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Battlezone '98 REDUX now out on Steam (FPS/RTS/Tank sim hybrid)

L

Lime

Member
Steam page

A 20% launch discount brings Battlezone 98 Redux to £11.99/15,99€/$15.99 until Monday
Click to expand...
Launch trailer

A seminal game that was is a gem of the Golden Age of PC gaming where a lot of experimentation was going on. In this case the team at Activision (team members behind Mechwarrior 2 and Interstate '76) managed to create a hybrid between RTS, base-building, tank simulation, and first-person shooter. Jeehun Hwang of Mechwarrior 2 soundtrack fame is responsible for the soundtrack

Improvements:
"completely remodelled vehicles and buildings, enhanced lighting and shadows, improved particle effects, upgraded animations, upscaled terrain, and more” according to Rebellion. It also boshes in Steam Workshop support for mods and levels, and general sprucing-up.
Click to expand...

Definitely a classic game. I'm still downloading, but I'll post screens and impressions later on.
 
DryvBy

DryvBy

Member
Which now makes me wish we'd get an Interstate '76 HD on Steam. Same ol' graphics, just works on a modern PC.
 
L

Lime

Member
DryvBy said:
Which now makes me wish we'd get an Interstate '76 HD on Steam. Same ol' graphics, just works on a modern PC.
Click to expand...

It's already on GOG?

Much more so Mechwarrior 2 if it wasn't for legal complications. At least I76 is already on GOG, along with Dark Reign (another Activision game in the late 90's). But MW2 is nowhere to be found and likely never will be
 
L

Lime

Member
Intro is disappointing - it's just a framing of the original 640x480 file
battlezone98redux201606f4o.png


Graphics options:
battlezone98redux2016pkd4j.png


and most impressively, controller support for a lot of devices:
battlezone98redux2016q2e57.png
 
L

Lime

Member
HUD seems better than expected but the cross-hair didn't receive much of a make-up:

battlezone98redux2016e2uka.png


battlezone98redux20168furp.png


Same area with BZ1.5 patch
bzone_d3d92011-04-1220ke8v.png


bzone_d3d92011-04-122u5sz5.png


All things considered, I'm happy that the game is now available digitally and everything, but they could have done a bit better with the remastering. The important part is that it's available for other people to try out now.
 
H

Hey Im Patrick

Member
I played this when I was younger. I had no idea what I was doing. I just had fun testing out the weapons and vehicles.

I'mma check this out again.
 
darthkarki

darthkarki

Member
I never played the original, but I loved Battlezone 2. How does this one compare? What's different?

Also, has anyone tried out a controller yet? How well does it play with one? Especially with all the menu navigation for buildings and stuff.

Really makes me want an updated Battlezone 2...
 
D

doctorcdcs

Member
Happy it's now on Steam, but I'll pick it up when it's cheaper or if it gets part of a bundle. I have two copies of the original, so I can wait.
 
A

androvsky

Member
Lime said:
It's already on GOG?

Much more so Mechwarrior 2 if it wasn't for legal complications. At least I76 is already on GOG, along with Dark Reign (another Activision game in the late 90's). But MW2 is nowhere to be found and likely never will be
Click to expand...

Interstate '76 was my first GOG purchase, and it's a bit notorious for being unplayable on modern systems. And by "it" I mean specifically the GOG version, it's a disaster on 64-bit Windows. There's complicated launcher scripts that run a CPU grabber to slow it down to be playable, turn off the Explorer shell, and a bunch of other messy hacks to make it sorta run. Note the compatibility on GOG's site is just XP and Vista.
 
P

PastorOfMuppets

Banned
darthkarki said:
I never played the original, but I loved Battlezone 2. How does this one compare? What's different?

Also, has anyone tried out a controller yet? How well does it play with one? Especially with all the menu navigation for buildings and stuff.

Really makes me want an updated Battlezone 2...
Click to expand...

A lot of those late 90's PC games were designed around MKB interface. Controller to M+KB is very easy to translate but not the other way around.
 
V

Vilam

Maxis Redwood
Battlezone and Interstate 76; two of my favorite things in such close proximity in a single thread.

I'm jumping all over this BZ update, and pray for I76 to get a similar treatment someday.
 
G

Gattsu25

Banned
I loved this game. I literally played this game for months (meaning, if the game had a /playtime command it would have shown 60+ days)

At the time, the driving physics blew my damned mind.
 
S

Sinatar

Official GAF Bottom Feeder
Played a little bit, port seems solid. Runs great, the improved graphics are nice and they didn't fuck with the gameplay any so it feels and plays just like it should.
 
J

Javaman

Member
Total autobuy for me. I absolutely LOVED that game back in the day. It was one of the first games where you can build a base and jump into and out of different vehicles. Way ahead of it's time.
 
L

Lime

Member
Sinatar said:
Played a little bit, port seems solid. Runs great, the improved graphics are nice and they didn't fuck with the gameplay any so it feels and plays just like it should.
Click to expand...

Yeah it's pretty solid and if you go back and play the old one, you can definitely tell the differences.

I wish Rebellion had access to the old files so they could put in a higher quality intro movie.
 
B

Baalzebup

Member
Sinatar said:
Played a little bit, port seems solid. Runs great, the improved graphics are nice and they didn't fuck with the gameplay any so it feels and plays just like it should.
Click to expand...

Good stuff, this is all I needed to hear. I loved the game back in the day and now I can jump back in.
 
Muffdraul

Muffdraul

Member
I remember this version of Battle Zone because it was on the cover of the issue of Next Generation that had their FFVII review. I think.
 
S

Sinatar

Official GAF Bottom Feeder
darthkarki said:
I never played the original, but I loved Battlezone 2. How does this one compare? What's different?
Click to expand...

Battlezone 2 dumbed down the strategy elements a *ton* compared to the first game.

Honestly I thought BZ2 was pretty disappointing, so I imagine if you enjoyed that you'd love the first one.
 
L

Lime

Member
SapientWolf said:
How does this compare to Uprising? I know that game has some similarities to this one, but I only played Uprising.
Click to expand...

It's the progenitor with higher production values, better score, better gameplay, and a nice cold war sci-fi aesthetic that we rarely see these days.
 
P

Portman

Member
Would've bought this yesterday after work but was busy that evening. Instant purchase tonight though since this was one of my all time favorites years ago. The CD lived in my stereo when I wasn't playing the game.

Now I'm hoping they'll be able to get Battlezone 2 as well. Co-op in that with a commander and other players was awesome back in the day. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Need the expansion for BZ98 first (I think this is just the base game?).
 
T

tesla246

Member
Played the original almost religiously back in the day when I was a little kid. It was a pack in game with the first desktop computer my dad bought for the family; a IBM aptiva.
aptiva.jpg
Click to expand...
I remember the speakers being slightly different (with volume knows etc.) a purple palm rest on the keyboard and the mouse having a little purple scroll wheel, so slightly different than the above. Maybe the European versions where different. Good times indeed.

Will this release on something other than steam (don't have steam/good enough computer)?
 
P

Portman

Member
tesla246 said:
Will this release on something other than steam (don't have steam/good enough computer)?
Click to expand...

There is a Playstation VR version planned this fall but they haven't said much about it and were going to wait to give details so they didn't take away from interest in this according to the announcement stream.

Not sure if it's the same game in VR or something new in the same setting. We'll have to wait and see.
 
J

Jaagen

Member
tesla246 said:
Played the original almost religiously back in the day when I was a little kid. It was a pack in game with the first desktop computer my dad bought for the family; a IBM aptiva.

Good times indeed.

Will this release on something other than steam (don't have steam/good enough computer)?
Click to expand...

I remember that. My friends older brother bought an Aptiva in 98 and Battlezone came with it.
 
P

pastrami

Member
Portman said:
There is a Playstation VR version planned this fall but they haven't said much about it and were going to wait to give details so they didn't take away from interest in this according to the announcement stream.

Not sure if it's the same game in VR or something new in the same setting. We'll have to wait and see.
Click to expand...

The PSVR version is a remake of the arcade version of Battlezone. A much older game, and basically only shares the name.

Also, thank you developers for HUD size options.
 
J

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
Portman said:
Would've bought this yesterday after work but was busy that evening. Instant purchase tonight though since this was one of my all time favorites years ago. The CD lived in my stereo when I wasn't playing the game.

Now I'm hoping they'll be able to get Battlezone 2 as well. Co-op in that with a commander and other players was awesome back in the day. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Need the expansion for BZ98 first (I think this is just the base game?).
Click to expand...

There's another "Battlezone" app in the registry that has been receiving regular updates. It's probably Battlezone 2, but given Rebellion didn't upload 98 Redux with a fake name (e.g. Sniper Elite 4 was uploaded as New_Project_01), it could also very well be a separate 98 Redux-related app that combines both expansions.
 
P

pastrami

Member
JaseC said:
There's another "Battlezone" app in the registry that has been receiving regular updates. It's probably Battlezone 2, but given Rebellion didn't upload 98 Redux with a fake name (e.g. Sniper Elite 4 was uploaded as New_Project_01), it could also very well be a separate 98 Redux-related app that combines both expansions.
Click to expand...

Couldn't that just be the Battlezone VR remake? It's first on PSVR, so I'm assuming a PC version is in the works as well.
 
L

Lime

Member
It's true, I wonder where the expansion Red Odyssey is. It's not in this remaster as far as I can tell. Has Rebellion commented on it?
 
M

metsallica

Member
Wait, this is the Pandemic game brought up to run on modern PCs? With mod support? I had no idea this was even coming! Game was so good! Are they doing the sequel too? Never played that one...
 
J

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
pastrami said:
Couldn't that just be the Battlezone VR remake? It's first on PSVR, so I'm assuming a PC version is in the works as well.
Click to expand...

Ah, I thought that was a PSVR exclusive through and through. Yeah, you're likely right.
 
L

Lime

Member
Also, they should be distributing/selling the soundtrack as well. Not sure why Rebellion didn't include it in some form beyond the little folder in .ogg format.
 
R

RS4-

Member
tesla246 said:
Played the original almost religiously back in the day when I was a little kid. It was a pack in game with the first desktop computer my dad bought for the family; a IBM aptiva.

I remember the speakers being slightly different (with volume knows etc.) a purple palm rest on the keyboard and the mouse having a little purple scroll wheel, so slightly different than the above. Maybe the European versions where different. Good times indeed.

Will this release on something other than steam (don't have steam/good enough computer)?
Click to expand...

man, fuck the aptiva. Fuck IBM. Aunt bought one for me, I think she paid 5k. Mine had the speakers (BOSE!) attached to the monitor.
 
C

cyress8

Banned
Put in a ton of hours playing online with BZ2. Buying this as soon as I get home. Need more games to mix genres as well as they did back in the day.
 
F

FlyinJ

Douchebag. Yes, me.
This was an incredible game. I actually enjoyed it more than the sequel due to its bugginess

Has anyone played with an Xbox controller? Is it a good implementation?
 
Z

zedge

Member
Oh damn.

Bought with no hesitation, loved this game. I also used to enjoy Carrier Command, did that ever get remade? Played that back on an Atari ST.. lol

*edit

And it supports ultra wide. f in a
 
W

World SkiFree

Member
Vilam said:
Battlezone and Interstate 76; two of my favorite things in such close proximity in a single thread.

I'm jumping all over this BZ update, and pray for I76 to get a similar treatment someday.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I considered Battlezone and Interstate '76 part of my "Big 4" from the late 90s (along with Outlaws and X-wing vs. Tie Fighter). Those games just hit all of the right spots.

I bought BZ2 around release but I couldn't quite get into it like I did the original. I just loved the Cold War (in space!) setting. BZ2 was a bit too bland sci-fi for me.

Loved the sniper action with my little astronaut, haha.

I'll probably pull the trigger on this, kind of want to read more feedback.
 
W

World SkiFree

Member
SapientWolf said:
How does this compare to Uprising? I know that game has some similarities to this one, but I only played Uprising.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it was the time of the RTS/Action hybrid. Well, Uprising and Battlezone at least. And what was the Microsoft Games release - Urban Assault? Well, those three. I don't remember Uprising having as much RTS to it but the action and concept were well executed.
 
1

19Kilo

Member
Couldn't figure out why the unit menu wasn't working with the official config for the steam controller (mapped to d-pad)...

For anyone else having issues, make sure to enable the steam controller in Options -> Input Configuration -> Joystick screen within the game.
 
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