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What have you finished and what did you think (WHYFAWDYT) thread
Topic Started: Dec 13 2013, 12:06 PM (33,545 Views)
Harro
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Red Panda
Jul 4 2014, 03:57 PM
The fact that the game also happened to be bundled with multiplayer really cripples any notion that the game had intended mediocrity as the existnce of that mode plays off the idea that the developer was confident about its core game mechanics.
Because tacked on multiplayer has never been demanded from developers.

It's well documented Yager were pressured into developing a multiplayer mode as part of their publishing contract, to avoid having to strip parts of their team from the main goal (The single player story) they contracted a third party studio to develop the multiplayer.

If Metro: Last Light had a tacked on multiplayer mode that was bland and forgettable, would you dock points just because it's exists? What about Deus Ex, they added multiplayer to that post release, did everyone immediately hate the game because there was something put into the game that they didn't like?

Unless otherwise stated, multiplayer should be seen as in addition to the rest of the game, not the focus of the game.
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Twisted
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Gameplay in games like Spec Ops and Bioshock took a slight backseat in favour of pushing for a good story. Rather than some sort of conscious decision by developers to make the gameplay intentionally mediocre to enhance the story. Sub-par gameplay isn't going to sell a game, and why would you want to be bored playing your own game?

Also F.E.A.R's horror aspects of course weren't going to do much for fans of the genre but the atmosphere was great and sppoky enough for most. It was a shooter through and through, and a damn excellent one.
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Doomguy
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Even Bioshock Infinite (which has the worst gameplay of the three Bioshock games imo) has way better gameplay than Spec Ops. Spec Ops was just so amazingly bland for me in that regard, at least Bioshock Infinite has powers, the monorail things, dimensional tears and weapon leveling etc.
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Twisted
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Can't say it's particularly fair to compare a sci-fi game with all of those things you mentioned to a military shooter that can't possibly have any of those things that you mentioned. I thought Spec Ops had totally fine gameplay for what it was. Can't say I was expecting powers etc. from that game.

Actually I liked the use of the sand. Where you could shoot things (like windows) that would cause sand to flow and kill people. That was probably one of the few gimmicks but I didn't mind. A lot of military shooters have pretty similar campaigns, this one was just as adequate.
Edited by Twisted, Jul 5 2014, 08:18 PM.
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Red Panda
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Harro
Jul 4 2014, 08:57 PM
Red Panda
Jul 4 2014, 03:57 PM
The fact that the game also happened to be bundled with multiplayer really cripples any notion that the game had intended mediocrity as the existnce of that mode plays off the idea that the developer was confident about its core game mechanics.
Because tacked on multiplayer has never been demanded from developers.

It's well documented Yager were pressured into developing a multiplayer mode as part of their publishing contract, to avoid having to strip parts of their team from the main goal (The single player story) they contracted a third party studio to develop the multiplayer.

If Metro: Last Light had a tacked on multiplayer mode that was bland and forgettable, would you dock points just because it's exists? What about Deus Ex, they added multiplayer to that post release, did everyone immediately hate the game because there was something put into the game that they didn't like?

Unless otherwise stated, multiplayer should be seen as in addition to the rest of the game, not the focus of the game.
I think you're too focused on non-consumer factors, like budget (your previous post) and contracts just to give the game some pass for why it had mediocre gameplay for whatever reason.

Games and other works of products and media are not criticized by docking points, all I was saying was that the intended mediocre gameplay argument just wasnt convincing to a game that has multiplayer. I dont care if it was some contract or in the documents, even if that was the case, it just sounds like the game was a complete mess in terms of project management; wasting resources away like that. Assuming it didnt have multiplayer, which may as well had been since I didnt even touch that component of the game, it wouldnt really change what I--and many others--feel about Spec Ops: The Line. Let alone would I ever believe the notions of intended mediocre gameplay (at least, for this game) as that was something that you brought up.

I dont know how long Metro: Last Light is, but Spec Ops: The Line is short with alot of padded shooting sections to fill up some of that time. Forget contracts or budget - none of that should matter, here's the critical thing that matters: Spec Ops the Line was a full priced game. Of course it will be taken as a package considering its length, replayability and flaws of the campaign.
Edited by Red Panda, Jul 7 2014, 01:33 PM.
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Doomguy
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Twisted
Jul 5 2014, 08:15 PM
Can't say it's particularly fair to compare a sci-fi game with all of those things you mentioned to a military shooter that can't possibly have any of those things that you mentioned.
Isn't that basically just saying military shooters are shit?

(hint: yes :P )

I just never really look at it that way. A shooter is fun or isn't fun to me. I never got far into it to really see the story, but could the story have been done in a sci fi setting to allow for gameplay that isn't el generico?
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jamesh
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I'll admit I didn't pay full price for Spec Ops. I don't go out of my way to play military shooters, so it only came onto my radar when I saw a few articles praising the story.

As for transposing the story to a sci-fi setting, that would be a bit difficult. A big part of the game was critiquing games for trivialising the real world violence of war.
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Doomguy
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OK, if it's a criticism on MMS games then it's fair enough that it be a military game.
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jamesh
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Yep. And the next project from Yager will be a critique of the portrayal of the real world violence of zombie killing in games.
Edited by jamesh, Jul 7 2014, 05:50 PM.
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I recently completed Murdered: Soul Suspect, an action-adventure game that hasn't been well received by critics. There's complaints on it being too short, too easy and even lacking in the combat area. It took me 7 hours to complete, It wasn't a cakewalk and it's a murder-mystery game - you don't dispatch demons with guns or melee combat!

It's not a scary game, but it's best played in the dark with headphones. It looks and sounds great, plus the voice actors are fantastic. The story ended up a little disappointing, but it was still an interesting game to play. You can buy it on PC for $15, which I think is a steal.

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Aww shoot, I never finished that game.
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Red Panda
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Jazzpunk

I thought I would like it alot more than I did. It's an Adult Swim published adventure game that's basically a conscious stream of deadpan humor. There are laughs to be had in Jazzpunk. However, Jazzpunk strives for the quantity of jokes rather than quality and it really sucks out alot of the timing of its humor - which can make or break a joke's delivery. The game is littered with familiar cameos of minigames in a similar manner to WarioWare for the Nintendo Wii, despite their competence, they lack the chaos and sense of urgency that WarioWare and other minigame focused titles achieve. I do however, love the distinctive visual style of the game. It's a straight 6/10.

The Stanley Parables

This really surprised me. It's more of an interactive novelty than a traditional game as the core interaction simply involves travelling through the environment. However, it's not as stupid as Dear Esther. The Stanley Parables loops you through the game for you to explore multiple endings and piece the experience together for yourself thorough your different decisions. It starts off as a comedic parody of videogames and then it becomes a mood swing into unsettling territory. Despite its simplicity the game goes much deeper. The Stanley Parables' strength is that it understands typical player habits and the game reacts by its amusing narrator. Think of it like Bastion, but the Stanley Parables is almost flawless and relentless with its execution and delivery. And the narration is strong enough to manipulate and fool you in very interesting ways.

To top it off, its writing quality and dark humor is excellent. It's on the level of Portal. Like Portal, it has a similar unsettling nature of the original. The Narrator's tone is sharp and he is just as--or even more--manipulative than GLaDOS. The silent ambience is very reminiscent of the empty office suites of Aperture offices. 8/8!

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I also finished Shadowrun: Dragonfall over the last week and Astebreed as well, probably gonna leave them for a later post.

Short version of Shadowrun: Dragonfall: it's a must have if you have Shadowrun: Returns, or like the Classic BioWare isometric games.
Short version of Astebreed: Zone of the Enders and Radiant Silvergun mixed together in a well paced shmup that's very reminiscent of the PSX era.
Edited by Red Panda, Jul 9 2014, 10:12 PM.
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Twisted
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I'd really like to play both of those, the latter more. But I'd still expect to like Jazzpunk, that style of humour is just right up my alley.
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Doomguy
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I finished The Wolf Among Us earlier today.

Spoiler: click to toggle
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Derpstrom
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Tim? Greg? You reading that about Stanley Parable?
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Red Panda
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Clicked on Curts spoiler link accidentally, luckily all I saw was the word 'It'.
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