“Dizzying” is a word reviewers often use to describe the scale of something inherently positive in a game. A dizzying world, for instance, might be something that is so massive that attempting to comprehend just how large and detailed it is runs the risk of developing a case of vertigo. In the case of shooters, dizzying might be better applied to their pace. Are players required to develop the sixth sense of combat awareness, to know exactly when to spin and fire" Is knowledge of the map pool critical in navigating the small corners of closed spaces at lightning speed"
HIVE: Altenum Wars is another shooter that would best be described as dizzying, but in a much more troubling way. It’s a game with a clear cut goal: let’s have a strong, diverse, and competitive, 2.5 dimensional multiplayer environment. How it approaches that goal is hazy at best, however, and it often feels as though playing the game is simulating what it would be like to fight off alien hordes while suffering from the worst effects of a rather serious concussion. I was still sure my enemy was on the map somewhere, and I knew I was meant to be killing them, but I also couldn’t figure out which way was up or down. I also had the lingering suspicion I might vomit soon.
Combat at the Right Angle
Let’s start with one of the more promising concepts in HIVE: Altenum Wars, which is the premise of its multiplayer combat. Players choose between a number of generic sci...