Hard Reset Review

By: Michael Bee - September 19, 2011 - 8:15 p.m.

Hard Reset is a game I had been looking forward to since I saw the first screenshot a few months ago. A cyperpunk first-person shooter from some of the guys that made Painkiller? I was on board immediately. So does the game meet expectations? You know what you have to do to find out. Click that little red link below.

There's one word I can use to describe Hard Reset: hectic. The game is a non-stop ride and my finger rarely left the trigger during my time with the game. It's the kind of game that requires you be on your toes the entire time and that's a good thing. It's what I like to call and arena-style shooter, where you basically travel from one point to the next and a large scale battle ensues. During these battles there is no escape. The path forward and back are blocked and will not be cleared until the battle is won. It's not a new formula at all, but it works great for this game. 

The plot of Hard Reset is...well...I think it's...it is sort of about...fuck it. I have no idea what the plot is. There's something about a professor you're trying to hunt down...and there's robots? The beauty of a game like Hard Reset is the plot does not matter. It is a shooter first and foremost. The plot, if you can call it that, is laid out in a very nice-looking, animated comic book art style. Though after watching the first two or three of those cutscenes in between levels, I began to skip through them. They were nice to watch, but made absolutely no sense to me. Plus, I just really wanted to get back to the action. And what beautiful action it is.

Naturally, the best part of Hard Reset is the action. And it is such beautiful action. Swarms of enemies will paint you into a corner, debris flies with every kill and every explosion. The levels are littered with exploding barrels and tanks, kiosks that will electrify enemies if shot, exploding vehicles. A firefight in Hard Reset is quite a thing to behold.

The weapon system is simplistic without feeling limiting. Basically, you have two weapons, and each of the weapons has five firing modes. For instance, what begins as your assault rifle early in the game expands to also become your combat shotgun, grenade launcher, rocket launcher, etc. Your plasma cannon does the same thing. You switch between weapons using Q for the rifle and E for the plasma cannon. Then scrolling the mouse wheel changes between the different modes of each weapon. It might take some getting used to for first-person shooter veterans, but it works well. My only complaint was that when things got really hectic, it was difficult to switch between weapons on the fly. Say I wanted to pull out my rocket launcher while I was currently using the plasma cannon, I would need to press Q and then switch to my rocket launcher. Not quite as easy as simply pressing 1-9, but these instances did not rear their ugly heads too often.

Hard Reset also features upgrade stations throughout the game that allow you to upgrade weapons or your combat gear, such as armor or indicators that will point out off-screen enemies. Basically, things that will help you survive. It's a nice system and it works well, but I missed out on a few things the first play through because I never gained enough points to purchase everything. I guess that just means I will have to play through the game again.

Unfortunately for PC purists, Hard Reset uses a checkpoint save system. And to be honest, it needs quick saves. The game can be frustrating at times when playing the same areas repeatedly until you find a strategy that works, but there was more than one occasion where I had to play a segment over that was no fun at all. Let's say I had found a secret place or two prior to a large battle. Each time I reload that game, I had to go through those secret places again and again. It would get to the point where I simply skipped out on finding those areas just because I didn't feel like doing it for the tenth time. Allowing me to quick save at the start of the battle would have been a great benefit.

The graphics and art style in Hard Reset are simply stunning, and that's no bullshit. The lighting is superb. Firefights are filled with light dancing around the "battlefield" from weapons and explosions. It is a beautifully-made world and it has a consistent feeling from beginning to end. And while there are some levels that seem to be lacking in certain design aspects, there are far more that are incredible to look at. There was one moment in the game that took me immediately to a Blade Runner flashback, where a large ship flew near the suspended cat-walk I was running on. The ship had a large screen on the side plastered in advertisments and a woman speaking what I can only guess was Japanese. I admit, it brought a smile to my face.

My major complaint with this game is something that has been discussed since before it was released: game length. Yes, this game is short. Going by the game's count, I completed the game in 3 hours and 56 minutes. However, I believe the game's counter only takes into account your level times and not all the times you died. For what it's worth, my Steam time played is sitting near 4.5 hours; still ridiculously short. Just for full disclosure, I played the game on normal difficulty right up till the end. I got into a huge fight at the end of the game (only I did not know it was the end yet) and became frustrated with the difficulty. I moved the difficulty from normal to easy and after a few more attempts I made it through. That's when the credits rolled.

Sadly, it wasn't long enough. A game like this could have used a few more hours of action. Though I can't say it wasn't a fantastic game while it lasted. And since the asking price is only $29.99, I guess there's no reason to complain.

It's far from a perfect game, but Hard Reset is worth the asking price for those who don't mind the short 4-5 hour playing time. However, due to its arena-style shooting, I have to say it's a game that can be played through more than once. I was not disappointed in Hard Reset in the least and can recomend it to anyone who enjoys action-packed old-school type shooters. Just be warned, the trip won't last long.

I look forward to what developer Flying Wild Hog may do in the future. They have a strong foundation here, and I would like to see them build upon it.