Hellgate: London Footage

whens this coming out?

i just realized that i have been looking at previews for this game for YEARS. jesus, i think i had somehow just assumed it was already out and i wasnt paying attention. nope, more previews. talk about solid job security, working on a game that takes so friggin long to come out, lol. they designers may get a gold watch and a party when it finally gets done

I just watched a couple of those gameplay movies.

I like how monsters deaths look a bit better now. Before shit was just lamely flopping over. I'm still disappointed with the lack of "messiness". I see some chunks of flaming gibs, but there's no blood decals/pools of blood or piles of gore left on the floor. Don't demons and zombies bleed too? I'd actually much rather see that than see every single monster on screen with perfect shadows cast on the floor.

It's definitely not as visceral as Diablo 1 or 2, and the massive amount of exploding monsters that blew up into chunky piles of loot are what made that game so fun for me.

the thing that puts me off this game after seeing the vids is not that the graphics aren'r particularly special, or that the enemies look dumb - hell I'm still playing Quake 1 after 10 years - it's the weapons.

How many sci-fi fps shooters have had satisfying to use laser based weapons? Yeah, I'm sure there are a few, but here every gun looks like it fires some kind of plasma or goo or something. Not only that, but the sounds didn't seem very powerful or satisfying and enemy death animations were a bit light looking.

Now, if this game is Diablo 2 in first person then you are going to be killing a shit-ton of enemies. I hope to god that either the game is already satisfying to play, or they beef up the sounds and tweak some of the weapon effects.

I did only watch one video, so maybe the others showed different types of weapons. Also, I must say that coop is what I was born for, so I hope it's good.

A few points about these vids.

1) They're all from the press kit materials, which is why they're very similar. The idea is 'pick one and put it on your site' Not really 'post all of them at once.'

2) These clips show off virtually nothing but FPS action. It doesn't show any of the RPG stuff (stat screens etc) Don't be fooled. This is Diablo 3. (Spiritually). You level up, you have stats, 30 skills per class.

The Templar is designed to play more like a FPS class, which is what's in most of these clips. Guns and swords. The Cabalist class is a sorcerer/necromancer. Spells, summons, shapeshifting. There's at least one more class which will complement the other class's abilities as well, but they haven't talked about it.

3) The game looks crazy easy in these clips, but they're taken from the build they use at conventions. The difficulty is cranked way down so that people can move through a larget portion of the game when they only have 15 minutes to play with it. The monsters will take a lot more punishment in the release version, but obviously as it's not done yet, all that's still being tweaked.

4) The game hasn't been in production forever, it's been 3 years at most, and in a few months thier beta will start, with a release early to mid 2007. But yes, I think they've shown off too much of the game and too often. It is a bit like Tribes 2/STALKER in that respect.

What I don't get is why more people aren't pumped about this game. If you like FPSs, (which I do) this game gives you virtually unlimited replay value. Random maps, 100+ weapons, some of which are so crazy they put the arsenal of Unreal to shame. There's one gun that fires a swarm of locusts.

If you like action RPG's (which I do) this game is basically Diablo 3. Quests a la WoW, random objectives, character classes to build up, unlimited replayability. A lot of companies have tried to replicate the formula that made Diablo 2 the king of Action RPGs, but even the ones that come closest like Dungeon Siege or Titan Quest especially fall far short. HG:L will out Diablo Diablo in virtually every way.

Plus is has a fully realized single player game, Co-Op, LAN play, massive elements like Guild Wars, you can play it first or third person, it's an FPS and an RPG, it's like all things to all people, and since it's being made by Blizzard North (essentially) you know it'll be done right, despite it's seemingly over ambitious design.

Hate to be a downer, but that looks really boring. The gameplay seems to consist of:

1) Run in random circles. No need to jump or use cover.
2) Shoot brainless monsters. No need to aim, conserve ammo, or think.
3) Equip your character with 100's of pointless variations on the same theme (ie guns).
4) Rinse, wash, repeat.

It's like an FPS game that's been stripped of all the things that make modern FPS games what they are. No AI, no maneuvering, no physics, etc. Yeah, they're calling it an "RPG" but give me a break. Many other modern RPGs are trying to raise the bar rather than lower it--Mass Effect or Bioshock, anyone?

I think Hellgate's a one-trick pony who's trick (random, 3D maps) isn't worth a damn without some more compelling gameplay around it. Ugh :(

Note: "I Haven't watched this video yet"

I think why Diablo for me was such a big hit was not only the
simplicity of the combat, and the hordes of enemies..

It was also the level of gore... Diablo 1 and 2 had alot of gore! Demon's exploding in pools of blood, limbs coming off, pieces of flesh flying...
And it was all really well done... not just big blobs of bright red, but actually detailed gore...

I really hope this game reaches this level of gore, otherwise like some people of mentioned, it'll be just a Serious Sam (an example of poorly done gore)

this guy looks like he has a quad damage in his chest:

http://www.shacknews.com/screens.x/hellgate_london/Hellgate+London/3/thumbs/092006_hellgatelondon_1TGS06_06.jpg

When this was first announced, everybody hyped it as a Diablo killer.

Then it was diablo with FPS elements.

Looking at these movies, it's Serious Sam with custom character items.


I want my Diablo killer back.

Sad panda.

Mix in one part Diablo and two parts PainKiller and you get Hellgate London

It looks like PainKiller and Serious Sam fans should be all over this one

Should be fun, cant wait

I'm so psyched for this game. Cooperative, First Person, RPG elements, random dungeons, made by ex-Blizzard guys.

Awesome. Please ship in 07! :)

Cooperative! :-)