7.9 - Good
This unique mech combat sim looks great in action, but gets most of its mileage out of its persistent online campaign, which can be very fun for dedicated players.
The Good: Inventive persistent campaign draws you into online team-based competition; deep, well-designed mech-building system is a lot of fun to play around with; distinctive mech designs and impressive presentation during battles; lots of gameplay variety and replay value during online play.
The Bad: Single-player portion of the game is undercooked and relatively disappointing; interface for online play could have been much more streamlined in spots.
GAMESPOT SAYS CHROMEHOUNDS > PREY
Here's a post from GAF stolen from some forum, the online for this sounds fucking amazing.
AlsoDammit...I'm leaving work early. Like as soon as I finished this post. Here are some impression from my guys over at Zerocomiit.com:
1) "The Persistent online war is so involved it's silly...it's just a totally immersive experience.
ZeroCommit finished the day off at 5-0.
The developers of this game did so many things right, from Clan lobbies (when you connect to live, you're automatically put in a private lobby with your clan), to graphic maps on the progress of all 3 nations.
For anyone who might care, Morskoj has taken the Tarakian capital once again, and is invading Sal Kar (where 0c resides), while at the same time Sal Kar pushes back on the eastern side. It's a brutal slugfest!"
2) "Q: How involved is the whole customization process? Are their parts you have to unlock? How often do you run across the same mech?
A: You will unlock parts both during single player, and during multiplayer. The $ you make (or don't make if you lose) fighting online is used to buy parts from a sort of online store. You can then build new hounds or customize an existing one with the parts from single/multiplayer.
During your fighting, certain enemy weapons will also be added to your clan's arsenal as being "salvaged from battle". You can view a list of these parts and then purchase a lottery ticket for any part you're interested in. After x hours the lottery is over and the part is distributed.
A similar list of prototype weapons exists, and you're able to enter a lottery on these parts as well, but i'm not certain where the weapons come from.
I didn't see the same mech once all day yesterday. The customization featuer is so involved that there isn't going to be a best mech configuration, it's all personal preference. They come in all shapes and sizes, from small and fast, to rolling shopping malls."
3) "The only thing bad about the game is not having it. Well, maybe the 15 minute briefing area where if one person doesnt ready up you could be waiting 15 minute before the match starts. But beyond that the game is awesome.
Its a gorgeous game, Trees falling from the explosions, and the lighting during a night mission will blow you away. High customization, A plethora of things to do online between the war, Individual Co-op missions, and the 15 or so gametype to do in freebattle there is just no reason not to get it. And the squad, Wow they really outdid themselves in it. There is a continuous main lobby where all the squad members are. you can talk to everyone in the lobby, and continue to do so while working on your hound from the lobby.
Lotteries, Elections for new presidents of the nation your a part of, Captured parts from detroyed enemy hounds, Editing Hound colors, emblems, weapon layouts, Strategizing the next move is all exciting and the speed of your mech never really comes into play. It doesn't take long to scrap it up with someone and when you do its pretty intense. The only types that take a little longer to get into action are heaver types, but they have long range weapons anyways and can strike from across the map. I can't get enough of it and we played from around 5:40pm til 2:30 in the morning.
If mech games aren't your cup of tea then thats fine, however if you let a half-assed review of the game keep you from getting it when everyone here is giving it positive, you are truely missing out on a great title."
The Chromehounds Community is already kicking into full gear:
http://boards.sega.com/chromehounds/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.chromehound.com/forums/index.php?showforum=2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
CUSTOM MECHSmembers of the 3 nations in Chromehounds have voted and changed their presidents already.
http://www.chromehound.com/forums/in...showtopic=1068" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Choosing your president apparently changes some of your nation's advantages and funding priorities. Sweet.
GOTY for sure
CHROMEHOUNDS > PREY
