Cold War
- January 8, 2014
- Mindware Studios
Get on Steam"Cold War" is a first-person shooter game that follows Matt Carter, a freelance journalist who becomes embroiled in an international conspiracy in the USSR. Players must evade and eliminate Soviet forces using stolen weapons and improvised gadgets to uncover the conspiracy or risk being sent to a Siberian prison camp. Key features include an interactive non-linear world, multiple ways to complete missions, and unique gadgets like the X-ray camera.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique setting in Soviet Union with interesting locations like the Lenin Mausoleum and Chernobyl, enhancing the atmosphere.
- Crafting mechanics and gadgets add a fun layer to gameplay, allowing players to create various tools for stealth and combat.
- The story is engaging and has replay value, with different modes and challenges that keep the experience fresh.
- The AI is outdated and can be frustrating, with enemies often behaving in unrealistic ways.
- Combat mechanics are clunky and unbalanced, making gunplay feel awkward and less enjoyable compared to stealth.
- Repetitive environments and backtracking can lead to a tedious gameplay experience, diminishing overall enjoyment.
- story37 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is set against a unique backdrop of Cold War-era Soviet locations, featuring a well-written narrative that includes espionage, conspiracy, and intriguing twists. While some players find the plot engaging and the comic book-style cutscenes charming, others criticize it for being generic and marred by poorly designed missions and an unbalanced combat system. Overall, the story offers replayability through different modes, but it could benefit from further development and polish.
“The story is good, and rather lengthy; the game took me about 11-12 hours to complete and there are several twists and turns as the story progresses. It is entertaining and mostly well done.”
“This game is awesome! It may be a little out of date, but it plays very well. It has an engaging story and a cool comic-esque style for the cutscenes. Its stealth system is solid and it has awesome music.”
“The story is told through a series of comic book-like cutscenes between missions with corny, voice-acted Russian accents that, in my opinion, adds a lot of charm to this game.”
“Had received more polish and expanded the story, Cold War could have been a decent video game, but it ends up being a broken title with an interesting idea that I wish someone would pick up and build on.”
“The game starts off pretty well with stealth missions, but then dumps tons of nonsense on you.”
“While I like that you can both play stealthy and aggressively, it feels like a poor man's Splinter Cell with a predictable Cold War story.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many acknowledging that while they were impressive for their 2005 release, they have not aged well by modern standards. Some players appreciate the visuals and cutscenes, rating them around 6.5 to 7 out of 10, while others find them outdated and lacking in quality. Overall, the graphics are considered decent for their time but may disappoint players expecting contemporary standards.
“This is an awesome espionage stealth/shooter game while old, not that dated... good graphics and a great story with really cool gadgets makes this a gem of a game!”
“The mechanics are solid, the graphics are nice for the time it was published, the sound is well-done, the levels are challenging, and the gameplay is fun overall.”
“This game is cheap, the controls are very good, the graphics are great for 2005, there is a quicksave system as opposed to a checkpoint saving system, and I ask you: what other game allows you to have a shootout inside of Lenin's tomb?”
“Graphics are already outdated, but it isn't ugly at all.”
“Visuals 6.5/10. I would like to set this higher, but it was only just par in 2005 and it hasn't aged well. This mostly comes from the few cutscenes done with the game engine itself, and those are few and far between.”
“I understand it's from 2005, and I know graphics don't make a game, but all I'm saying is the game can be confusing to most people.”
- gameplay13 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising the solid mechanics and enjoyable crafting and stealth elements, while others criticize outdated AI, stiff shooting controls, and a lack of clear explanations for certain features. Although some players found the experience fun and challenging, others noted that it can become tedious and frustrating at times. Overall, the game offers a decent experience but falls short in several areas compared to modern titles.
“A decent little Splinter Cell-inspired stealth title with a good use of crafting mechanics.”
“The stealth and crafting mechanics are where the developers spent the most time.”
“The mechanics are solid, the graphics are nice for the time it was published, the sound is well-done, the levels are challenging, and the gameplay is fun overall.”
“But if compared to modern games, the AI, stealth, and certain gameplay mechanics can be annoying and outdated.”
“Not very good at explaining mechanics, like the ammo for the camera, the x-ray meter, and how to equip different types of ammo in your gun.”
“The gameplay, however, becomes tedious very quickly.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its immersive and visually appealing qualities, evoking a strong sense of place reminiscent of old Soviet settings. While some find the experience slightly linear, the overall ambiance effectively enhances the gameplay.
“The game really feels like it would smell of old Soviet furniture; I like this kind of atmosphere.”
“Very nice looking atmosphere.”
“Maybe a bit too linear, but atmospheric and really immersive.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed feedback; while some find it repetitive, others praise it for its engaging ambient tracks and thrilling chase themes that effectively enhance the game's atmosphere. Overall, it contributes positively to the experience, with some reviewers rating it as high as 8/10.
“Audio 8/10: Great ambient music and thrilling chase music are excellent for setting the tone for this game!”
“This game is awesome! It may be a little out of date, but it plays very well. It has an engaging story and a cool comic-style for the cutscenes. Its stealth system is solid, and it has awesome music.”
“Music is okay but repetitive.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by a funny ending cut scene and a cheesy plot that adds a lighthearted touch to an otherwise bland gameplay experience reminiscent of Splinter Cell.
“The ending cutscene is actually funny.”
“It's really just a bland version of Splinter Cell with a hilariously cheesy plot.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly noting that traveling across the map can become monotonous and detracts from the overall enjoyment.
“The gameplay, however, becomes tedious very quickly.”
“Traveling from one side of a map to another can be a bit tedious.”
