| Hard Reset | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Flying Wild Hog |
| Publisher(s) | Flying Wild Hog |
| Distributor(s) | Valve Corporation |
| Engine | Road Hog Engine |
| Version | 1.21[1] |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date(s) | September 13, 2011 |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Rating(s) |
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| Media/distribution | Download |
System requirements
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Hard Reset is a PC-exclusive FPS from The Flying Wild Hog,[3] a Polish developer that is made up from members of the team behind Painkiller (People Can Fly), and former developers from CD Projekt Red and City Interactive.[4]
The game features a cyberpunk plot. It draws inspiration from William Gibson, Neal Stephenson, and Philip K. Dick (especially Blade Runner in story).
Contents |
Hard Reset is modeled in "old school" thought of video games such as Quake and Unreal, which results in much more simplistic gameplay that most modern First-Person Shooters. The player lacks the ability to do more than walk, sprint and jump, placing a strong reliance on strafing and quick reflexes rather than cover and strategy. In respect to the gameplay being a throwback to various older First-Person Shooters, the various stages in the game have secret areas with hidden pickups such as health and ammo. The environments are designed with similar to older shooters as well, as there are explosive barrels and various vending machines outfitted with electro-shock anti-vandalism defenses, that can trigger splash damage by being shot at, scattered throughout the levels, which the player can use by luring enemies near them. The game lacks a multiplayer mode, which was a chief criticism of the game. [4]
However, unlike most old-school First-Person Shooters, which feature a liberal variety of guns and throwable weapons that can be stored in a Magic satchel-like inventory, Hard Reset features only two weapons, the CLN Modular Assault Rifle, and the EEF-21 Plasma Rifle. Both weapons have unlockable firing modes, the Modular Assualt Rifle including the option to strap add-ons such as Grenade and Rocket Launchers, and the Plasma Rifle allowing Railguns and Stasis Modules.[5]
| Reception | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Aggregator | Score |
| Metacritic | 72[6] |
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| Game Informer | 7.75[7] |
| IGN | 7.5[8] |
| PC Gamer US | 58[9] |
Hard Reset was released on Steam on September 13, 2011[10] and received mixed to average reviews.[6] Reviewers cited the visual quality and the intensity of the gameplay as strong points, evoking comparisons to other "oldschool" shooters as Serious Sam or Painkiller. Common points of contention were the game's relatively short length, and the perceived difficulty.