounds,slicing sounds, gun sounds. Just nothing really in detail.

Community/ Community Interaction:6/10
Giving this a 6 is pushing it. The community, rarely seems to talk at all. Other then the "wtf, fuck off fag" or my favorite "Fuck your ass"(I had this said too me while fighting, someone came and started fighting in the same area as me, i'll go into why that is just stupid later, but he started attacking the one i was, i got the kill, he said that too me. Of course I knew he meant you, but just to be the ass I enjoy being, I poked fun at him for it. Hilarity Ensued.) That aside, there are things for everyone to do. There are spacecraft missions, which I have yet to be able to do, since most of them as I can see are for higher levels, but a lot of people do them. There are also some sort of battle in the army every Thursday and Saturday, I have yet to get into that either.

You may also make Fleets, which are a form of guild, the only thing I know of those are there is a flying station you defend for an hour on some weekday, the benefits aren't known at the moment.

The friends list, while useful to see if a friend is on, not useful due to lack of whispers at the moment.

Parties, are pointless as far as I can see. You get less exp while in them, and if you are doing a boss quest, it just goes by the most damage (or last hit can't quite tell). So...useless

Though, they do have an extensive market with pre made stalls through out the main 'station' area. The stalls are rented out by players from what ever player owns them, to buy a stall is some what expensive, but after a long amount of time you can easily make that money up in rentals.

Leveling: 8/10
Though this may be a grind based game, for most of the game, it isn't that bad. When you first start out, you will easily be past level 20 in the first few minutes of play. That is due to the first quest line they have set up, it is made to get you as fast as you can to level 20 for the first 'evolution'.

Evolution is basically the only customization, other then weapons or shields, you get. Though of course the evolution isn't made by choice, it auto changes your mech. You can change it at 20, 60 and again at 100.

Through out leveling, quests are just a bit meh. Most of them are the same. "Go kill this many what ever. " then theres "These 3 bosses are bad, go kill them" Then theres the side thing where you collect items, and turn them in for exp, or different items.

It is also pretty easy to level, at least when you get a decent 'multi-attack' skill.

So, i don't want to go into everything, and I know i'm lacking quite a bit, but over all, I give this game a 6.5/10. Despite the mass amount of flaws, it's a nice little game that will easily keep you amused for a little while any way.

Also, as a formality, here is a link.

zero3000.com

Well, I started playing this during beta, and to be honest I liked it quite a bit. There were always people to group with, people chatting often in random locations. Not hard to find someone to group with either. Even with all that, it was rare to find someone that was, well, an ass.  Though I stopped after beta since of course I didn't want to bother with paying for it at the time, since I wasn't sure if i would stick with it or not.

Time has passed, and I'm back at it again, trying a 7 day trial, there are quite a bit of changes too it now. Some good, some not so good.

Graphics: 8.5/10

I have to say, the graphics are still as great as ever. There are close to no graphical bugs as far as I can tell. Though there seems to be a lot of  blocky parts of the game. Now of course for most of the game play I had the settings lowered to help decrease lag when needed. The characters look great, the monsters aren't too bad either. There isn't much I can say other then it looks great.

Combat/ Controls: 7/10

Well, I have minimal complaints about the combat and controls. The controls are great, at least as great as you can get with keyboard movements.  You have the standard W A S D controls. You also can strafe around, which I personally don't use. A feature I do like, is right clicking while moving forward or some where and dragging to move. I'm not quite sure why I enjoy that feature, but in any game it's in I use it often.

The combat, is a little iffy. The combat is nice with an array of skills. I think it's a nice touch that you get either a passive or active skills, close to every level. You can head to a trainer for your class and purchase one. 

Though the combat in general is a quite nice. You can parry, block, even some skills require you to block a hit or parry a hit to use it. Though the combat may seem a little slow at time, it makes it easier to fight a monster your level, or below, to minimize HP loss( or morale as the game calls it). Beyond the skills you can do a basic attack on the target, but for some classes you truthfully don't have too that often. That is due to the variety of skills you have.

Also, some classes get the ability to have a pet. Lore Master is one I have played (though I have played all of them) more then the rest. You gain a raven at level 4, which will always be one level lower then you. It's quite nifty due to it takes the mob away from you at first, and it has a skill that makes the enemy weaker against fire (which you use a lot ). A long with a passive bonus that as long as you are near the raven, and anyone in your group is near you, you get the bonus. You also get a bear at a higher level.

Role Play Ability 9.8/10

I do not role play. More or less do I really care about it. Though due to the nature of this game I have to add this into the review.

This game is based off LOTR books, If you can't role play in this game, you should just give up in general.

 (That statement is based off of beta, due to the lack of  people this time around. So I gave this one a pity score, sort of. I just don't want people yelling at me for giving it a low score if i were to base it off of now. Which in all honesty wouldn't be that fair, the game makes it easy for you to pick a role and go on with it. With it's crafting ability, classes, titles etc. It's very simple to make your own character and play along with the story. Even in beta the characters often interacted if they were just normal people in Middle-Earth. So it really does deserve the score, I just have to base it off of beta to achieve most of the score).

Quests 8.2/10

If you like quests, you will like this game.

You basically level off of quests during the game. The quests, range quite a bit. You may have a lot of  " go kill these mobs for something" quests for a while. Then you get some "Go collect these"  quests. So it's not always the same basic quests straight through, but it still does get slightly annoying. I personally like quests, thats why I enjoyed this game so much during beta. Though considering it's not worth it to just hop off and grind on mobs. Though it isn't very useful, you can get some extra exp and level up a little early they you would if you just did quests.

Even with that, there are things I like greatly.

When you start the game, you get thrown into a race specific starting quest that lets you explore some of the story line and get to know the game.

Then again at level 5 (though I'm always level 6 when doing this quest..) you do another one which follows up on the story line you are doing. They are all quite interesting and I praise them for that.

Lag 9.5/10

I have to say, they did OK with the connection on the game. The only time I ever lag, and this is graphic based, is when I'm getting in range of new objects and they load. Though even then I don't lag noticeably. I really like what they did here, even in semi-crowded areas of players I don't experience any lag. Though there are random spurts of lag here and there, but that is common with any game.

Though, between certain parts of the game, like the start up, and important things. You have a little movie, the sound seems to lag on it a little. Which I know it's just my computer, but I don't really watch them any way.

Community 5/10

This is where the score took a hit. I'm not sure if i just had an unlucky experience, but the community took a big dent out of the score.

During beta, it was quite easy to see people running around, talking, grouping, among other things. This time, the starting areas and such I was lucky to see more then 2 people at a time. I rarely saw any different people while running around the starting areas. Which also made certain quests harder that required going through crowded mob based areas.

Even in the more city based areas I didn't see anyone. The only place I did see people was at the Harvest Festival spots, and even then it wasn't that many. Speaking of the Harvest Festival, I was looking for the horses, and as soon as I got there she said "5 minutes until the next race" so I just think  "Hey I got here just in time, I guess I'm lucky" So I get the quest, run quick and grab a saddle, Get the horse and get on the starting line. Though unknown to me, they had a line set up ( Note this isn't a line that you have to do, it's just a line they apparently set up that some people were following ) but since I didn't know of this at the time, they yelled at me. It was quite amusing through my eyes, they kept yelling "Wow wtf you immature twit (I say twit to censor the true word) i'll get you banned". Hopefully people other then me can see the humor in that statement. So i did the race, got in second, but only by  less then a second, I turned to wide on one of the turns.

Though of course after that I left that area.

Though I they still have the same grouping system, which they named fellowships (Ha!). They also have the guild system, kinships (or something of that matter). I haven't quite taken a peak at how those work yet but it seems to be running fine.

I also have noticed the lack of help now, at least compared to the beta. I can see someone asking the same question over and over for easily 15 minutes without an answer. Though of course it's usually one I don't even know so I can't really do much.

Sound 7/10

 I'm not much of a sound person, I never have been. Though I randomly do listen to in game sound.

The music, really isn't that bad. Though I greatly dislike the battle music. I haven't been able to figure out why, but i just dislike it greatly. 

The combat sounds are great, you have the blocking and parry-ing sounds, even the skill sounds aren't that bad.

Though the thing i do like, is the instruments. You can learn different instruments and play them with the number keys, pressing Shift or CTRL to get a higher and lower sound to the notes. It's quite interesting and easy to do. There are also players who have made parody of certain songs through the instruments in game.

Classes  8/10

The classes aren't that bad, they go by the basic sets of classes. Healers, magic user, ranger, etc.

Though they have a bit of a twist on them.

I won't go into detail on all of them , but it's a unique aspect in all of them. They all each can be used by certain races, which makes sense. So, if you and your friends all want to start as the same race, make sure to see if the race has what everyone wants to be.

The Lore Master has magic based, a long with getting to have a pet to help them. They use fire quite a bit and do have some healing abilities. Along with a skill that steals a monsters, or players if you are pvp-ing, Power (MP) and transfers it to you. Of course it doesn't stop draining it even if you have full Power, which is neat during PVP because you can basically leave your enemy dry. Which stops him from using skills.

Then we have the Hunters, which are the bow and arrow users. These guys aren't quite the stereotypical bow and arrow only guys. When a mob gets in close combat range, you pull out a weapon and can feel free to "Lay the smack down" on them with the close range skills.  Of course, if you can take them out before they even get to you, that would be better.

Burglar which I haven't quite tried out to be honest. I just never saw much of an appeal of them. Though i have browsed and it seems that they do need a group quite often.

Champions are a neat little class. They have Area of Effect damage (which is usually a small distance in front of them) along with faster attacks. They carry two weapons which fills the need of everyone who likes to hold two weapons.

Captains are the buffer, which I never played in depth. I just dislike the buffer based class due to the fact I don't like being relied on during battles. Though they do get a pet them selves at later levels.

Guardians are a form of tank. They have a shield and a sword, and they are quire useful. They have better HP, and have a lot of skills that pull mobs on to you and off anyone else. Some skills also attack with the shield (which I like ).

Minstrel, I never played in depth either due to the reasons already stated for Captain, but it's a healer class. You fight with a weapon most of the time, and you pull a lute out of no where and you can heal players.

Overall 7.5/10

I know I'm forgetting some things, but I'm running short on time.

This game is quite good, and i would suggest picking it up if you like pretty graphics and lots of quests. If you can find a group of buddies to hang out with while playing that will make it much more enjoyable. Though It may have just been unlucky for me at the time being while I played.

It doesn't cost that much, though you have to pay for a new one even after the trial download (as far as I can tell, correct me if I'm wrong ) which is $30. Then you get a free 30 days, then after that you pay the standard $15 (or one of the other bundle payment methods).