Support the show on Patreon: / implantgames IMPLANTgames.com implantgames implant In today’s video I dive in and take a look to see if EA's Black is still good. Enjoy!
I'm kind of impressed that a game like this was even possible on the Xbox, let alone the PS2 as well considering the former is 1/8 the power of the Xbox 360 and the later is half the power of the Xbox. The textures on the gun alone looks it could've been in an Xbox 360 game. Even if the game is lacking in content, I'd say it's definitely worth buying and it's especially better than its spiritual successor Bodycount. By the way, there were a lot of underrated gems on the Xbox people seemed to have passed over. Especially a lot of ports of PC games like Pariah and Armed & Dangerous.
I'm impressed as well! Going back and grabbing Halo and Red Faction footage... hard to believe this is from the same generation of hardware. As for the Xbox, I'm snatching up every $1 game I spot in the wild. Deals are too good to pass up :)
You forgor to mention the destructible scenery, which was honestly quite something at the time. Not to mention the graphics that are amazing for the PS2 era. I don't think I ever saw a better overall looking game on the PS2 (I didn't have the original XBOX).
The general level of detail is impressive. However, I wish the game had a less drab color palette and settings that weren't already war-torn. Having cleaner, more pristine environments really would've made the destruction and the enemies stand out a lot more.
This is the game that got me into FPS games in the first place. My only complaint was the checkpoints were too far apart. You play for about 20 mins and have to start over.
The last map/level of the game gets tough quick. I really enjoyed this one and it looks like a generation ahead of time. If you're looking for another XBOX or PS2 FPS game that is similar (IMO) check out Urban Chaos Riot Response. It reminds me of an 80s action movie & is focused on action. Doesn't look as nice but I enjoyed it ALMOST much as Black. No one ever mentions UC: RR
The most interesting part about BLACK, imho, is that the Xbox and PS2 versions are nearly identical. It's a decent looking Xbox game, not as good as UC2, but not bad, but on PS2, it's easily the best looking game on the system, bar none, by a wide margin. I found the difficulty to be too unforgiving, and often had a hard time seeing anything through the noisy environments, though. The sound, gun animations, destructible environments, and nifty effects were nice, but the game underneath it was kinda average.
I'm amazed the PS2 can pull off this level of fidelity, some pretty amazing programming! It's becoming increasingly difficult for me to judge difficulty these days. I never considered myself skilled at video games, but I'm definitely finding it easier to beat games. 400 videos later, I guess that will happen. Still, good to hear your thoughts, thanks for the comment!
My first experience with the game: "Ok, where's the reload button? X? No. Y? No. B? No. Black? No. White? No. Left Stick? No. Right Stick? No.... A? A??? It's not for jumping?! M'kay, then..." :P
Great review! I totally agree! I love this game and when I first played it I knew it was something special. On the Xbox it looked better than some Xbox 360 games. This game is a modern example of how a good game is still a good game despite its age or hardware. Well done!
I never have played black, own it, but, well sometimes you buy more than you play. This is a game I wish was on PC. It was a game where the main draw was the graphics, so I feel it would be a great candidate for fan updates and mods.
I need to spend sometime with Black, have it, but have not played it yet. Great review, thanks! I hope your wedding and honeymoon (if you took one now) went well!
Thanks! Honeymoon was smashing, even got to drink some fine local brews from Shipwrecked Brewery. As for Black, definitely give it a play. One of the few modernish games that sucked me in right away.
I agree that Black is an entertaining title, the one detail that keeps it at the top of my list are the checkpoints. They are too far apart for my taste, so dying sets you back a good distance. This makes things unnessessarily repetitive.
I didn't notice the checkpoints too much, but I could see how this would be a problem for someone more aggressive. The OP pistol in Halo taught me to hang back and aim for the head haha :)
Black's graphics and ability to play in a modern environment blew me away. Used to Cod and medal of honor in ps2 I felt so great when I finally got access to modern weapons and motherfucking PISTOLS
Damn. Shower room, the most traumatizing part of The Rock. It was straight out of the movie for sure. I must say this game looks pretty good for a ten year old game. Sense and simplicity, it just works as a shooter, especially with those sounds. I enjoyed the review. Well done!
I got sucked into this game about a year ago, after my friend showed it to me on PS2 a couple of years before, and I wanted more like it since then, but have come up wanting. Although, it is great for a two-hour speed run on Easy after beating it on Black Ops difficulty. #BoomBaby (My quickest run was 1:44:00-ish.) Also, I have a feeling this game was readying players for the onslaught of COD-like games that began flooding the market as the next generation of consoles (the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii, respectively,) began to take over. Lastly, in Black, you either you learn the head shot technique or you die from having to reload at an inopportune moment.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment. Many others mentioned the enemies being bullet sponges, I guess I just learned to aim for the head instead of fighting a losing battle haha :D Any other FPS from this generation that you recommend?
Your welcome, IG. I feel there is a lot of subtle commentary about the transition of console generations packed into Black's gameplay, and partially in its story content. KOTOR and Black, I think, started the trend in "you are actually the _______ of the story" in games. A personal favorite for over a decade now is "Oddworld: Stranger Wrath." While as linear as "Black" in small parts, its beautiful world allows for some great experimentation with its clever AI and original weapon system. I'm also been a big fan of "Deus Ex: Invisible War." While I had never played or even heard about the first Deus Ex (The Conspiracy) before i played this one, (it's mentioning of Bob Page and others on its loading screen made seek out the PC & PS2 versions years later,) so I had no clue about it before I had played Invisible War, and I was enthralled by all that Invisible War had and still has to offer. It was my first taste at having so many freestyle options to solve a stage, allowing me to rampage or sneak through its beautiful cyberpunk world during different play throughs. Then, at the beginning of this year, I discovered "Thief: Deadly Shadows," from the same company, Eidos. I'm so hooked on it nowdays and its (still) glorious lighting system! It's a 1st person stealth game, (with a 3rd person option,) so it takes at least one compete play through to really get adjusted to its style of sneak-around-in-the-shadows type of gameplay. It is the ultimate alternative to every "shoot and kill everything" kind of game. (This is the same challenging reason I love Oddworld: Strangers Wrath; capture the bad guys alive for more Mollah! "Destiny: Pay Me For Half A Game" who?) Of course, "Half-Life 2" is always fun, too. Its classic Source physics engine is fun to mess around with today, as well. On the generic, kill-'em-all end of the spectrum, I finally got a copy of "Blake Griffin: Bounty Hunter." Its serviceable shooting -- once you get used to it -- shares the bullet sponge enemy design of "Black," but its even more annoying in Blake Griffin because head shots only work half as well, since they, the enemies, and you, have a Halo 2-type of regenerating shield. I'm only on the third stage so far, so that's all I got to say about it. But, yeah there are 5 Alternate FPS games that I would recommend to anybody and everybody looking for a great, same-but-different gaming experience on an older console today. #Bargains (Halo 2 is a bonus, as I never played it back in the day, except occasionally online whenever I visited a friend who was obsessed with it.)
well obviously the XB version looks better, specially when played on a 360, but that doesn't mean that the PS2 version looks bad. Playing it with a 360 controller feels great.
Funny that this video just came out...I am playing Wolfenstein: The New Order right now (Steam sale), and came to think about Black. Bullet sponges aside - explained by soldiers wearing metal masks - I love Black. I think the gunplay is better than Wolfenstein: TNO.
Great time to collect OG Xbox games - super cheap right now! Couldn't afford many in early 2000s. BTW got Crash Bandicoot WoC that you just reviewed and I'm totally digging it. Definitely going to get Black now too - thanks!
Eventually it's inevitable - get in while you can! Having a modded Xbox is a nice option for obscure and overpriced games. I backup all my games to HDD anyway - faster load times, less heat and wear on the laser.
Yes indeed, by stack of $0.99 Xbox games is getting awfully tall :D Glad you enjoy WoC, it really is an overly bashed game. When did people stop playing games to have fun? IDGI.
I can only find $0.99 games in my dreams LOL I think people stopped having fun when Facebag, trophies and achievements happened. I'm doing a non-retro gameplay cleanse - AHhh refreshing!
One of the best FPS games of that gen. Story wise, nah. But 80s/90s action styles? Definitely an epic win. Thanks for the vid. Maybe ya can do one for the Timesplitters trilogy or the Turok franchise.
FYI, I don't know about the Xbox version but the game plays in 480p on the ps2. Hold down cross and triangle as the disc loads and the hi def option comes up.
yet another review not addressing the custom soundtrack option allowing you to play music you ripped on your Xbox in game. hit on the key points of the game none the less.
I've played this game recently on my 360 via backward compatibility and it took me 2 missions to realize that it hasn't aged well at all. It just feels so generic or standard in just about every aspect, from setting, story to gameplay. The shooting is alright but the enemies are bullet sponges which gets on your nerves real fast. There are other FPS from same era that have aged gracefully including Call of Duty 2 and 3, Painkiller, and half Life 2. Black is the most stock shooter I've played with nothing really standing out, and I've played a lot of FPS games from 2000-present.
I'll have to politely disagree. I never played it back in the day, but picked it up recently for the OG Xbox. I gotta say that I really, really enjoyed it, and I don't enjoy a lot of FPS games these days. The story was ok, but I found the levels super fun, and a little challenging. Definitely respect your opinion though :)
KoolKeith9000 I wonder if people who come to defend their precious childhood game have even played it recently. The enemies still take good amount of punishment even when you shoot them in the head.
What I've learned after 6 years of UA-cam, is that people will always look at childhood games differently. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, every game we play changes how we view future games. If someone never played a Castlevania game before, they would probably pick up Super Castlevania IV and wonder what all of the fuss was about. People growing up with a PS2/Xbox/GC are now finally old enough to start collecting their childhood favorites, just as I had re-gathered most of my childhood favorites long ago.
+ThePreciseClimber Me too. I always prefer playing my games on their original platform. A few of my friends have these modded systems, which can play all sorts of retro games, but i have my gameroom set up with 3 different tvs (70in hooked up for xbox1, WiiU,360, Dreamcast), (48in 4k for ps4, alpha console, ps3, ps2), and (32 in lcd , which still has component, and composite for my original xbox, saturn, snes, genesis, T-16, ps1). I enjoy hearing those old systems boot up. lol
Ioannis Stf The reason the L1,L2,R1 and R2 buttons are so important to me in FPS games is that you don't have to take your thumbs off the sticks to press them.
Interestingly the reviews were not overwhelmingly positive, since the metacritic average is 79 (PS2) and I'd would pretty much agree with that score. Black was (and probably still is) a solid 7/10 game, nothing more, nothing less. I actually enjoyed Killzone 1 more (a terribly underrated game, IMO). Indeed, Black looks and sounds fantastic for the PS2 and shooting, especially at first, feels really satisfying. It was, and again, still is so... stylish. But on the other hand, the storyline sucks, the objective system is terrible, checkpoints are too far apart and many enemies are bullet sponges. Overall, I still can't believe that they never made a sequel. I suppose it didn't sell very well? Was it because it came out so late? So much potential... what could've been.
implantgames Well, to me "overwhelmingly positive" is something like a 85+/100, but those review are certainly positive and the game was "well received", just not overwhelmingly so, IMO. It's a good game. (I guess my original comment sounds quite negative.) Although I feel that Metacritic's 100-point scale is lopsided, especially back then (this gen review scores and scales have gotten better, IMO). It was like games below 80/100 were somehow mediocre and anything below 70/100 was almost unplayable. (And to me, even today, a 7/10 is not a 70/100, it's more like a 75/100, or even a 80/100. 7/10 is a good score, it means that the game is overall good, not "yellow" as it's on Metacritic.) So IMO, a 79/100 would be clearly positive today, but back then it was almost mixed. I actually just noticed that indeed, many 75-80/100 Black reviews sound surprisingly mixed, even though that's supposed to be a good score. Luckily that has changed.
You can't skip the cutscenes. I think it's unnecessary for any game to require you to watch the cut scenes. Max Payne 3 is the worst culprit regarding this...
I remember playing back than... the graphics where really great with some effects you usaly dont see in those days like that blurry background when reloading. But i would be probably pissed if i bought it because 6 hours and no extra stuff is a bit lame. A Great game with alot interessting things to unlock would be Rogue Trooper. A dark Third person shooter from Rebellion based on a Comic (alot of comic stuff to unlock)... had everything unlocked on my first xbox. It also has a Nice darkish soundtrack fitting the Setting ua-cam.com/video/oWvpRlLHyAE/v-deo.html Reminds me a bit to Star Wars Clone setting ^^ but the war is more world war 2 ish.
Well received? I don't remember any good reviews for that game. Everything I read basically said it looked great but was too repetitive, and that's the impression I got from it too.
Fair enough. I must have been mistaken. I did find it a bit generic myself, I don't think I got around to finishing it. Probably the best looking game of that generation though.
I think these days many of this 6th generation shooters receive the same criticism, there are moments in Halo I find repetitive and I just want the game to move forward haha. As for Black, I think the fact its only 4 or 5 hours long really helps.
Calling a game repetitive has got to be the most meaningless "criticism" of all time. It has no value whatsoever, every video game ever developed has the player repeating a locked set of mechanics and interacting with those same mechanics throughout the game. Getting bored? Chances are you simply don't like the game very much or have been playing for too long in one sitting
+implantgames Half life 2 and if you would call it a fps which it half is the chronicles of Riddick escape from butchers bay then halo 2 and halo, I played a lot of fps games on the original xbox but It is hard to put any on that level although I appreciated them. A lot of what I loved most I can't remember, I just got an xbox for the 3rd time and haven't owned one since 2009 and I probably owned between the first 2 times having one about 50ish games, I would have to look through games and see what comes to mind........ All of the far cries btw, they even look beyond "Black" except the first far cry.
I played this game few months ago, & I think game was overrated. Except graphics. For Xbox & PS2 it's amazing. And I don't know how it was looks on consoles in 2006, but I find that this game too slow for FPS genre. Remember, that game was released after great fast-pacing shooter F.E.A.R. or original Far Cry, that I play on PC at the time. Controls too slow, shooting too slow, enemies slow too)
I'm kind of impressed that a game like this was even possible on the Xbox, let alone the PS2 as well considering the former is 1/8 the power of the Xbox 360 and the later is half the power of the Xbox. The textures on the gun alone looks it could've been in an Xbox 360 game. Even if the game is lacking in content, I'd say it's definitely worth buying and it's especially better than its spiritual successor Bodycount. By the way, there were a lot of underrated gems on the Xbox people seemed to have passed over. Especially a lot of ports of PC games like Pariah and Armed & Dangerous.
I'm impressed as well! Going back and grabbing Halo and Red Faction footage... hard to believe this is from the same generation of hardware. As for the Xbox, I'm snatching up every $1 game I spot in the wild. Deals are too good to pass up :)
You forgor to mention the destructible scenery, which was honestly quite something at the time. Not to mention the graphics that are amazing for the PS2 era. I don't think I ever saw a better overall looking game on the PS2 (I didn't have the original XBOX).
I tried to show off as much of the destruction as I could in the footage. It's neat for sure, but compared to today's games perhaps not as impressive?
The general level of detail is impressive. However, I wish the game had a less drab color palette and settings that weren't already war-torn. Having cleaner, more pristine environments really would've made the destruction and the enemies stand out a lot more.
I don't quite know where shooters were in 2006, but I suspect this is around the time everything went brown and grey.
This is the game that got me into FPS games in the first place. My only complaint was the checkpoints were too far apart. You play for about 20 mins and have to start over.
Yeah, others noted this as well. I wasn't too bothered by it, but perhaps it's just my inexperience.
Jofer Jeff exactly and aiming with controller was hell
The last map/level of the game gets tough quick. I really enjoyed this one and it looks like a generation ahead of time. If you're looking for another XBOX or PS2 FPS game that is similar (IMO) check out Urban Chaos Riot Response. It reminds me of an 80s action movie & is focused on action. Doesn't look as nice but I enjoyed it ALMOST much as Black. No one ever mentions UC: RR
I have a feeling Urban Chaos Riot Response will be in my collection sooner than later :)
The most interesting part about BLACK, imho, is that the Xbox and PS2 versions are nearly identical. It's a decent looking Xbox game, not as good as UC2, but not bad, but on PS2, it's easily the best looking game on the system, bar none, by a wide margin.
I found the difficulty to be too unforgiving, and often had a hard time seeing anything through the noisy environments, though. The sound, gun animations, destructible environments, and nifty effects were nice, but the game underneath it was kinda average.
I'm amazed the PS2 can pull off this level of fidelity, some pretty amazing programming! It's becoming increasingly difficult for me to judge difficulty these days. I never considered myself skilled at video games, but I'm definitely finding it easier to beat games. 400 videos later, I guess that will happen. Still, good to hear your thoughts, thanks for the comment!
Sorry, but the best looking PS2 game is easily Okami. 😑
My first experience with the game:
"Ok, where's the reload button? X? No. Y? No. B? No. Black? No. White? No. Left Stick? No. Right Stick? No.... A? A??? It's not for jumping?! M'kay, then..."
:P
Haha, this might be the only mainstream FPS where A reloads?
It's a shame that there was never a sequel to this great game.
Indeed!
Well, besides Bodycount.
But we do not speak of Bodycount.
+ThePreciseClimber was Bodycount terrible?
Apparently it was insanely mediocre. Personally I have only played the demo but it sure didn't wow me.
Great review! I totally agree! I love this game and when I first played it I knew it was something special. On the Xbox it looked better than some Xbox 360 games. This game is a modern example of how a good game is still a good game despite its age or hardware. Well done!
Thanks mate! I agree entirely, despite the limitations of the hardware, the overall art direction is just beautiful.
still my favorite fps. I still have it on ps2. I enjoy ur videos. nice to have found your station
Thanks man, such a great game!
I never have played black, own it, but, well sometimes you buy more than you play. This is a game I wish was on PC. It was a game where the main draw was the graphics, so I feel it would be a great candidate for fan updates and mods.
Time to fire up Black my friend :)
+implantgames I'll try it out over the weekend. It's short so maybe I can beat it.
I need to spend sometime with Black, have it, but have not played it yet. Great review, thanks! I hope your wedding and honeymoon (if you took one now) went well!
Thanks! Honeymoon was smashing, even got to drink some fine local brews from Shipwrecked Brewery. As for Black, definitely give it a play. One of the few modernish games that sucked me in right away.
I think the best way to describe black is as The metal slug of FPS games.. it's old school, highly stylized and doesn't take itself seriously.
Haha, I like that analogy :)
I agree that Black is an entertaining title, the one detail that keeps it at the top of my list are the checkpoints. They are too far apart for my taste, so dying sets you back a good distance. This makes things unnessessarily repetitive.
I didn't notice the checkpoints too much, but I could see how this would be a problem for someone more aggressive. The OP pistol in Halo taught me to hang back and aim for the head haha :)
Yes, this game is too difficult and checkpoints are too far away. That took away all fun from this game for me.
Black's graphics and ability to play in a modern environment blew me away. Used to Cod and medal of honor in ps2 I felt so great when I finally got access to modern weapons and motherfucking PISTOLS
Damn. Shower room, the most traumatizing part of The Rock. It was straight out of the movie for sure.
I must say this game looks pretty good for a ten year old game. Sense and simplicity, it just works as a shooter, especially with those sounds.
I enjoyed the review. Well done!
Thanks man :)
I got sucked into this game about a year ago, after my friend showed it to me on PS2 a couple of years before, and I wanted more like it since then, but have come up wanting. Although, it is great for a two-hour speed run on Easy after beating it on Black Ops difficulty. #BoomBaby (My quickest run was 1:44:00-ish.) Also, I have a feeling this game was readying players for the onslaught of COD-like games that began flooding the market as the next generation of consoles (the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii, respectively,) began to take over. Lastly, in Black, you either you learn the head shot technique or you die from having to reload at an inopportune moment.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment. Many others mentioned the enemies being bullet sponges, I guess I just learned to aim for the head instead of fighting a losing battle haha :D Any other FPS from this generation that you recommend?
Your welcome, IG. I feel there is a lot of subtle commentary about the transition of console generations packed into Black's gameplay, and partially in its story content. KOTOR and Black, I think, started the trend in "you are actually the _______ of the story" in games. A personal favorite for over a decade now is "Oddworld: Stranger Wrath." While as linear as "Black" in small parts, its beautiful world allows for some great experimentation with its clever AI and original weapon system. I'm also been a big fan of "Deus Ex: Invisible War." While I had never played or even heard about the first Deus Ex (The Conspiracy) before i played this one, (it's mentioning of Bob Page and others on its loading screen made seek out the PC & PS2 versions years later,) so I had no clue about it before I had played Invisible War, and I was enthralled by all that Invisible War had and still has to offer. It was my first taste at having so many freestyle options to solve a stage, allowing me to rampage or sneak through its beautiful cyberpunk world during different play throughs. Then, at the beginning of this year, I discovered "Thief: Deadly Shadows," from the same company, Eidos. I'm so hooked on it nowdays and its (still) glorious lighting system! It's a 1st person stealth game, (with a 3rd person option,) so it takes at least one compete play through to really get adjusted to its style of sneak-around-in-the-shadows type of gameplay. It is the ultimate alternative to every "shoot and kill everything" kind of game. (This is the same challenging reason I love Oddworld: Strangers Wrath; capture the bad guys alive for more Mollah! "Destiny: Pay Me For Half A Game" who?) Of course, "Half-Life 2" is always fun, too. Its classic Source physics engine is fun to mess around with today, as well. On the generic, kill-'em-all end of the spectrum, I finally got a copy of "Blake Griffin: Bounty Hunter." Its serviceable shooting -- once you get used to it -- shares the bullet sponge enemy design of "Black," but its even more annoying in Blake Griffin because head shots only work half as well, since they, the enemies, and you, have a Halo 2-type of regenerating shield. I'm only on the third stage so far, so that's all I got to say about it. But, yeah there are 5 Alternate FPS games that I would recommend to anybody and everybody looking for a great, same-but-different gaming experience on an older console today. #Bargains (Halo 2 is a bonus, as I never played it back in the day, except occasionally online whenever I visited a friend who was obsessed with it.)
Thank you for the in sightful positive review of Black.
You are welcome.
I love the vast amount of weapons and the textures and the destructive landscapes I think it's one of the best shooters ever
I bought this game just 2 days ago, the Xbox version. I played the PS2 version and really enjoyed it.
Awesome! How does the PS2 version compare to the Xbox version?
well obviously the XB version looks better, specially when played on a 360, but that doesn't mean that the PS2 version looks bad. Playing it with a 360 controller feels great.
Funny that this video just came out...I am playing Wolfenstein: The New Order right now (Steam sale), and came to think about Black. Bullet sponges aside - explained by soldiers wearing metal masks - I love Black. I think the gunplay is better than Wolfenstein: TNO.
Good to hear! Like I said, I'm not the most seasoned FPS gamer, but something about Black felt very special to me.
Great time to collect OG Xbox games - super cheap right now! Couldn't afford many in early 2000s. BTW got Crash Bandicoot WoC that you just reviewed and I'm totally digging it. Definitely going to get Black now too - thanks!
I wonder if we're gonna see a spike in Xbox prices any time soon as a lot of UA-cam channels are advertising Xbox collecting quite a lot recently.
Eventually it's inevitable - get in while you can! Having a modded Xbox is a nice option for obscure and overpriced games. I backup all my games to HDD anyway - faster load times, less heat and wear on the laser.
simbin Yeah Im really happy with my xbox and games atm, looking to do what you do and install a 2tb hdd and install all my games on it.
Yes indeed, by stack of $0.99 Xbox games is getting awfully tall :D Glad you enjoy WoC, it really is an overly bashed game. When did people stop playing games to have fun? IDGI.
I can only find $0.99 games in my dreams LOL I think people stopped having fun when Facebag, trophies and achievements happened. I'm doing a non-retro gameplay cleanse - AHhh refreshing!
One of the best FPS games of that gen. Story wise, nah. But 80s/90s action styles? Definitely an epic win. Thanks for the vid. Maybe ya can do one for the Timesplitters trilogy or the Turok franchise.
FYI, I don't know about the Xbox version but the game plays in 480p on the ps2. Hold down cross and triangle as the disc loads and the hi def option comes up.
It's definitely 480p on the Xbox :)
Bout to go boot my copy of this game up after this video! Great review!
Thanks mate, hope you still find it as enjoyable as I did!
You have a new subscriber. I enjoy your content. Thanks
Viva la Xbox :)
yet another review not addressing the custom soundtrack option allowing you to play music you ripped on your Xbox in game. hit on the key points of the game none the less.
Yeah. That feature was awesome for the original xbox. I remember playing Midtown Madness, while listening to my own play list. Good times
Its a shame that this game never had a sequel, this game was so cool when i was a kid so much fun lol.
I've played this game recently on my 360 via backward compatibility and it took me 2 missions to realize that it hasn't aged well at all. It just feels so generic or standard in just about every aspect, from setting, story to gameplay. The shooting is alright but the enemies are bullet sponges which gets on your nerves real fast. There are other FPS from same era that have aged gracefully including Call of Duty 2 and 3, Painkiller, and half Life 2. Black is the most stock shooter I've played with nothing really standing out, and I've played a lot of FPS games from 2000-present.
I'll have to politely disagree. I never played it back in the day, but picked it up recently for the OG Xbox. I gotta say that I really, really enjoyed it, and I don't enjoy a lot of FPS games these days. The story was ok, but I found the levels super fun, and a little challenging. Definitely respect your opinion though :)
Robbie Sabo cool
KoolKeith9000 I wonder if people who come to defend their precious childhood game have even played it recently. The enemies still take good amount of punishment even when you shoot them in the head.
So much polite, ahhhh :D
What I've learned after 6 years of UA-cam, is that people will always look at childhood games differently. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, every game we play changes how we view future games. If someone never played a Castlevania game before, they would probably pick up Super Castlevania IV and wonder what all of the fuss was about. People growing up with a PS2/Xbox/GC are now finally old enough to start collecting their childhood favorites, just as I had re-gathered most of my childhood favorites long ago.
Your voice is very sibilant and almost boomy at the same time. You should probably tweak your audio processing to soften high frequencies.
I do like that Black will play in my 360.
and it looks great on a 360.
I just play my Xbox games on the original Xbox with component cables.
+ThePreciseClimber Me too. I always prefer playing my games on their original platform. A few of my friends have these modded systems, which can play all sorts of retro games, but i have my gameroom set up with 3 different tvs (70in hooked up for xbox1, WiiU,360, Dreamcast), (48in 4k for ps4, alpha console, ps3, ps2), and (32 in lcd , which still has component, and composite for my original xbox, saturn, snes, genesis, T-16, ps1). I enjoy hearing those old systems boot up. lol
Yay! Reviews are back! :D
I would say either A) They never left, or B) This was a Q&A :D
Sounds good! I :D
Need to revisit this one me thinks...
Most definitely!
Nice review! Great work.
Thank you!
I feel I should revisit this title, guess Xbox version would be best.
The Xbox version usually is ;)
PS2 version has the better controls though.
Ioannis Stf I disagree. Having both L2 and R2 buttons make the ps2 pad best for FPS games.
Ioannis Stf No. L2 and R2 would imply that there is an L1 and R1 and on the Xbox there isn't.
Ioannis Stf The reason the L1,L2,R1 and R2 buttons are so important to me in FPS games is that you don't have to take your thumbs off the sticks to press them.
Interestingly the reviews were not overwhelmingly positive, since the metacritic average is 79 (PS2) and I'd would pretty much agree with that score. Black was (and probably still is) a solid 7/10 game, nothing more, nothing less. I actually enjoyed Killzone 1 more (a terribly underrated game, IMO). Indeed, Black looks and sounds fantastic for the PS2 and shooting, especially at first, feels really satisfying. It was, and again, still is so... stylish. But on the other hand, the storyline sucks, the objective system is terrible, checkpoints are too far apart and many enemies are bullet sponges. Overall, I still can't believe that they never made a sequel. I suppose it didn't sell very well? Was it because it came out so late? So much potential... what could've been.
How is a 79/100 not overwhelmingly positive, or "well received" as noted in the video?
implantgames
Well, to me "overwhelmingly positive" is something like a 85+/100, but those review are certainly positive and the game was "well received", just not overwhelmingly so, IMO. It's a good game. (I guess my original comment sounds quite negative.)
Although I feel that Metacritic's 100-point scale is lopsided, especially back then (this gen review scores and scales have gotten better, IMO). It was like games below 80/100 were somehow mediocre and anything below 70/100 was almost unplayable. (And to me, even today, a 7/10 is not a 70/100, it's more like a 75/100, or even a 80/100. 7/10 is a good score, it means that the game is overall good, not "yellow" as it's on Metacritic.) So IMO, a 79/100 would be clearly positive today, but back then it was almost mixed. I actually just noticed that indeed, many 75-80/100 Black reviews sound surprisingly mixed, even though that's supposed to be a good score. Luckily that has changed.
You can't skip the cutscenes. I think it's unnecessary for any game to require you to watch the cut scenes. Max Payne 3 is the worst culprit regarding this...
I remember playing back than... the graphics where really great with some effects you usaly dont see in those days like that blurry background when reloading. But i would be probably pissed if i bought it because 6 hours and no extra stuff is a bit lame.
A Great game with alot interessting things to unlock would be Rogue Trooper. A dark Third person shooter from Rebellion based on a Comic (alot of comic stuff to unlock)... had everything unlocked on my first xbox. It also has a Nice darkish soundtrack fitting the Setting ua-cam.com/video/oWvpRlLHyAE/v-deo.html
Reminds me a bit to Star Wars Clone setting ^^ but the war is more world war 2 ish.
I'll definitely keep an eye out for Rogue Trooper, thanks!
Well received? I don't remember any good reviews for that game. Everything I read basically said it looked great but was too repetitive, and that's the impression I got from it too.
The game has a 77 Metascore: "Generally favorable reviews based on 65 Critics"
Fair enough. I must have been mistaken. I did find it a bit generic myself, I don't think I got around to finishing it. Probably the best looking game of that generation though.
I think these days many of this 6th generation shooters receive the same criticism, there are moments in Halo I find repetitive and I just want the game to move forward haha. As for Black, I think the fact its only 4 or 5 hours long really helps.
Calling a game repetitive has got to be the most meaningless "criticism" of all time. It has no value whatsoever, every video game ever developed has the player repeating a locked set of mechanics and interacting with those same mechanics throughout the game. Getting bored? Chances are you simply don't like the game very much or have been playing for too long in one sitting
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The answer you're looking for is no.
It was darn good then, though.
480p?
Yep.
Even on the PS2 (which was pretty rare) and even in Europe (which was even rarer!).
I beat this game a few years ago, it was ok to me but you could skip it if you want.......
+Jeffrey Ruffner What were your favorite Xbox shooters?
+implantgames Half life 2 and if you would call it a fps which it half is the chronicles of Riddick escape from butchers bay then halo 2 and halo, I played a lot of fps games on the original xbox but It is hard to put any on that level although I appreciated them. A lot of what I loved most I can't remember, I just got an xbox for the 3rd time and haven't owned one since 2009 and I probably owned between the first 2 times having one about 50ish games, I would have to look through games and see what comes to mind........ All of the far cries btw, they even look beyond "Black" except the first far cry.
Thanks!
Goldeney did everything better apart from graphics
I played this game few months ago, & I think game was overrated. Except graphics. For Xbox & PS2 it's amazing. And I don't know how it was looks on consoles in 2006, but I find that this game too slow for FPS genre. Remember, that game was released after great fast-pacing shooter F.E.A.R. or original Far Cry, that I play on PC at the time. Controls too slow, shooting too slow, enemies slow too)
Talks about bullet sounds. Doesn't shut the fuck up.
Sorry mate.