[Review] Chromehounds

[Knightshade Dragon]

I've reviewed Chromehounds.  I'm wondering what you guys think of it.  Agree?  Disagree? Link and graphic on the front page.

[corruptrelic]

Good review - although I wish you would have mentioned if it had any kind of bot support or not.

Your comments on the online portion (especially going against the AI) are fueling my desire for Xbox Live as I know I'm missing out on a lot but I just have a hard time with the 'pay to play' model when you can play for free on PC/PSP2/PSP without any kind of monthly fee.

[Knightshade Dragon]

Good review - although I wish you would have mentioned if it had any kind of bot support or not.

Your comments on the online portion (especially going against the AI) are fueling my desire for Xbox Live as I know I'm missing out on a lot but I just have a hard time with the 'pay to play' model when you can play for free on PC/PSP2/PSP without any kind of monthly fee.

*nods*  I understand your reluctance.  You'll eventually have to jump on the bandwagon though.  Nobody can resist the Forum Effect for long.

[Soulchilde]

Great review, Ron.  The only error is with AI Hounds that you destroy.  They Don't disappear  in the online game, but the  non hound AI support does disappear when destroyed. Other than that I say spot on review

[Knightshade Dragon]

Great review, Ron.  The only error is with AI Hounds that you destroy.  They Don't disappear  in the online game, but the  non hound AI support does disappear when destroyed. Other than that I say spot on review

Ahhh, you have a good point.  I'll revise the review to reflect.  Good catch!

[Arkon]

Very good review KD.  The score seems spot on.  The funny thing is I barely noticed the sound in the game because I usually have it turned down pretty low and am chatting away the whole time.

[Turtle]

The fee isn't as bad if you buy a full year.  In fact, more stores carry a live sub card for 13 months for the same price as a 12 month sub.  It equals slightly less than $4 a month.

[Farscry]

Your comments on the online portion (especially going against the AI) are fueling my desire for Xbox Live as I know I'm missing out on a lot but I just have a hard time with the 'pay to play' model when you can play for free on PC/PSP2/PSP without any kind of monthly fee.

I used to feel the exact same way about Live back on the X-Box, dude.  But I gave it a shot with the 360 since I finally set up a home network and wanted to give it a shot.  I have to say that with how integrated everything is with Live, it goes far beyond what you can get on the other consoles.  PC, well, it depends.    With X-Fire, you can get a lot of the functionality of Live on your PC, but Live still manages to be a complete, total package that works incredibly well at integrating everyone together.

I've been in Chromehounds with guys from multiple boards, I've played PGR3 and Burnout with total strangers, the voicechat really helps to make it much more friendly (most of the time...), and heck, even in single player it's great:  I was playing Dynasty Warriors 5 on Sunday, Purge saw me doing that, and popped up a private chat with me to give me advice on the game.    Fyedaddy and I often catch up on Live in the evening while gaming (much easier than trying to do that on the phone!).  It's also great that others can see you playing a game and toss an invite your way for a multiplayer matchup.    Sure, it may not always be something you want to do, but you have the option!

Yeah, I'm a convert.  

[Destructor]

Another review glitch - in single player mode, you can replay your missions. Just hit the Free Play option from the main SP 'lobby' and you can replay to your heart's content.

And I think that there are more than one of us now with 70+ hours of gameplay.

[hepcat]

Your comments on the online portion (especially going against the AI) are fueling my desire for Xbox Live as I know I'm missing out on a lot but I just have a hard time with the 'pay to play' model when you can play for free on PC/PSP2/PSP without any kind of monthly fee.

I used to feel the exact same way about Live back on the X-Box, dude.  But I gave it a shot with the 360 since I finally set up a home network and wanted to give it a shot.  I have to say that with how integrated everything is with Live, it goes far beyond what you can get on the other consoles.  PC, well, it depends.    With X-Fire, you can get a lot of the functionality of Live on your PC, but Live still manages to be a complete, total package that works incredibly well at integrating everyone together.

I've been in Chromehounds with guys from multiple boards, I've played PGR3 and Burnout with total strangers, the voicechat really helps to make it much more friendly (most of the time...), and heck, even in single player it's great:  I was playing Dynasty Warriors 5 on Sunday, Purge saw me doing that, and popped up a private chat with me to give me advice on the game.    Fyedaddy and I often catch up on Live in the evening while gaming (much easier than trying to do that on the phone!).  It's also great that others can see you playing a game and toss an invite your way for a multiplayer matchup.    Sure, it may not always be something you want to do, but you have the option!

Yeah, I'm a convert.  

i second that opinion.  live on the 360, for what you pay (approximately 50 bucks for a year) is well worth it.  it's one purchase in which i can find absolutely nothing to regret.  

[Laner]

The fee isn't as bad if you buy a full year.  In fact, more stores carry a live sub card for 13 months for the same price as a 12 month sub.  It equals slightly less than $4 a month.

Amazon has a 12+1-mo subscription card for $36 - about $2.75/month

[DamageInc]

Another review glitch - in single player mode, you can replay your missions. Just hit the Free Play option from the main SP 'lobby' and you can replay to your heart's content.

And I think that there are more than one of us now with 70+ hours of gameplay.

Does this let you change the outcome of the single player storyline missions, or just allow you to replay the mission? IE Improve overall score from Rank A to Rank S

Also, the single player missions are not completely wasteful because they accomplish a few things:

Teach you the role and how to play different RTs
You get parts that you can carry over to the multi-player side
You get to pull the RT experience over to the RT side

These are not huge factors, but they exist nonetheless.

Other than the other things that were mentioned here, your review is very accurate.

[Arkon]

Also just noticed, you don't mention in graphics that there is a vertical tearing issue on some maps, where if you turn quickly in your Hound the graphics tear briefly.

[coopasonic]

Another review glitch - in single player mode, you can replay your missions. Just hit the Free Play option from the main SP 'lobby' and you can replay to your heart's content.

And I think that there are more than one of us now with 70+ hours of gameplay.

Does this let you change the outcome of the single player storyline missions, or just allow you to replay the mission? IE Improve overall score from Rank A to Rank S

After you play through ALL of the SP missions, you can replay the missions to improve your rank and get the parts you missed out on. You have to complete every mission before this option becomes available though.

[Arkon]

Another review glitch - in single player mode, you can replay your missions. Just hit the Free Play option from the main SP 'lobby' and you can replay to your heart's content.

And I think that there are more than one of us now with 70+ hours of gameplay.

Does this let you change the outcome of the single player storyline missions, or just allow you to replay the mission? IE Improve overall score from Rank A to Rank S

After you play through ALL of the SP missions, you can replay the missions to improve your rank and get the parts you missed out on. You have to complete every mission before this option becomes available though.

Not true, you can replay a mission at any time.

[coopasonic]

Not true, you can replay a mission at any time.

Does doing it free play allow you to improve rank and get the bonus part?

[Arkon]

Not true, you can replay a mission at any time.

Does doing it free play allow you to improve rank and get the bonus part?

Yep.  I currently only have soldier and one of scout done, but I can replay all those I have done prior.  A few of the soldier missions I had an A and I replayed them to get S and I got new parts.

[stiffler]

Not true, you can replay a mission at any time.

Does doing it free play allow you to improve rank and get the bonus part?

Yep.  I currently only have soldier and one of scout done, but I can replay all those I have done prior.  A few of the soldier missions I had an A and I replayed them to get S and I got new parts.

I can confirm this because I am not very good at the SP missions and always replay them until I get an "S" before moving on to the next.  Just hit "Interrupt Story" and then go to "Free Play" and choose your mission.  Like so much of this game it's not very intuitive.

[Knightshade Dragon]

Not true, you can replay a mission at any time.

Does doing it free play allow you to improve rank and get the bonus part?

Yep.  I currently only have soldier and one of scout done, but I can replay all those I have done prior.  A few of the soldier missions I had an A and I replayed them to get S and I got new parts.

I can confirm this because I am not very good at the SP missions and always replay them until I get an "S" before moving on to the next.  Just hit "Interrupt Story" and then go to "Free Play" and choose your mission.  Like so much of this game it's not very intuitive.

 :shock:    I would never have found this.  Ever.    I'll amend the review.