Forsaken Remastered is the definitive way to play the forgotten Acclaim classic in modern times.
(NOTE: This review is based off of Forsaken Remastered for PC, not Linux. I proposed a PC release, but some mod declined it)
Forsaken Remastered is the definitive way to play the forgotten Acclaim classic in modern times.
Here, Forsaken Remastered supports higher resolutions, a recreated HUD, anti-aliasing, new particle effects and other graphical effects, and support for more modern graphical APIs, making them work more easily with modern graphics cards. There aren't new models, textures, levels, music tracks or sound effects. Instead, Forsaken is a slightly new campaign that compiles content from the original PC version and the N64 port.
Forsaken isn't necessarily a must play, unless you were interested in it prior and missed out on it, are a fan of the 6DoF genre, or wanted to comeback to the game for whatever reason. However, it is a good entry to the genre with a post-apocalyptic setting, unique weapons, witty retorts from the player biker and relatively hectic gameplay. While all levels generally involve "getting to the end", how to get there will vary per level. This includes time limits, switch activations, objective destructions, item collections and retrievals and escort missions (at the escortee is invincible) There's alot more variety here than in many early FPS games like Doom and Quake. Think of the levels similar to Goldeneye 007 on the N64, where killing enemies isn't the only goal.
The best parts of Forsaken are the variety in the levels, the blasting combat and maneuvering, the exploration of the level and trying to find secrets which can contain weapons, ammo, powerups, gold, lives, or crystals which unlock more levels all the while a great drum and bass/techno soundtrack plays courtesy of The Swarm.
The worst parts of Forsaken are the sometimes confusing level designs or completion requirements causing you to get lost or run back and forth in a level for half an hour wondering "WHAT DID I MISS AND WHY CAN'T I FIND IT?!". Secrets can be annoying, as some require you to shoot it constantly until it opens or is destroyed, which wastes your limited ammo. Most of the maps take place in tight corridors and rooms with mostly grey or brown N64 era muddy textures, but with colored lighting. Enemies often unfairly spawn literally behind you when going into a new room while you are dealing with threats in front of you - sometimes in literal long hallways. They provide a rear view camera, but most players will ignore it in firefights. Its lame when a turret or group of enemies whittle down your shield, making you paranoid of EVERY room you enter.
Forsaken feels fairly easy at first, but it is secretly hard. I usually play First Person shooters on Hard difficulty (as I did here) but on Normal I eventually lost all my lives due to dying to very deadly traps (which, I'll add, have a lot of variety in this game) or getting cornered in an ambush after already losing shields/hull health from earlier points in the level. Also, their appears to be a robust set of Multiplayer modes with up to 16 players, but that playerbase is literally dead.