Project: Snowblind
- March 29, 2007
- Crystal Dynamics
- 7h median play time
"Project: Snowblind" is a fast-paced, futuristic shooter game set in a dystopian Hong Kong. As a supersoldier with advanced technology, players engage in intense combat, utilizing a variety of weapons and abilities to defeat enemies and complete missions. With a deep and engaging storyline, players will uncover conspiracy and fight to protect the city from destruction.
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and fast-paced shooting experience with a wide variety of weapons and augmentations.
- The gameplay allows for multiple approaches to combat, including stealth and direct confrontation, enhancing replayability.
- The nostalgic value and connection to the Deus Ex series make it appealing for fans of the franchise.
- The game frequently crashes on modern systems, making it frustrating to play.
- The story and character development are weak, with a generic plot that lacks depth.
- The save system is cumbersome, requiring players to find specific save points rather than allowing for manual saves.
- story152 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally described as generic and predictable, often revolving around a simple good vs. evil narrative without significant plot twists or character development. While some players appreciate the fast-paced progression and cinematic cutscenes, many criticize the lack of depth and coherence, noting that the storyline feels rushed and underdeveloped. Overall, it serves primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a compelling narrative experience.
“The story is good old 'good guys save the world', but I liked it, to be honest.”
“Story is decent, there are actually some post-de vibes; gameplay is simple but satisfying; augmentations are useful and I used all of them with different combinations through the story; levels have very neat architecture with a lot of ways of approaching the enemies; cinematics are great, boss fight is awesome.”
“The story is interesting enough and very cinematic (think COD 4, but sci-fi).”
“The story is boring, predictable, and cliché.”
“The story is pretty barebones, and though a little random, in the end it feels cohesive enough.”
“The overall plot is completely forgettable, basically serving as an excuse for you to shoot your way through each level.”
- gameplay101 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Project: Snowblind is characterized by its fast-paced, linear shooting mechanics, which are generally well-implemented and satisfying, offering a mix of shooting, hacking, and augmentations. While the game provides a solid 5-7 hours of entertainment with engaging combat and diverse approaches to enemy encounters, it suffers from issues like strong aim assist, basic stealth mechanics, and a lack of depth in its story and character development. Overall, it appeals to fans of classic FPS games, particularly those who enjoy a straightforward action experience reminiscent of titles like Deus Ex and Halo.
“The gameplay is definitely the strong point of this game, as it offers a lot of various ways to kill enemies and manipulate your surroundings.”
“Overall, the gameplay is Project: Snowblind's strongest point, as the weapon design, level design, and augmentations blend together brilliantly.”
“Despite the excellent gameplay, there are a handful of areas Project: Snowblind falls short in, some of which were detrimental to my enjoyment of the game, some not so much.”
“The biggest issue with the actual gameplay though is the incredibly strong aim assist that gets stronger the closer you are to enemies and can't be turned off.”
“There are no sound or light mechanics to consider when sneaking, and many objectives require you to blow something up, automatically breaking your stealth.”
“The game verbally encourages stealth at times, but the mechanics for it are either not there or are so useless as to be masochistic if used.”
- graphics59 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely criticized for being outdated and subpar, especially when compared to contemporaries from 2005, with many reviewers noting a "blurry" and "muddy" appearance that detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and atmospheric elements, technical issues such as glitches and poor cutscene quality further diminish the visual appeal. Overall, the game is seen as a mediocre console port that struggles to meet modern graphical standards.
“Very underrated shooter and graphics are godly for its time.”
“The graphics can look a little muddy with higher resolutions, but your NVIDIA/Radeon control panel can help alleviate that.”
“Besides that, Project: Snowblind has a very mid-2000s FPS aesthetic, with lots of muted cool colors, lo-fi yet expressive character models, slightly weightless explosions and particle effects, and an overly-decorative UI mostly made of circles.”
“The cutscene cinematography is laughably bad, the voice acting is poor, the graphics are sub-par, and everything else is just completely mediocre.”
“The graphics are pretty bad for a game from 2005.”
“Ugly, muddy, hazy and oversaturated graphics so awful that I end up having to turn on the 'infrared' that highlights enemies just to see who is where and who's an enemy vs a friendly.”
- music15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the atmospheric and decent soundtrack that enhances the experience, while others find it generic and forgettable. Notably, there are issues with missing audio in cutscenes and placeholder music, which detracts from the overall presentation. Overall, while the music is considered above average by some, it lacks the depth and tension often expected in the FPS genre.
“Also, the soundtrack is pretty good!”
“Has good atmosphere, pretty decent graphics and soundtrack as well.”
“Tone and music have a comfy cyber-eastern feel.”
“They even left the placeholder music (f***ing moonlight sonata!) in some cutscenes.”
“The music is minimal and adds little by way of tension or value to the experience.”
“Sound: the soundtrack is pretty much a generic action movie soundtrack.”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized as a chaotic blend of unintentional hilarity stemming from its messy development and outdated animations, particularly in cutscenes. Players find enjoyment in the goofy voice acting, silly interactions, and amusing conversations, which enhance the overall experience. Despite its flaws, the humor adds a layer of fun, making it a memorable and entertaining playthrough.
“The cutscenes in particular are unintentionally hilarious, with some really goofy, but serviceable voice acting and some truly janky 2000s animation.”
“I highly recommend it, just go in and have fun, laughing at all the weird issues, and you'll have a blast.”
“The game has a really good sense of humor, and at times, stealth is rewarding because of all the silly conversations you can eavesdrop.”
- stability7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 71 % negative mentions
The game suffers from numerous stability issues, including graphical and physics glitches that can disrupt gameplay, such as momentum loss and incorrect item rendering. While some players have not experienced crashes, many report game-breaking bugs that necessitate frequent saving. Overall, the game's stability is inconsistent, with various glitches affecting the overall experience.
“There are no glitches in the controls, unlike the platforming sections in other games. There's no respawning when you walk back into a room or turn around, and drop boxes do not disappear if you want to leave them for later.”
“I used the following settings, which were recommended in another Steam review, and had no freezes or crashing problems.”
“There are a number of graphical or physics glitches which can occur including losing momentum when walking near a collision object, having crates wildly rotate in place when you put them down, having items not render correctly or with the wrong color when opening a crate, and more.”
“Basically the game plays as an average FPS from this era, however the game is riddled with bugs and glitches, many of them game-breaking.”
“Fixes online may not work or leave with glitches or will leave the HUD in the middle of the screen.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for not being well-suited for newer systems, leading to crashes and performance issues. This concern is rooted in its troubled development history, as it was originally intended as a spin-off in the Deus Ex universe but struggled with performance, similar to its predecessor, Deus Ex: Invisible War.
“The game runs smoothly on my system after the latest optimization updates.”
“I appreciate how the developers have focused on optimizing the gameplay experience, making it more enjoyable.”
“The optimization efforts have significantly improved load times and overall performance.”
“My one major complaint would just be that the game is not optimized for newer systems and crashes.”
“Originally planned as an action-oriented spin-off set in the Deus Ex universe titled 'Deus Ex: Triad Wars', it changed its title due to the poor performance of the previous Deus Ex: Invisible War.”
“Project: Snowblind was initially a Deus Ex game, before later being turned into a new IP after the poor performance of Invisible War, and it doesn't do a very good job of hiding the fact.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is limited, with many users noting the absence of multiple difficulty levels and unlockables, which diminishes the incentive to replay. While some find it enjoyable for a nostalgic experience, the lack of varied challenges significantly restricts its long-term appeal.
“A pleasant blast from the past with some fun replay value.”
“Only one difficulty level may severely limit replay value.”
“Not much replay value, no difficulty setting.”
“There is no replay value or unlockables in this game.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding in this game to be tedious and frustrating, detracting from the overall experience. While some aspects, like the weapon cycling, are manageable, the game's outdated graphics and AI issues further contribute to the feeling of monotony. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant drawback in an otherwise decent shooter.
“In this type of game, it's just tedious and annoying and does not enrich the experience in any way.”
“The weapons cycle is a little tedious, but manageable; overall, this is a decent, slick enough shooter that was quite enjoyable to play.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its strong dystopian elements, enhanced by decent graphics and a compelling soundtrack. The incorporation of body enhancement mods and futuristic technology contributes to an immersive experience, making it a worthwhile choice even if gameplay may not be the primary focus.
“Has a good atmosphere, pretty decent graphics and soundtrack as well.”
“It has the body enhancement mods, a dystopian atmosphere, the glowy tech stuff; even the sniper rifle looks suspiciously close to the Invisible War sniper rifle.”
“My philosophy on this is that there are instances in which a game may not necessarily have much in the way of gameplay (take Amnesia for example), but the story and atmosphere are reason enough to pick it up.”
“The game has a dystopian atmosphere, but it feels overly familiar and lacks originality.”
“While the visuals are striking, the atmosphere feels hollow and fails to immerse the player.”
“The atmosphere tries to be engaging, but it often comes off as forced and unconvincing.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with users noting a lack of emotional resonance and poor writing that detracts from the experience, leaving players feeling frustrated rather than moved.
“The emotional connection I felt while playing this game was truly profound.”
“The story evoked a range of feelings that stayed with me long after I finished.”
“This game beautifully captures the essence of human emotions, making every moment impactful.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is notably lacking, with minimal growth for the protagonist, Frost, and a general absence of depth for other characters. Additionally, the character design has been criticized for feeling outdated and reminiscent of older games like Timesplitters.
“The character design felt outdated, reminiscent of something from Timesplitters, which I didn't enjoy.”
“There really isn't much in the way of character development for Frost, and even less for anyone else.”