Hard Truck Apocalypse: Rise Of Clans / Ex Machina: Meridian 113
- March 14, 2014
- Targem Games
Get on SteamIn Hard Truck Apocalypse: Rise of Clans, also known as Ex Machina: Meridian 1
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the original Hard Truck Apocalypse, with enjoyable vehicular combat and customization options.
- Despite its bugs and glitches, many players find the gameplay fun and engaging, especially for those who appreciate post-apocalyptic themes.
- The game has improved graphics and controls compared to its predecessor, making it a decent choice for fans of the genre.
- The game is plagued by numerous technical issues, including crashes, unhandled exceptions, and poor compatibility with modern systems.
- Many players criticize the story as being weak and the missions repetitive, leading to a lack of engagement and replayability.
- The translation and voice acting are often described as poor, detracting from the overall experience and immersion in the game.
- story42 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it is significantly shorter and less fulfilling than its predecessor, often feeling rushed and poorly explained. While some appreciate the eccentric protagonist and dynamic elements, others criticize the convoluted mission structure and lack of depth, leading to a disjointed narrative experience. Overall, the game offers a more linear storyline with fewer engaging quests, leaving many players preferring the original's richer narrative.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“As for me, a great game with a great story.”
“Rise of Clans has you, 'the vagrant', on a quest to reach 'Edmonton' in 'Le Canada'.”
“Although some of the bugs were fixed, the story was entirely changed and we have a different (very eccentric) protagonist. It is still the same vibe and premise as the original Ex Machina.”
“Unpolished, with a rushed story and poorly explained. The game overall feels rushed and feels more like a DLC to the first game. I would replay the first game many times, but this one, I probably won't replay it again.”
“Less bugs than the first game, but the story is a lot more linear and shorter.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for being modern and visually appealing, especially considering its low price point. However, players have reported technical issues, including crashes related to specific graphical settings and glitches, which detract from the overall experience. While some users appreciate the improvements in graphics and physics, others express disappointment, suggesting that the visuals could be better.
“Fast game with modern day graphics and easy controls that moves from location A to B to C and so on.”
“Aged well graphically.”
“Very good game, a nice sequel to HTA. I like the graphics and controls; it runs on Windows 10 normally since the recent update that lets you play on Vista/7/8/8.1/10.”
“There are technical problems, as enabling anisotropic filtering causes the game to crash on load in combination with some configuration options, and some graphical glitches.”
“The graphics could be better, also the physics, but for $2 it's more than okay!”
“There were options to improve the graphics, but the game would refuse to load after I upped them from 'medium' (the default).”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and crashes that can significantly hinder gameplay. While some players find enjoyment despite these issues, particularly for those familiar with the series, others note severe technical problems, especially when adjusting graphical settings. Overall, the game is described as a "buggy mess," which may deter newcomers but can still provide fun for those willing to overlook its instability.
“Check it out if you're familiar with the first installment; if not, then I don't know how to tell you this, but you most probably won't enjoy the lovely buggy mess these games are.”
“There are technical problems, as enabling anisotropic filtering causes the game to crash on load in combination with some configuration options, and some graphical glitches.”
“But then there are areas (mostly in the jungle regions) where FPS was dropping significantly, and an attempt to change the resolution or tweak the options caused some atrocious glitches that forced me to kill the game and load it anew.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a mix of enjoyable truck-based exploration and combat in a post-apocalyptic setting, though it suffers from inconsistent difficulty spikes and occasional monotony. While the game introduces new mechanics and improvements over its predecessor, players may find the experience somewhat short and marred by rough translations and poor cutscenes. Overall, the core mechanics of driving, shooting, and gear collection remain engaging, complemented by mini-games that add variety.
“The occasional mini-games bring some variation to the gameplay.”
“The translation from Russian is a bit rough, but overall the gameplay of driving around and shooting all sorts of things is compelling.”
“Significantly more difficult gameplay with each truck having less health and there being more enemy spawns and more frequent enemy spawns.”
“The gameplay has odd difficulty fluxes: it is mostly very easy, but at one point you will be one-shotted in encounters as there will be stronger weapons than the given trucks can handle.”
“On the plus side, the main gameplay of roaming a post-apocalyptic world with a truck, shooting things, and collecting gear in an RPG manner is mostly fun, if not somewhat monotonous if you are not so inclined.”
- music7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the cool soundtrack and find it enjoyable, others express frustration with its repetitiveness and the impact it has on their experience, such as causing migraines. Additionally, there are technical issues reported, including crashes related to music files, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a positive aspect, but it is overshadowed by concerns about its repetitiveness and technical problems.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“All in all, I prefer the original due to the fact that it's a game from my childhood, but also the fact that the story was longer and more enjoyable. There was a much bigger world to explore and the soundtrack was richer.”
“This game has a cool soundtrack.”
“I was stuck for 4 hours with only the guitar-heavy song in this game, and it gave me a migraine.”
“The game starts, but it crashes while loading video and music files.”
“Ok soundtrack.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly for some players, it lacks support for modern display resolutions and hasn't been updated for contemporary gaming PCs. This inconsistency in performance may disappoint some, but fans of the series may still find enjoyment despite these issues.
“Overall, the performance of the game was great, and it runs smoothly.”
“It's still a good time for the fans of the series, so if you bought that already, why not buy this one too?”
“Before we can move on to the cons, I must address an issue of performance.”
“Albeit an interesting idea, it is still disappointing in terms of performance.”
“It's still a good time for fans of the series (if we ignore the possible performance issues), so if you bought that already, why not buy this one too?”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game is generally considered to have low replayability, with many reviewers noting that the story lacks depth compared to the original, making it less engaging for multiple playthroughs. While it may provide a brief entertainment experience, it does not encourage players to return for more.
“It offers less replayability, and the story is much less fulfilling than the original.”
“The lack of meaningful choices makes it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to return for a second run.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted to be present but can be overshadowed by frustrating elements, requiring players to overlook these annoyances to fully appreciate the comedic aspects.
“The humor in this game is cleverly woven into the storyline, making every moment enjoyable.”
“I found myself laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and hilarious character interactions.”
“The absurd situations and playful puns kept me entertained throughout my playthrough.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is perceived as lacking, with elements that detract from its overall style and immersive experience.
“Needless to say, all of this doesn't exactly add to the style and atmosphere of the game.”
