[i]Alternative title: I'm Not Wearing Hockey Pads[/i]
[b]What is Gotham City Impostors?[/b]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmnslP4mgYY[/media]
[i]GCI[/i] is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter available on PC (Steam), PS3, and Xbox 360, loosely based in the Batman universe; the premise being that psychotic masked vigilantes have taken to the streets impersonating Batman, and they're fighting equally self-appointed amateur Jokerz; both of whom have access to a wide array of gadgets and weapons that look like they were made in their garages, and neither of whom have any qualms about shooting to kill. Gameplay-wise, it's a game with firearms mechanics like CoD4, complemented by a wide array of tools, gadgets, and traps. The mood and bizarre nature of the non-firearms weapons make it feel sort of like a very arcadey TF2, only with less teamwork emphasis, more mobility and chaos, and a fascinating focus on devising your own personal playstyle through loadout customization. If you're the type who just likes watching numbers go up, you'll also be happy with its over-1,000 levels of progression (including "promotions" (Prestige)) to show off with.
[b]OMG BATMEN NO UES GUNZ[/b]
They're Batman *impostors.* More specifically, a vigilante gang called the Bats. It's made clear that Batman doesn't approve of their activities, so stop crying about canon defilement.
[b]Okay, okay, fine. So what game modes are there?[/b]
Team Deathmatch (obvious), Fumigation (Conquest), and Psych Warfare (I forget what the archetypical game mode this is based on is called, but there's a battery both teams fight over, and each one has to take it to a loudspeaker near the enemy team's spawn to score a point).
[b]So what's this about extensive character customization?[/b]
You're given a choice between any two weapons, a Support Item, a Gadget, two Fun Facts (essentially Perks), a Rampage (a Killstreak or a Deathstreak), a Psych Profile (optional set of XP boosts / penalties based on your actions in-game), and a Body Type (five choices ranging from tiny / fast / low health and melee strength, to huge / slow / high health and melee strength). The weapons are all moddable (including some odd choices like a "B.O. Sniffer" proximity sensor), and include a decent selection of firearms (feeling much like a CoD game on non-Hardcore mode), plus a selection of weirder weapons like a PVC-pipe rocket launcher, a grenade/mortar slingshot, and a freeze ray. There's even a megaphone, which heals and buffs allies with words of encouragement.
Where the game really shines, though, is its array of Support Items and Gadgets. Support Items include a slew of traps (like Bear Traps), throwables (like Boomerangs), and defensive options (like Body Armor) which can grant a serious advantage if you know how to use them properly. Gadgets, on the other hand, mostly enhance the player's mobility, and boy do they enhance it; options include a flight-enabling Glider Rig, a Grappling Hook, speed-increasing Roller Skates, high-jumping Spring Shoes, and double-jumping Inflatable Insoles. (There are also a couple of non-mobility gadgets: the cloaking Ninja Smoke Bomb, and wallhacking Targeting Goggles.) The result is a sadistic playground for the type of player who likes experimenting with loadouts to find strategies the enemy won't expect, where the most effective tactical position is out of left field.
There's also a high degree of aesthetic character customization; you can select one of three face types for each body type, voice type for Bats and Jokerz (complete with pitch modulation), and design the thrown-together costumes worn as each faction.
[b]How much is it? And what's this about $100 of DLC?[/b]
The game costs $15 from the Steam store, and although I can't speak for PS3 / Xbox360, I'd assume it costs the same there. DLC, however, is different, and for the most part is a better deal on the PC:
-On PC, you can buy a $10 Dress-Up Pack to unlock all the costume parts early, whereas normally they'd be obtained by spending Costume Coins which are gained as you level up. You may also buy packs of Calling Card backgrounds (part of a logo that comes up when someone gets killed by you) or Mascots (little hovering pets) which aren't available through the game normally, but also have no gameplay effect whatsoever. There are also permanent XP boosts; $3 for a personal boost of 1.5x, and $7 for a team-wide boost of 1.25x. If you own both, you'll get the 1.5x boost and everyone else on your team gets the 1.25x boost.
-On consoles, the XP boosts are both 2x, but only last an hour each; presumably they are also cheaper, but I don't know by how much, not owning one. Additionally, although the Dress-Up Pack is not available, you can buy each costume piece individually for $1-3 depending on the piece; this is where the "$100 of DLC" thing comes from, as if you were to buy [i]every single costume piece[/i] (which would be unlockable through gameplay anyway) it would cost over $100.
Anyway, if the idea of paid XP boosts makes you burn with pay-to-win rage, just consider it to cost $18 as a PC game, as the 1.5x permanent XP boost is literally the only game-enhancing thing you can buy for your own sake. It's still a bargain.
[b]Flaws?[/b]
The matchmaking and team balancing systems are pretty much terrible right now. Free DLC in March will supposedly fix the problem, but until then you'll be waiting inordinate times for a match to start, and expect 5v3 or worse matches to happen on occasion. It also uses Games for Windows Live as part of WB's contractual obligations with Microsoft, which is unfortunate. In terms of actual gameplay, it seems decently balanced, in that I haven't yet seen an obnoxious enemy strategy (aside from an entire enemy team spamming Thunder Dragons) that I wasn't able to think of a way around after a few deaths; however, the zaniness and tendency of enemies to come from anywhere at any time will probably turn off hardcore tactical types, and I've heard the occasional complaint about (but haven't personally noticed) bad netcode. (PS: It's also currently locked at a low FoV, but [url=http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2529030]the devs are working on that[/url]. I've also heard of but not experienced inexplicably low frames-per-second and other performance issues on high-end PCs.)
[b]I'm not convinced. Got some trailers for me to watch?[/b]
Most of the stuff on the [url=http://www.youtube.com/user/GothamCityImpostors]official YouTube channel[/url] is pretty good, actually, but I'll link a few choice ones. "Simple Math" showcases the sort of loadout customization fun you can have, the launch trailer sets the mood of the game, and the Beta Boot Camp series shows how every strategy can be countered if you're devious enough. I won't link them here because they have nothing to do with gameplay, but check out the beautifully-animated "Running Late," "Neighbors," and "Nowhere to Hide" trailers as well.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCL_R3W8wrU[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiBftic7BbE[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWpMEBLN6h4[/media]
[b]tl;dr[/b]
Silly-but-mostly-well-balanced* TF2 / CoD hybrid with an amusing premise, a shitload of mobility, and (to reuse a phrase) a fascinating focus on developing your own strategy through loadout customization. Also, a ton of technical issues, so you might want to wait until the March "DLC" / matchmaking bugfix (among other things) patch to buy it.
So I heard this has the console plague(Locked at 60 fov) Is that true?
[QUOTE=Crimor;34638644]So I heard this has the console plague(Locked at 60 fov) Is that true?[/QUOTE]
For the time being. Last I heard (a couple days ago), a dev was posting in the Steam forums saying that he'd check if there was any sort of editable config file to fix the FoV, and if not then there'd be a config menu option coming (probably with the free March DLC).
edit: [url=http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2529030]Forum thread here.[/url]
Well I won't be getting it, I -might- get it after they implement it, but I don't really want to support devs who do this, there's people(me included) that get physically fucking ill from low fovs, nausea, headaches, etc. From even as low as five minutes of it.
[QUOTE=Crimor;34638798]Well I won't be getting it, I -might- get it after they implement it, but I don't really want to support devs who do this, there's people(me included) that get physically fucking ill from low fovs, nausea, headaches, etc. From even as low as five minutes of it.[/QUOTE]
Fair enough. To you and anyone else who quite justifiably doesn't want to put up with early-adopter issues like this, though, please consider it once these issues are addressed - as much as some of the matchmaking and FoV issues might scream "console port," it's at least a console port of a really clever game, and I'd hate to see the fun concepts in it go forgotten because of technical hiccups on launch.
I just want to warn people, If you really low frames despise having a decent computer on the PC version just turn all the settings down as far as possible turn off steam overlay and run the game straight from the imposters.exe instead of running it from steam, It won't make it perfect but it will be playable.
This looks delightfully absurd enough to be of interest.
The targeting goggles seem a bit overpowered though with the looking through the wall bit.
[QUOTE=xxfalconxx;34640312]This looks delightfully absurd enough to be of interest.
The targeting goggles seem a bit overpowered though with the looking through the wall bit.[/QUOTE]
They're pretty damn powerful, and can even mark their victims for your allies if you take the time to lock on, letting them see the enemy through walls for a few seconds after marking even if they [i]don't[/i] have goggles, so having one or two goggle-users on your team is enormously helpful (more than that is redundant). However, using them means you aren't using any mobility gadgets or the Smoke Bomb, meaning you're kinda screwed if they can figure out where you're holed up and start lobbing explosives through the windows. The Ninja Smoke Bomb and the Wallflower Fun Fact also make you undetectable to goggles (and the B.O. Sniffer weapon mod, and the Motion Sensor support item).
I am really close to buying this, but how is health in this game? How long does it generally take to kill someone with a weapon?
It won't take long to kill someone unless they're a bigger guy with body armor.
[QUOTE=legolover122;34640731]I am really close to buying this, but how is health in this game? How long does it generally take to kill someone with a weapon?[/QUOTE]
It depends on body type, weapons used, and any perks / body armor the player might have to resist that particular source of damage, but in general it's closer to CoD than it is to TF2 (i.e. rather quickly) if you're not attacking with a source of damage that your target's resistant to. The largest body type has significantly more health than the lightest (think Scouts vs. Heavies), but is also a huge target for bullets. A few other possibly-useful points of reference: melee attacks are usually instakills if the attacker's larger than the victim, Trap-in-a-Boxes can one-shot the lighest two body types without Flak Jacket or similar, and the slow-reloading single-shot sniper rifle can take any unarmored target down in a body shot except for the largest body type. I can't remember specific body-type HP totals off the top of my head, but I'll try to get them next time I play.
Thanks.
I got the game. Now I wait the painful time for it to download.
Thank god its friday :v:
[editline]11th February 2012[/editline]
OK this is seriously starting to worry me.
First time I load up? Game exits itself on options menu.
Second time? Go into tutorial, plays cutscene, get to actual gameplay and game freezes.
Third time? Go into challenge map and infinite load.
Oh yeah and GFWL on top of their own sign in system.
[editline]11th February 2012[/editline]
Just got a random 372 MB update. Was that my problem?
This game is shit, mainly due to the fact that you have to buy everything with microsoft points, it is even a bit like pay to win. You can pay several MS to boost your xp.
Seriously that is a no go.
Matchmaking is terrible, takes me 10 minutes to find a game with 3 other people then after that its another 10 minutes of waiting.
[QUOTE=junker|154;34648235]This game is shit, mainly due to the fact that you have to buy everything with microsoft points, it is even a bit like pay to win. You can pay several MS to boost your xp.
Seriously that is a no go.[/QUOTE]
Just... play? You can unlock most of the stuff with the unlock and costume points you get by just playing.
Plus, aren't MS points only used for buying stuff on X360? On PC the shop redirects you to Steam Store and a page there.
[editline]11th February 2012[/editline]
But this game is awesome, despite the slow matchmaking and locked FoV.
This game is oddly appealing. I've spent way too much money lately though! Someone convince me it's either very much worth it or not worth it at all.
I think it looks pretty fun! I might be picking it up!
I played it on closed beta on PC. I will not play this game again.
The game runs like shit and the matchmaking rarely works. I liked the open beta on the consoles but the PC version is awful. I really regret buying it.
I don't know what you guys are talking about, I played the demo on xbox and this game is awesome.
When I played the open beta, the matchmaking didn't work only a couple times. After that, it worked just fine for me. Who knows what's going on for you guys, but eh.
The game has its share of performance issues right now, to be sure, and if you're worried about them it might be best to forget about this game until that free March DLC (and associated bugfixes / tweaks / matchmaking revamp). I just hope it still has players by then - this is one of the first really creative FPSs I've played in a while, and I really don't want it to go the way of Section 8: Prejudice. :(
(ps: why the fuck are there no sad emotes anymore)
Anyway, thought I'd link some of my loadouts, and was curious if those of you with the game had any special strategies / loadouts you'd like to share:
[url=http://steamcommunity.com/id/hogulus/screenshot/506890056882102145]Warlord[/url]: My "boring spec." Good for sniping or mowing down from a high position, and has armor and Hard Target to make counter-sniping difficult, but has nothing fancy going for it.
[url=http://steamcommunity.com/id/hogulus/screenshot/506890056882103707]Shot Skater[/url]: This is basically the equivalent of driving a Jeep with a mounted MG on the back, only able to fit inside of buildings. Zoom in, spray them with buckshot, and zoom out. Boomerangs and a three-shot Thunder Dragon missile clip are good for emergencies.
[url=http://steamcommunity.com/id/hogulus/screenshot/506890056882103010]Tactician[/url]: For when nobody else on my team is using targeting goggles. Use of the Dawn Patrol as an all-around weapon and the Bombardier as the weird-but-powerful utility device it is allows me to (theoretically) take out any threat if I can see it first, which is likely due to the goggles and bear traps. I'm kinda screwed in an ambush, though.
[url=http://steamcommunity.com/id/hogulus/screenshot/506890056882101370/?]Bunnybomber[/url]: Created after playing a round of TF2 Randomizer Arena where I ended up as a Scout with a rocket launcher. Double-jumping over the enemy while unloading a clip of explosive death in their faces tends to be somewhat disorienting to them, allowing you time to run away, reload, and wait for your shoes to recharge. I'm not sure if I like the Desperado or not, but until I make up my mind it's a decent sidearm at ranges where I'd blow myself up with the TD.
[url=http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197994343420/screenshot/506890056882100740]Flak Tower[/url]: It's kinda like a defensively-oriented Warlord, particularly against people attacking from above. I can usually get about three gnome-stuns in per player per game until they catch on and start dropping from above the gnome's attack range, which buys me time to reload / switch weapons / melee them.
So can you only buy it from steam? I kinda think I want it but I'm not sure if I want to put down 15euros on it and maybe be dissapointed. Especially not with steams 1€=1$ thing, can you buy it cheaper somewhere outside of steam?
The game is consolized so I'd understand why its probably good on consoles. The menu is a bitch to navigate on the PC and lots of things don't work right.
I really did enjoy this in beta, and I'm thinking of getting it since it's so cheap.
How populated is it right now? (PC)
its only just been released, its going to have flaws/bugs etc,
after this free DLC (update) in march im sure it will be ALOT better.
wouldnt judge it yet.
[QUOTE=GetBent;34658150]I really did enjoy this in beta, and I'm thinking of getting it since it's so cheap.
How populated is it right now? (PC)[/QUOTE]
It has enough players, but the matchmaking system is a bit on the slow side.
After playing this for a bit today I'm glad I bought it.
It's fun enough for me to overlook the matchmaking issues and occasional lag that causes some enemies to be invisible. And yes I know about the cloaking, I'm talking about invisible like that bug in TF2.
played a bit of it and I did not like it. Matchmaking is horrible, multiplayer is pretty much identical to mw2 except with more gimmicks, and I found that the ragdolls are quite bugged when sniping (they stand still instead of falling to the ground)
A little bit of COD, little bit of TF2, and a little bit of Batman.
I'm satisfied.
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