| System: PC, PS3, Xbox 360 |  |
| Dev: Vanguard | |
| Pub: Electronic Arts | |
| Release: August 30, 2011 | |
| Players: 1 (Online Co-Op) | |
| Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p | Violence |
On a console controller, the big advantage is the two-joystick setup, which is superior to using WASD to make your mech walk and the mouse to direct its gunfire. However, if you want to throw a grenade, you have to hold down a trigger to display a cursor, and then move the cursor onto your target with a joystick. All this extra work makes grenades almost completely useless in hectic firefights. By contrast, with a mouse, you can simply place the cursor over your target and hit the space bar. To me, that's a good reason to stick with a keyboard and mouse, which isn't an option if you buy the console version.
I also came across a non-control-related issue in the PC version, though. Maybe a third of the way through the game, my HUD simply disappeared. I couldn't see how much life I had, or how many missiles or rocket I'd regenerated, unless I paused the game. The problem persisted when I quit and re-loaded my file. I don't know if this was a glitch, or if I pushed a button combination that turned off the HUD, but the instructions didn't help me undo the problem. So, until the developers fix this, it's a strike against the PC version.
But why complain about little things? Put simply, Gatling Gears is fun. It's the kind of game that will practically force you to play it for longer than you planned. It looks great, it fits in to a long history of addictive games, and at five hours, it gives you your money's worth while leaving you wanting more. As far as I'm concerned, Gatling Gears II can't come soon enough.
By
Robert VerBruggen
CCC Contributing Writer
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