Hellgate: London Reviews

• Finally a good effort

  
  By A2S40L3L35C1W8 on 2007-11-02
  If you don't want to read this long review, let me simply say that Hellgate London is a good game, and definitely worth the money.
  
  But if you want to know a little more...
  
  Let me start off by just saying it... Diablo 2.
  There are few games out there that are of such a high quality that they become the standard that others have to beat, that they become the thing that is used to compare. Diablo 2 is such a game. It is the game of which it is said with other games; `Diablo also had that' or `unlike Diablo.'
  
  So, here we are, Hellgate London; the game that wants to take over from Diablo. Can it? Well, yes and no. Yes in the fact that over the years there have been many Diablo clones, and none came close to `the real stuff.' Hellgate does. Hellgate comes close and even surpasses in some areas, like graphics. But then again, what would you would expect from a new game that is trying to beat a, what, ten year old game?
  
  Also, one very interesting this is that I wouldn't actually call Hellgate a clone of Diablo. A clone is a copy; more of the same. While Hellgate is more of the next step. Yes, it has all the things you expect and know from Diablo. Health potions have become health injections, the identification scrolls have become single use identifier units. Items are still color coded, and there are even mods and weapons that can be compared to the weapons with sockets from Diablo. But simply the fact that you are actually in a 3D world already makes you surpass the 2D world. In Diablo you could see everything in a circle around you. In Hellgate you only see what you look at. And if you want to see what happens behind, or above you, you have to actually turn around, or look up. While Hellgate is not the kind of game where someone suddenly jumps out at you (save from the few monsters that appear out of nothing, but do so with a very convenient warning sound,) you actually have to walk to a corridor and look in to see what's happening there and if there are monsters to be found.
  
  I have only tried one class until now, but in that class (the guardian) one thing I really like is that you don't have to target every single enemy. In Diablo you had to click on one enemy at a time to attack it (save for some abilities like the strife shot for the Amazon, or the throwing starts for the assassin.) In Hellgate you can simply click (doesn't even have to be on an enemy) and hold down the mouse key and as long as the enemies are inside your range you automatically attack the next one when the first one dies. Note, the enemy has to be inside your sword range, so you won't go running across the map automatically just because you hit the attack key.
  
  Hellgate also comes with Randomly generated maps (apart from some key locations), so it does have a high replay value and it's not that once you played the game you know every map there is in the game.
  
  In short Hellgate is a fun game that makes you want to play just that little bit more.
  
  Now, I did say that there was a `no' part to it being able to replace Diablo. So here come the more negative comments.
  
  First, it is indeed a great game that you want to keep playing. But with Diablo you wanted to play for hours, and then some more. You could easily play it 8 hours straight. (At least I could.) With Hellgate you play for an hour, maybe two, and then you get bored. It is yet another zombie, yet another Imp, that you kill. While that was pretty much the same with Diablo, there still is that `something' missing that prevents you from getting bored. With Hellgate you do get bored... but then again the game is still good enough that a few hours later you find yourself restarting the game to play a little more.
  
  Missions are boring to the extreme, and some are down to the stupid even. Mind you, there is some line in the main... eh... plot. But the secondary missions. It really is all the same. Go there and kill 5 of those. Go there and kill that monster. Go there and get me that. In Diablo most of the missions were a continuation of the main mission, and even the sub missions (the ones you could skip and still end the game) had some tie to the main story. In Hellgate the only tie is that the monsters are your enemy and you go and kills some more monsters. Boring. Basically, the secondary missions have no value other then to get you some rewards that you are (mostly) going to sell anyway, and they get you to hack and slash some more and gain more experience. On itself that extra hack and slash isn't bad, since basically that's what you are playing the game for anyway. But the fact that there is no true story behind that hack and slash does tie to what I said about getting bored with it after some time. (Until you want to hack and slash some more.)
  
  The maps. (The kind that lets you know where you are, not the kind you play on.)
  The mini map that shows what's in your direct vicinity is good enough, but I truly hate the world map. The world map is laid out like a metro/subway map. Now, there is a reason for that, since a lot of the game plays there and you get from one place to the other in subway tunnels. But still. When you bring up the world map it basically only tells you where you are at the moment, and from it you can't really see if you have to go north or south since just like in a real subway map a place that is located to the north on the map might be very well to your south depending on how you are standing (and no, there is no compass.) While that is not a bad thing in the tunnels, on a bigger area that is larger than what you see on your mini map you can actually get lost because the world map only shows that you are in `that' location. Thanks, I know that I'm at Piccadilly Circus, now please tell me if I'm on the north or south side of it, and just where the exit I came from is again. No, I much rather have the map you had in Diablo, the one that you could have on constant as a semi-transparent overlay. But even that you can't do with the world map. Well, you can leave the world map on while you play, or you can put the mini-map as an overlay, but both are not really transparent, and it still is only a subway style map or limited range. Either way, overlay is not doable really because it obstructs your view.
  
  Another thing, and eventually this too ties into the boring aspect, is that there is too much gray. Now, I know that you are running around in a destroyed city and cities tend to be gray. But still, I little more color would have been nice. Every street looks the game because wherever you look you see gray buildings and more gray buildings. It takes away variety and quickly turns the areas that aren't subway tunnels into a repetitive combination of gray buildings and boring monsters to kill.
  
  And lastly, two things that I'm neutral about at the moment of me writing this.
  
  First, the skills are set up very differently from Diablo. With Diablo you basically had to pick a few skills and stick to it; train them as high as possible. Otherwise you would end up being a weak mediocre jack of all trades that would get killed time and again. In Hellgate they turned that around 180 degrees. Here they actually want you to spread your skill points over many skills. And to make you do so you get a huge increase with the first skill point, but less with next skills points. For instance. With the defender there is a skill that you can use that makes you hit an enemy with 100% more damage (great against tough monsters only since reuse is time delayed and you can't use it al the time) The thing is, the first skill point gets you that 100% increase. But when you add a second skill point it only adds another 10%, making it a total of 110% extra damage.
  
  While I do like this approach in general because it does allow you to use more skills, I have now (level 11 player at the moment of this writing btw) reached a point where I have noticed that in actual play I don't use several skills. Now it would be nice if I could use my skill points in the skills I do use and actually get a nice increase with it. Yet on the other side, as I said, I'm not `that' far into the game and I don't know yet what the increases will be. Maybe there are 20 levels, just like Diablo, and then 10% increases would still eventually turn out to be a massive 300% extra damage, if it keeps increasing in increments of 10%. Time will tell.
  
  And lastly, a thing that I like and don't like at the same time. The monsters in the game don't level up with you. Monsters have been set to have a certain level in this or that part of the game. In playing that turns out to be still around a realistic level where monsters that are a little tougher do need a few more hits with the sword, while the base level zombies are by now little more than a nuisance and are cut down with the first sword swing. In a way I like that because it makes you truly feel that you are getting better. In the game Oblivion monsters do level up with you and at a point it just makes the game unbelievable. Here you are someone that has trained to be a master with the sword, cannot train any higher, yet still every robber you come across is just as skilled as you. Come on. With Hellgate that won't happen. Zombies that once needed 3 sword hits to be killed are now mowed down with a sweep of the sword while I don't even really slow down. Basically is shows me that I'm getting better, while at the same time there are slowly but surely popping up other, tougher, monsters that do keep me on my toes.
  
  As I said, in general I like that. But I just wish that they would do something about those low level monsters. Streets are still filled with zombies, and now that I can kill them in one blow they are really nothing more than nuisances that distract me, at most. It would have been nice is they were replaced by different monsters that are a little higher up. Not enough that every monster is a master challenge, but enough to make you want to look out and not let them come too close.
  
  So, where does that leave us?
  Do I recommend to buy it? Yes. It IS a great game, and it by far surpasses any Diablo clone created to date. But at the same time it didn't succeed in replacing Diablo as `the game to beat.' It's not Diablo, but it is definitely the best attempt by far. I would give it a very close second place. And if you don't compare it to Diablo, and simply want to know if it's a good game, then I would even call Hellgate a great game.
  
  H.W.
  
  

• Diablo Done Better

  
  By A3RELMCIJHVNE5 on 2007-10-30
  This game is very much a sequel to diablo 2 but there are some obvious breaks from the diablo series.
  
  The most salient break is that the entire game is in a true 3d world where you can play from the first or third person perspective. This makes for a pretty fun experience but for some rather different gameplay mechanics. You have to combat flying creatures that, as oppposed to the diablo series, actually are above your head! The general style of attacking is also quite different for all charachters in the 3d world; the game plays much more like half life than like a diablo gone 3d. The "hack and slash" of diablo is made much more robust.
  
  There are alot of other less notable differences so ill run through them quickly. Spell damage is based on the items you are holding; this prevents early spells from becoming useless (infact the early spells are normally the most frequently used at later levels). You can imbue items with magical properties at a cost in gold. You can "upgrade" items to enhance the base damage or defence, this eliminates the problem of finding a good magic item early in the game and having it become obsolete towards the end. Gold is actually important. There are many skills designed to heal and assist party members.
  
  There are, of course, many similarities. The random (and unique) item system is still nearly identical to diablo. The skill tree and general skill aquisition system is nearly identical to diablo. The levels are random, though not quite as random as diablo. And what is really wonderful is that the charachter classes play like the charachter classes from diablo 2; the similarity is just incredible.
  
  The other reviewer noted a lack of intensity. There is a certian lack of creatures to kill in comparison to diablo; you will still be killing hordes of monsters but not at the same scale as you would in a diablo game. I find this a welcome change though it was obviously implemented because of the new constraints placed on the game by its 3d world. There is also a certian sense i get that charachters move more slowly, but im not sure i can make this judgement any more precise than that. If this is what the reviewer means by a lack of intensity than i see exactly what they mean (and say its all for the good); but if something else is meant, like a lack of excitment, a lack near death experiences, or a lack of difficult fights that suck you into the game then that reviewer just didnt get enough play time from the demo.
  
  

• Enjoyable, yet flawed

  
  By AJKWF4W7QD4NS on 2007-11-11
  A futuristic London beseiged by demonic forces? Sounds like a fun environment to me, and that's the setting of Hellgate: London, the much anticipated action/RPG from EA and Flagship. Loading up on loot and upgrading your character is the name of the game, with varying classes to choose from as well that determine what view you'll be playing from, including first and third person. The action elements are outshined by the RPG elements with Hellgate: London, but make no mistake that the overall gameplay is no less addictive for it. What really hurts Hellgate: London though is that the game shows off it's best stuff, and then doesn't so anything else to match or top it. It won't be long until the various enemies start looking similar and the environments become nearly identical. There are noticable technical glitches as well in an otherwise great looking game, which only looks better if you have a DirectX 10. The game's story is also worth noting, as it tries to weave in some comical moments that don't really work too well, and all together doesn't really amount to a whole lot as well. All in all, Hellgate: London is an enjoyable, yet flawed, spin on the Diablo formula that is definitely worth checking out to be sure, but until some patches are put out, the game is better left on the shelf.
  
  

• DIABLO - THE AWAKENING

  
  By A74TA8X5YQ7NE on 2007-11-03
  UNREAL was one of these games that mark an era. Huge, gorgeous scenery, atmospheric and fast - there was nothing like it for many years. When UNREAL II: THE AWAKENING came out I could not wait to get my hands on it - only to be hugely disappointed. The new game had been graphically improved yet the UNREAL character was replaced by a bland and generic FPS feeling.
  
  The DIABLO series enjoyed a similar, well deserved, success. HELLGATE: LONDON was released by the creators of DIABLO - leaving a similar unsatisfied aftertaste I am afraid.
  
  Don't get me wrong, this is a good game. However, a slight disappointment is inevitable for a game that tries to do everything: provide a 40-hour single-player FPS; double as an action-cRPG; and serve as a subscription-MMORPG (with at least two pay-grade classes: First & Standard) at the same time. Trying to please everybody, well, ends up falling short. They did put in a solid effort; however, in the end, both FPS and action-RPG fans will find the game wanting.
  
  FPS-wise HELLGATE:LONDON is slow (by the way, the perspective is adjustable from FP to TP and back) and the character movement feels forced. The weapons are inventive and impressive. Monsters and demons appear all over (popping from places that surprise you) and are dynamically-generated - as are the maps, every time a new game is started (adding to the game's replayability). Yet the rhythms are nowhere near those of a true FPS. There are tight moments but no high-speed tension.
  I guess that is the price of creating a single player game and aiming at the MMORPG market at the same time (trying to avoid lag-time).
  
  As a cRPG, HELLGATE: LONDON fares somewhat better. It is not the first time, of course, to come upon a First Person cRPG (the classic ULTIMA series introduced this). Nevertheless, HELLGATE: LONDON manages to convey the DIABLO feeling from the FP perspective beautifully! The multitude of sold or looted items alone is staggering! Everything seems to be customizable and appears on the character. A nice touch is that unwanted items can be broken down to their raw materials - which can then be used in either crafting new items or enhancing existing items at a vendor. Thus, an item well beyond the one you are currently using can yield material capable of enhancing it. Similar to TITAN QUEST, creating unique items using a mold is also possible.
  There are three factions: Templars (aka: Knights), Cabalists (aka: Mages) & Hunters (aka: Rogues), with numerous subclasses, all capped at level 50.
  
  Graphically the game is crisp and clear but not cutting edge. The graphics are comparable to HL2 and QUAKE4 (3 year old games). The surfaces, the textures, the reflections and the weather effects are beautiful, and they are designed for BOTH DX9 and DX10! I cannot comment on DX10 (as I am running WinXP) however, for DX9 I have no complains - I encountered only some stuttering and the system demands are reasonable.
  
  What is concerning is EA/FLAGSHIP's emerging intentions to charge for this game piece-meal. Since this is a heavily OnLine-oriented game, having the latest "installment" will be a necessity in order to survive and compete effectively.
  The multiplayer offers a number of choices: free (with limited gameplay capabilities, such as leading a guild), Standard monthly fee (for additional content such as new areas, more classes, weapons,quests, and game modes) and First Class monthly fee (premium content). It may seem a good decision on boardroom papers, however, I doubt that this...cast system will sit good with the MMORPG crowd. Imagine building a character exactly as you want him for, say, six months, only to have him wiped by a rich n00by with premium weapons...Yeah, that will work miracles in building your fan-base...
  So, for someone buying the game mostly for its multiplayer, be warned: $[...] is NOT all you will have to pay (yes, even if you opt not to subscribe for the unrestricted gameplay).
  
  All in all, A GOOD GAME, a solid effort to mix-and-match different genre that falls just short of its raised expectations.
  
  PS:
  There is a major storyline objection: presenting Templar Knights and Freemasons as the saviors of humanity is as absurd as describing Nazis as "cosmetic products manufacturers". Some things cannot be spinned I am afraid. Now, I did not take this into account in rating this game since no one is taught history by video games...is he?
  
  

• dull and monotonous

  
  By A3E24FMSXLZEEG on 2007-11-07
  This is not even close to Diablo 2. By the time you get to level 10, you have seen all there is to see in terms of graphic tiles (gray or beige), mob models (forgettable), weapon effects (see mob models), and level design (linear city ruins, linear tunnel ruins).
  
  I have completed 4 Acts in the game, and they all look and play the same, with the same mobs.
  
  As on online game, it is an utter failure. There's no feel of community, in the least. By default the chat window is hidden, so if another players im's you, you won't even see it. The chat window (the entire UI, actually) is huge. The towns are empty; players drop by for a few seconds to vendor drops and take off again.
  
  This would be OK as a standalone game, and I'd give it 3 stars in that mode, but only one as a MMORPG. Frankly, I just do not see how they can justify charging $10 a month for this game, which has a fraction of the complexity and content of real MMO's.
  
  
• Text Box Game With Almost No Voice Actng
  By A3RB0IJG7UOQCC on 2007-11-10
  That's right, you read and click your way through all the Hellgate dialog just like the bad ol' days. This issue seems to be oddly overlooked in many official reviews so I thought I'd lead with it--having not been adequately warned myself. Frankly I think it should be written across the game box in 90 point text. The text should be red and flashing. They could use the money they saved on voice acting to install LEDs and a little watch battery so the flashing could warn more people.
  
  It's 2007 and scrolling through endless text boxes should be a deal breaker for a $50 game, but here's the rest of the bad news in case you still care:
  
  Hellgate plays like a raw Diablo stats engine stripped of everything that made the Diablo games engaging. The developers seemed to cut every corner they could: generic story, boiler plate environments, NPCs that just stand around like lifeless mannequins, animations that look like they came from 1994, side quests that don't play into any larger story and are rewarded with the same crap you just purged from your inventory.
  
  Just buy something else or they'll make more.
  
  
• Dont waste your money!! Play the demo first!
  By A30V8ZF05YW5B on 2007-10-26
  I was excited about this game until I played the demo. The graphics are good but overall game play is boring. Those of you that love Diablo 2 you will find this game lacking the intensity. Overall don't waste your money, or try looking at Call of Duty 4 demo or TimeShift Demo. Those games are better FPS.
  
  
• I've never been this amazed and disappointed
  By A16WKPOSEGQC3Y on 2007-12-16
  I've never written a really bad review like this. There is always something worthwhile with these games. This one though is astonishing. It simply DOES NOT RUN... ever. I envy those who have played through to tell the tale. But I have never had such a miserable install, so many bugs and patches that simply did not work.
  
  EA should be embarrassed. The error messages are simply too bizarre for words. This is 2007 for goodness sake. No one releases code this nasty anymore. The patching mechanism simply does not work. You are FORCED to create an account, otherwise you cannot have access to support (but I already paid the $50).
  
  You cannot download the patches, you have to use EAs miserable updater, which does not work, ever, on any computer. I was shocked at the amount of code/software quality issues I see on the Hellgate forums. I have NEVER seen anything like it before. It seems like a large percentage of people simply cannot get the blasted software to work.
  
  Enough said. I never write reviews/commentary like this. I leave that to the naive 14 year olds who don't know how the world works. But this time, I am seething with anger over this total waste of money and time.
  
  
• This Is One Of The Funnest Games I Have Ever Played!
  By A1VCJKQUUDV6SL on 2007-11-01
  I started playing Hellgate: London and I couldn't stop. This game is very addictive. The replay value of this game is just amazing. Everytime you play the game, the game will play out differently.
  
  The game takes place in London, England in the year 2038. Demons from Hell have taken over London and they live above ground. The last remmants of humanity live underground in subway stations. The levels you go through are always different and the monsters and creatures you fight against are always different.
  
  Right now, I'm playing a character called Blademaster and I'm having so much fun playing that character. You can play six different characters in the game. You actually give your character a name and you make your character look the way you want it to look before you start playing the game. Blademaster is an expert using different swords and shields. You can also use one sword in each hand or a pistol in one hand and a sword in the other hand. You can also use a grappling hook to bring a demon next to you with one hand and kill the creature with a sword with the other hand. You make the choice of how to fight the demons throughout the game.
  
  It was so cool to fight against demons called Blood Zombies and I actually used my sword to cut one Blood Zombie right in half. Well the bottom half of the Blood Zombie's body kept coming at me. It was just the hips and the legs coming after me. I couldn't believe it. Another time I chopped off the head to a Blood Zombie and the body kept coming after me with no head attached. There are these jumping demons that look like mean looking dogs and they will try to land on top of you. Well I actually use my sword to kill them while they are up in the air above me. It so cool to see them fall down dead around you.
  
  The graphics in this game are really good. I don't why people are saying the graphics aren't very good in other reviews because I think they're great. Also the demo to the game is only 5% of the full game. The different levels and demons in the demo are nothing compared to what is in the full version game. The full version game is huge. The game reminds me a lot of Diablo and Diablo II. I loved those games and I love this game. This game is definitely a five star game. I highly recommend getting this game. Hellgate: London is so much fun to play.
  
  
  
  
  
• Still in beta
  By A26JI21VCA093P on 2007-11-15
  I feel ripped off with this game. It is unfinished and still a beta product. I have been waiting for this game ever since it was announced and want my money back.
  So many bugs exist in this game but they must have rushed the release, because bugs from the beta are still unsolved 2 weeks after launch. Some say 'wait til the December patch' - I call BS. These things should have been fixed before release and software companies need to stop selling us broken software with a 'we'll fix it later' attitude.
  Some find this game fun as it is and defend it mirthlessly, but then again, some enjoy self-mutiliation and dressing up in furry suits.
  The sketchy pricing scheme is weird too. Not well thought out and rushed is all I can say.
  NOT RECOMMENDED.
  
  
• In-game advantages for paid subscribers
  By A1LO5ECTX6X3L4 on 2007-10-31
  They definitely neglect to mention in the Amazon description of this product the details as they are known of its multiplayer mode. They also leave off all mention of this system from their website, hiding their forums behind an account system which you have to have bought the game to access.
  
  The game's multiplayer mode is Internet only. It offers two types of
  online accounts, a free and a paid (Elite) account.
  
  Apparently, paid accounts recieve real in-game benefits over non-paid accounts. More access to content, more character slots, different equipment, faster transportation, among other things.
  
  At least...check out http://hellgate.wikia.com/wiki/Hellgate:_London#Pricing to determine whether this is something you would like before dropping $50 on this.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Fun but UNFINISHED game. MARRED by bugs and poor Customer Service.
  By AI5FREPPD3YI0 on 2007-11-08
  First of all let me say this is a fun game. If you liked Diablo 2 you'll love how this game plays and feels. I got this the day it came out and I've played every day pretty much since then.
  
  Pros:
  - Unique apocalyptic future setting but with demons (not too many games like that)
  - Very fun. Action Rpg with a lot of variety with ways to play.
  - Good graphics with settings maxed. (You'll definitely need a high end computer though)
  
  Cons: (and this is probably where most people are gonna give my review a "not helpful" since few people like negative reviews on Amazon.com)
  - Bugs, bugs and more bugs. Memory leaks (i.e. uses up ram and won't let go when supposed to), disappearing items (items used in engineers bots disappear when you exit game and aren't there when you come back), skills not working the way they're supposed to and that's just a few of the problems. I STRONGLY suggest you check out the support forum for this game before you buy.
  - Paid subscription needed for "features" that Diablo 2 had for free. Anyone remember making every single type of character in Diablo 2? A trap assassin along with a melee one? A bow amazon along with a javelin one? Well you won't be able to in this game! Like Diablo you can create different variances of each class which comes out to about 18 different characters you can make. BUT FLAGSHIP STUDIOS ONLY LET'S YOU HAVE 3 CHARACTER SLOTS ON THEIR SERVERS!!!. Let me repeat that. 3. So if you want to be able to play all the varieties of Guardians, Summoners, Engineers, etc. You will HAVE to subscribe. A feature Diablo had for FREE. Clearly a blatant way to FORCE you to subscribe.
  - Subscription bugs. Currently even if you wanted to pay Flagship Studios $10 a month you can't. The ability to subscribe is down due to bugs. Did I mention there where bugs in the game?
  - Founders Club: The founders club was essentially a one time fee of $150 that let people become lifetime members. No paying $10 a month. The problem? They only let 100k people have this option. If you're planning to buy this game the FACT is you will NOT be able to get in on this option. If you plan on playing this game more than a year you've been pretty much screwed over by Flagship studios.
  - Horrible and I mean HORRIBLE party options. Nearly impossible to find friends online. Joining a party is a matter of luck. Most of the time (99%) I got sick of waiting to party and just solo'd the missions.
  
  There are more cons but it would seriously take a lot more time then I have right now.
  
  Bottomline- in it's CURRENT state this is an unifinished game that should have stayed in development for another month or two. Trying to get it out on Halloween for the coolness factor was just plain dumb.
  
  Diablo 2 was a GREAT game. This is a mediocre copy due to bugs, poor marketing choices, and poor customer service.
  
  
• Do they even test installations?
  By A1G1DH6DMNL4O6 on 2007-11-11
  I have a 4 month old very capable computer with Vista, and Hellgate won't even run. I get a warning that it might not run and get directed to a text-heavy Vista "support" page. Vista support is also a joke. I have no clue how to get it to run. I suppose I could research it further, but how cruddy is that. I want a game that will install and run without me being a computer geek.
  
  
• Far from 5 stars and Diablo 2
  By A18MQ173MMQ4Y8 on 2007-11-25
  I remember playing Diablo 2 for a very long time and I just couldn't get tired of the game. I'm now level 25 and I'm thankful that this game was a gift and I didn't spend the 50 on it.
  My main complaint with this game is the repetitiveness. Every act has taken me to the same street, same huge building, same train tunnel and the same basement type level. Redundant? Yes! Very much. Granted they get shuffled around every time you go in, its still the same damn place! At least in Diablo 2 every Act looked different. The main storyline is pretty straight forward, and frankly I'm getting bored with it already and the side quests are also redundant and not much fun, just something to do as you're running to complete a main storyline quest.
  The one thing I do enjoy is the weapons and abilities, I have a hunter, and I must complement the wide variety of arsenal at my disposal. As well as all the abilities I can "throw" at my enemies.
  I made a Swordmaster to see if changing classes would keep me interested a little longer. Unfortunately I feel that's not going to help seeing as all you'll ever do it hack-and-slash. Everything to bits without much thought behind it.
  The graphics are okay, nothing too stunning but not terrible either and the music is sporadic and just in the background much like it was in the Diablo games.
  This game feels like it was rushed and didn't have too much thought put into it. It does not at all hold up to Diablo 2 and I would recommend you wait and see if they add some more content before picking this one up.
  
  
• Don't base opinion on the demo
  By AOBJB3W30LGF5 on 2007-10-30
  The demo isn't that cool. I played beta for like 2 weeks with the Multiplayer option. The game is awesome. Graphics are intense, fights are fast paced, instant gratification with gear is there too. I have played WoW for 2 years and I'm thinking of switching to HG:L. I can't wait for release tomorrow!
  
  
• Unfinished, buggy, not great. But I have Item Lust
  By A1DAU76UC6HHTF on 2007-11-26
  I was very optimistic that the Diablo guys would make a great game. Oh well. I got this game on release day. I have patch .5
  
  PROS:
  Lots of items
  Lots of item upgrades available
  Lots of character combos
  Some awesome weapon functions
  Great audio
  Great idea
  
  CONS:
  It's unfinished, and rushed to release.
  Many bugs: Graphical, gameplay, audio. It's not uncommon for you weapons to be invisible, or for your character to keep running or firing uncontrolled.
  Have to read text-boxes for quests
  Quest givers are boring. They're so similar, you might as well just get quests from a robotic list.
  They want to sell you 'subscriber' content.
  The multiplayer is weak all around. Hard to find friends, games, whatever. You might as well play Single Player.
  Chat window is weak.
  Ultimately disappointing. I wish it was better.
  
  
  
• Poorly put together game that loses steam fast
  By A2YIS7VZTI79IR on 2008-01-18
  I really wanted to like this game. I honestly did. I like FPS games and Diablo II is my favorite game of all time. Surely any integration of the two would be gold, right? No dice...
  
  The missions are repetitive. You think they might get better later in the game but it doesn't happen. You are once again hunting for a bunch of a certain kind of monster or one boss monster.
  The scenery/tile sets are repetitive. You think they might get better later in the game but it doesn't happen. Level 2 of an area will be exactly the same as Level 1. You can be at the 6th station and enter an area and be like, "wait, haven't I been here before?".
  The items don't get interesting. The item database is also rather small compared with other real RPGs.
  The game is still buggy. Even with the latest patch, you can frequently generate a map where the path to where you need to go is blocked by randomly generated objects. Also, if you "get stuck" trying squeeze between things, you automatically get transported back to the beginning of the area. These were 2 major bugs that provided unnecessary frustration. I know I can't fault the game too much for bugs since they exist with every game. However, combined with all the other flaws, this game just feels like there wasn't any real effort put into making it. Even the graphics don't justify the system requirements.
  The only good thing this game has going for it is the sound. The combination of action sounds, ambient sounds, and music make for an eerie atmosphere reminiscent of Diablo I.
  The Single-Player experience is just too tedious to finish.
  The game somewhat redeems itself with the multi-player community but this can be true for any game and doesn't really reflect on the merits of Hellgate: London. By comparison, Diablo II was an immensely popular game largely because of multi-player but the game was also great to play by yourself.
  
  Yes, some of original Diablo developers worked on this game, but Flagship Studio's debut lacks the overall production value that Blizzard has brought to all of their titles.
  
  
  
• Full of bugs. Huge disappointment.
  By A3PC1UUAO8FH68 on 2007-11-04
  This is the buggiest piece of software I've ever dealt with. When it runs, the game is some fun, and the graphics are OK--not bad, but certainly nothing special, even with DX10 and all graphics options maxed. In terms of concept and gameplay, it is precisely Diablo 3. But it is virtually unplayable due to all the bugs. It crashes to desktop, randomly locks up, and many quests are bugged, making them impossible to complete. Before buying this, have a look at the official game support forums for an idea of the problems people are having.
  
  
  
• Hellgate Lacking, Better Alternatives
  By A6JPU1SYJ4N5L on 2007-11-08
  There are just too many other games coming out right now that fulfill what you're surely looking for in a video game right now. Hellgate should not be released at the moment. It's only a few weeks after release and bugs and glitches that should have been resolved in beta are still present. Subscription vs Free Multiplayer is joke right now. Simply put, there is no reason to buy this game and there is no reason to pay a monthly fee for the additional features/gameplay.
  
  The game as it is:
  1) Without a monthly fee, you are excluded from PVP play or the uppermost difficulty settings.
  2) The game presents no challenge. With any character type the gameplay is anything but challening; it feels like a walk in the park and you're bored before you're done with the 2nd act.
  3) Quest information has charm very reminiscent of something Blizzard would produce, but the game in and of itself does not produce gameplay which corresponds with this creativeness. For those who have played World of Warcraft, you will be sorrily disappointed that no quests in this game require anything more than point and shoot (and even this is rewarded far too easily). The game simply lacks depth. Imagine a first person shooter with a loosely bound plotline and undeveloped game world.
  4) Depth of field: There are about a handful of "randomly created" arenas in which you experience your quests, and you can count the variety on just one hand. The lack of field (you will again and again enter "hell" to realize this game has less environment variety than the original diablo) gets annoying quickly, and without challenging objectives the game feels as if it were produced quickly and without care.
  
  
  
  If you are looking for a solid MMO, go for World of Warcraft.
  If you are looking for a solid FPS, pick up the Orange Box.
  If you are looking for a sequel to Diablo (1 and 2) pick up Titan Quest. Yes, Titan Quest has some pretty bad voice acting, but you'll feel more at home. Its a perfect answer to the Diablo series with a straightforward storyline. The game was flawed upon release, but subsequent patches available have made it more stable. Stability was really the only thing this game had against it when it was released.
  
  
  
  Don't purhcase Hellgate London. It should have been produced more thoroughly before betatesting and it should have been in betatesting for much longer before its official release. It is probably one of the worst games I have purchased in at least 5+ years.
  
  
  
• Great Game!
  By A1CVYJC5W1YWGW on 2007-10-30
  I played beta version last week.
  
  I don't need many words, just Great Game! Must BUY!
  
  
• Great fun
  By A2WZW91DDSKU1F on 2007-11-07
  Hellgate: London is a blast. That is the easiest way for me to put it.
  
  I am no Diablo fanboy, having never played the game. I am a veteran MMOer and this isn't typically an MMO, but more an action game that is able to be played online with others. So while people only enter public areas to sell then head back out on missions, that is because the game doesn't actually require a community. Instead, it has simply provided us with an online community to play with that is more easily accessible than the online community of other action rpgs such as Titan Quest. But since the offline version is identical to the online version, it should be easy to tell that this isn't a typical MMO that actually requires a standard MMO community.
  
  I hear some of the complaints, like the graphics being dumbed down in some ways; but ultimately, I came to this game for 1 thing... carnage. I wanted to log on, team up with my wife and my brother, and run through the streets and the sewers obliterating everything in sight. On that count, this game has delivered more than any game I have played in a long time.
  
  I come to this game most recently from Vanguard, which requires you to find a group for much of the content. Due to the low population on that game, finding a group for many of the dungeons was nearly impossible. So when I log onto Hellgate and get to just start killing things, that makes me happy.
  
  Is this game ground breaking? Not really. Is this game going to change the face of gaming? Not really. Will I be playing this game a year from now? Not likely. But the online subscription is optional, so it isn't costing me anything more than my initial purchase money to play. Is it worth that money? Absolutely. I will probably play through this game several times with several character classes, see all there is to see, and then move on to something else. But in the mean time, I am having more fun on Hellgate: London than I have had on any game since the first 6 months of WoW. This game is fun. It delivers carnage. The weapons upgrade system is extensive and interesting. And there is nothing like being surrounded by 20 demons and just blasting your way out. I love it.
  
  
• Boring
  By A3CYE50LG2HQZP on 2007-11-10
  Having been in beta and trying my best to make my purchase of the Collector's Edition worthwhile, I found myself consistently bored with the content and loathing the time I did spend playing the game.
  
  The game is loaded with bugs, the tilesets are repetitive, the story is practically non-existent, and the quests all stem from the same fed-ex, kill quota, and exploration variety. It is a rare moment indeed when you feel any sort of connection to the game as you spend the vast majority of your time repeating the same quests, exploring the same tilesets, and putting up with the same uninspiring NPC's.
  
  Tne multiplayer portion of the game is practically limited solely to chat since it is so difficult to put a group together. There is no LFG (looking for group) mechanism and your only method to attain or form a group is spamming in-game channels and 'hubs' that are so divided amongst themselves as to make finding similarly-minded people to play alongside you difficult at best. Add to this the fact that chat is disabled by default and you have a (soulless) single player game with an option for multiplayer chat.
  
  Even should the developers fix all the bugs (and there are a slew of them) and better its grouping aspect, this game will still be monotonous at its core because of how disassociated you are from its story (or lack thereof) and its npc's. You are treated to a nice cinematic at the start of the game, which has little to do with any of your fighting, and then thrust into 40 hours of killing things for no reason beyond 'kill them before they kill you.' Even the cut scenes between supposed 'chapters' of the game are mere animations of some book that do not serve to answer the simple questions, "What is happening? And why am I now going to this next train station that looks just like the last one?"
  
  This is an epic failure of storytelling that I simply got so tired and bored of that I was unable to finish the game I paid for. I ended up having to sell Hellgate: London on Ebay out of sheer disgust and boredom.
  
  
• Not finished.
  By A83ELF7U3CS99 on 2007-11-11
  This game isn't done - it was clearly pushed out the door before it was ready. I had really high hopes for this one, it's got a heck of a pedigree but the developers don't seem to have taken into account how games have evolved since Diablo. It's got a lot of potential but it's at early beta stage - no where near release ready. The mutliplayer elements in particular need a whole lot of work.
  
  On the up side the subscription is optional, so pick it up when it's $30 or less, or 6 months from now, whichever comes first - might be worth it by then.
  
  
• ...a HELL filled with software BUGS!!!!
  By A2J3RA2YTZMG0P on 2007-11-12
  DO NOT purchase this software. It is filled with game-crashing, system-stopping bugs. I have a great, fully updated system and it still crashes all the time. If you don't believe me, do a Google search of "Hellgate London bugs"...you'll find plenty to read.
  
  SAVE YOUR MONEY AND TIME! RUN!
  
  
• It's not Diablo III but Hellgate London I
  By A27P6137WQBIEM on 2007-11-19
  A lot of people are disappointed because the assumption of how Hellgate London may be Diablo III like the original creators of F.E.A.R splitting off developing the sequel and naming it differently.
  
  Hellgate London is NOT Diablo III. Think of a Action RPG Third/First Person Adventure.
  
  You cannot really categorize it because there are so many different elements in this game that when someone asks you, What kind of of game is Hellgate London? You only can simply answer them, It's Hellgate London...
  
  This terminology can go different ways, depending on the upcoming content supports and Flagship's ability to deliver their promises to their over eager customers.
  
  In terms of gameplay, and replay value. Yes. Of course, I would suggest getting in to this game with friends. Teaming up with a friend in Hellgate London amplifies the fun in the game by 1000%.
  
  
• Hellgate: London - Unfinished and Uninspired
  By A2V057TPVYETEN on 2007-11-06
  I would STRONGLY recommend that anyone considering purchasing Hellgate first play the demo version. Unfortunately, I didn't and I was so incredibly disappointed by the actual game. Flagship Studios should be freaking embarrassed for trying to pass off this tripe as a complete game.
  
  I don't even want to waste time going over all of its inadequacies (of which someone could probably write a book). But the whole game just feels so unfinished. The environments and characters all look flat and uninspired. The textures look like something out of Quake I. What an awesome game this COULD have been.
  
  
• Try the Demo first
  By A2KBD1UW414PH2 on 2007-11-06
  If you want a lot of headaches then buy this game outright. If you want to be smart about it download and try the demo first. Different people like different things, so you may love this game or hate it, gameplay-wise. What is not in dispute though is that the game is definitely buggy. That point has come through in review after review, so do you're self a favor and install and play the demo first. I expect we'll see a patch and a re-release of the demo in the near future, due to these issues. But testing your system out with the free demo will give you the "heads-up" as to whether or not the game will be stable enough with your drivers/system specifications.
  
  
• Fun game with minor flaws.
  By A2D75XXUYSULK9 on 2007-11-07
  Seriously, is there a perfect game out on the market? Everything has some sort of drawback, but that shouldn't stop people from buying this game. The demo is nothing like the actual game itself. It's like playing the first level in Diablo II and making all of your assumptions about the game off of that. Doesn't sound right does it?
  
  The game does offer some very unique character classes (6). I have only played the Engineer, but so far, the game is very entertaining and in depth. Due to the fact that I am only a level 7, I haven't seen all that there is to be seen, but so far, I like what's happening. The armor, weapons, and monsters keep getting cooler and more exciting as I go on.
  
  Obviously this game isn't going to suit everyone, but if you are into RPG's with a little flavor of a FPS (really cool option for using ranged weapons) this game is definitely worth the try.
  
  
• If you played Oblivion, this will seem like a 2002 game
  By A1T6XD1LCHBRRA on 2007-11-07
  Circa 2002 graphics and character models that look nothing like the quality in the cut-scene movies (think Unreal2); you can only configure a few of the controls; no voice acting on most dialog (you read and flip pages); boring linear levels that are not even atmospheric or spooky in 3rd person; lame AI. I guess if you like fiddling with complicated character attributes and inventory this might be for you. This will be in the clearance $19.99 bin in about 2 months.
  
  
• Severe lack of polish
  By A2VTSMZALN8RGF on 2007-11-13
  Hellgate: London presents an interesting concept: first-person shooter gameplay with RPG-style character development. Unfortunately, the game's creators seem to have forgotten the most important aspects of both genres, and the result is a bland "clickfest" that fails to satisfy either kind of gamer.
  
  As other reviewers have noted, the game models are lovingly rendered, and the game looks very nice. However, there is a distinct sense of sameness throughout the title; whereas Diablo II had various tilesets in different acts to create new environments, Hellgate has one -- "ruined cityscape." This extends beyond the environment to the monsters, too; after a few grayish-tan demons have attacked, you begin to wonder where the variation is. Even if many online RPGs are all about killing monsters over and over, at least most of them offer different monsters to kill every few levels.
  
  Finally, the UI is awful. You cannot remap the attack keys from your mouse without losing two of (a very anemic) ten command hotkeys, nor can you perform any sort of camera adjustment using the keyboard. Simple things, like looking through the items a vendor has for sale, are made more difficult because most of the equipment looks the same and there's no scrollbar to show you where in the list you are.
  
  Overall, this game had potential. Unfortunately, it shows all the trademark problems of being rushed to market: poor interface decisions, more-of-the-same gameplay, and a distinct lack of a unique visual style. Perhaps it'll be worth looking at after six months of patches, or when they release Version 2.
  
  

• Hellgate London (Prima Official Game Guide)
• Exodus (Hellgate, London, Book 1)
• Hellgate: London (Hellgate London Trilogy)
• PC Gamer (1-year)

• Crysis
• The Witcher
• BioShock
• Hellgate London (Prima Official Game Guide)
• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare