Hm, sounds like I'll have to look into this after all. I've only given it one try so far, where I attempted to be careful and get into the game solo; only to be punished for attempting to get an overview over available weapons, where my money was, how much of it I had and how much what cost by an apparently very unforgiving timer. I couldn't buy ammo because I didn't find the button before the shop window closed, and died shortly after armed with ... do you get a knife? I certainly couldn't shoot anymore, and some kind of invisible howler killed me without me seeing it.
Really, when you say that "early on it was difficult to get into the game", you're shamelessly understating. It is freaking difficult to know what the **** you're supposed to do. So difficult in fact, that I went back to L4D and TF2 and UT3 and Mirror's Edge and what other, way, way more accessible FPS I play.
But as I said, your positive review makes me want to give it another try. I'm reinstalling it as I write this.
sounds like my first time playing it. The game is actually quite difficult in solo mode for new players. 
