Boiling Point: Road to Hell
- November 14, 2023
- Deep Shadows
- 30h median play time
Get on Steam"Boiling Point: Road to Hell" is a 2005 open-world roleplaying FPS where players navigate through a pseudo-South American country called Realia to rescue their kidnapped daughter. The game features a richly detailed world with tropical jungles, farms, villages, and estates, and players must manage their reputation with six different factions as they progress through dicey situations with corrupt politicians and criminal organizations. The natural environment of Realia is also a threat, as it is home to dangerous snakes and large predators.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a rich and dynamic open world with interlocking systems, allowing for varied gameplay and emergent storytelling.
- The writing and voice acting are entertaining, adding humor and personality to the characters and setting.
- The concept of factions and the reputation system is well-executed, providing depth to player choices and interactions.
- The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including frequent crashes, memory leaks, and save corruptions, making it frustrating to play.
- Gameplay mechanics, such as driving and gunplay, are poorly designed and feel clunky, detracting from the overall experience.
- The game lacks polish, with outdated graphics, bugs, and a tedious interface that can hinder enjoyment.
- story10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it absurd and poorly paced, particularly due to a significant twist near the end and the reliance on side missions for progression. Others appreciate the dynamic open-world setting and the emergent storytelling that allows for various player choices and interactions within a realistic South American context. Overall, while the narrative may have flaws, it offers a unique RPG experience that blends action with deeper player-driven storytelling.
“I will not spoil it, but the story takes an absurd turn just right before the end.”
“There are a plethora of quests and angles to take in solving the main quest, or in true dadcore fashion, just not doing it and instead getting wrapped up in the local intrigues, making bookoo bucks, and retiring to some villa in the jungle.”
“What we have here is an RPG like no other; there aren't any ghouls and goblins, dragons and magic. It's real life, we're in a South American country and we have to pick which sides to support (government, bandits, guerrillas, etc.), take missions, earn money, use money to further our goals and get better equipment, vehicles, and so on.”
“Story is an absolute joke.”
“The story takes an absurd turn just before the end.”
“Story progression is mostly hidden behind a paywall, unless you do several boring side missions.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches, such as disappearing cars and overall instability. While some players appreciate the game's atmosphere and nostalgic appeal, they note that it lacks modern patches, contributing to its buggy experience. Despite these issues, many still find the game enjoyable and worth playing, hoping for future updates to improve stability.
“And that my car disappeared for no reason shows how buggy it really is.”
“Still really buggy, just gotta roll through the punches sometimes, but Ziggurat Interactive does have a bug tracking survey to get some feedback rolling in, because this game does have something going for it.”
“I have enjoyed this 'slav jank' Deus Ex/Far Cry for years and I truly think it's worth playing at least once; however, my gripe with the current Steam version is that it's not using any of the modern patches and currently cannot be properly patched up to 2.0/2.2, making it unstable and highly buggy. If they can turn this around or pre-patch it to us 1.1 so we may update it, that would solve most issues!”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the reputation system reminiscent of better titles like Mercenaries, while others criticize the outdated mechanics, poor graphics, and voice acting. Despite these flaws, the game reportedly has a stable performance, with minimal crashes experienced during extended playtime.
“The reputation system is a great mechanic that works similarly to the one in mercenaries, which is a far better game that came out earlier.”
“Despite its aged mechanics, the gameplay remains engaging.”
“I have crashed exactly once in roughly 30 hours of gameplay (upon loading a quicksave), which speaks to the stability of the game.”
“Gameplay is bad too.”
“Despite its aged mechanics.”
“I couldn't take it, the 1999 graphics, the awful voice acting, the meh game mechanics, oh the horror!”
- graphics3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are often criticized for their outdated 1999 style, with many reviewers noting issues such as poor visual quality and subpar voice acting. Despite these shortcomings, some players still find value in the game, referring to it as a hidden gem worth experiencing, albeit with a tolerance for its graphic and audio flaws.
“I couldn't take it, the 1999 graphics, the awful voice acting, the meh game mechanics, oh the horror!”
“A bit buggy in places, 90's graphics; if only they made games like this now!”
“If you can stomach some graphic/audio issues and some broken quests, otherwise I suggest playing this hidden gem at least once.”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some find the writing genuinely funny, particularly the exaggerated tales of an old-timer character, others criticize the stereotypical nature of the characters as lacking depth. The voice acting adds to the comedic effect, with notable performances enhancing the overall experience.
“To that end, the writing is genuinely funny. I love the old-timer in the bar who claims to have been part of every major revolution, military action, and group since the Bolshevik Revolution. 'Oh, the CIA? Those chumps aren't real CIA operatives. Back in my day... Oh, the guerillas? Those losers aren't real rebels. Back in my day... Oh, the Indians? Those aren't real Indians. Back in my day...'.”
“The voice acting is great; there's one character whose model has a cigar in his mouth, and you can tell that the voice actor actually put a highlighter in his mouth while recording to get the 'I'm-talking-around-some-huge-object-in-my-mouth' effect.”
“The locations actually feel like places instead of video game zones.”
- music2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been criticized for being compressed and sparse, with many users expressing disappointment and stating that it lacks quality.
“The music is as compressed and sparse as it was years ago.”
“The music is disappointing.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unfulfilling, citing janky combat, boring driving, a vast but underwhelming map, and a cumbersome interface as key factors that contribute to a frustrating experience.
“The combat feels too janky and not satisfying, driving around is mostly boring and time-consuming. The map is huge, but there is not much to do, and the interface is tedious.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised as being very pleasant and immersive, despite some reported bugs. Players appreciate the overall ambiance, which enhances their gaming experience.
“The atmosphere is incredibly immersive and captivating, making every moment feel unique.”
“I love how the game's environment draws you in; it creates a sense of wonder and exploration.”
“The ambiance is hauntingly beautiful, perfectly complementing the game's narrative.”
