Sathras on 19/1/2008 at 12:46
Funny editorial. Honestly. I don't really get his point though. I understand him that way that he believes a great concept makes for great game. Nitpicking over flaws in the execution is just that - nitpicking. However it can't really damage a game.
For that I only have one answer: Bioshock. A great game in concept but seriously lacking in execution. And I would even argue the point that DX:IW was great as a concept....
But I'm sure he would disagree there too.
henke on 19/1/2008 at 18:13
Well, I started replaying IW a few days ago. I enjoyed it the first time I played through it, years ago, and I'm enjoying it now. It's flawed in a million ways, no question about it, but so was DX. The story is really rather weak and I have a hard time caring about any of the characters. Although I always think it's kinda sad how Leo Jankowski ends up. And NG Resonance turning out to be such a bitch, after being display as such a sweet girl by her holo-likeness all through the game was kinda "holy shit!" But, yeah, besides those two (minor) characters noone really stands out. What saves the game is that it's simply damn fun to play. And the fact that there are a lot of different ways to play it. And I'm not just talking about air-ducts either! Stuff like setting up traps with explosive crates/barrels or hacked turrets. Or figuring out how to get to the back of the lawyer's apartment and taking him out before he sets of the alarm or getting spotted by his bodyguard. There's a whole lot of tactic invloved here. You most defenitely can play it stealthily, although it becomes much easier after you've armed yourself with Walk Silent, Arm Strength, Electronic Discharge and Vision Enhancement Biomods as well as a Energy Blade or The Toxin Blade or Dragon's Tooth.
I don't know yet how diffrently the game will let me get through it compared to last time as I'm only at Mako yet. But I've made it this far without doing The Order any favours at all(I sided with them last time). The fact that they keep calling me and asking me to help them out anyway is starting to get a bit sad. Sorry, Lin-May Chen, I just don't feel that way about you. Let's just be friends ok! STOP CALLING ME
It also undermines the feeling that your choices have consequences.
Anyway, if it didn't have the burden of having to live up to DX I think this game would easily be rated up there with Chronicles of Riddick. There just aren't many other games that give you this level of freedom. 8/10 says I
ZylonBane on 19/1/2008 at 23:55
Quote Posted by henke
Anyway, if it didn't have the burden of having to live up to DX I think this game would easily be rated up there with Chronicles of Riddick.
Oh come on. IW was consistently criticized for all manner of technical and gameplay issues that had nothing at all to do with its DX heritage. What did Riddick get criticized for? Not much that I can remember.
Also, the strength upgrade in IW is hilariously awesome. At the max upgrade level, you can murder people by throwing coffee cups and ashtrays at them. Except when you're in a weapon deactivation zone, when suddenly you can't. Too bad only taverns can afford those things, and not top-secret weapons research facilities.
ZymeAddict on 20/1/2008 at 01:33
Well, personally I've never thought "Riddick" was nearly as good as everyone made it out to be. Yeah, it was an entertaining game, and as far as movie tie-ins go it was excellent, but I've definitely played better. To me it just felt too console-y and was definitely too short.
It was more fun than IW though, but that might only be because of the staggering disappointment I felt while playing it as the supposed sequel to DX.
henke on 20/1/2008 at 13:01
Quote Posted by ZylonBane
Oh come on. IW was consistently criticized for all manner of technical and gameplay issues that had nothing at all to do with its DX heritage.
Zylon, I know that having a civilized discussion will be difficult after what I'm about to tell you, but please try. I'm playing the game on X-Box. So I don't have any technical issues.
sorry
But what gameplay issues? Sure the AI is dodgy at times, but no more so than that in DX. Or are you talking about the level-sizes? Yeah, that
is a drag, but nothing gameplay-killing. The loadtimes are only about 15 seconds on X-Box anyway.
edit: oh, and I finally managed to piss The Order of when I destroyed Nassif's Greenhouse and they sent some Order Seekers after me. Not sure if they'll still keep offering me assignments though.
ZylonBane on 20/1/2008 at 16:02
Quote Posted by henke
Not sure if they'll still keep offering me assignments though.
I think you already know the answer to that question.
Muzman on 21/1/2008 at 02:58
I can't remember the order of things but I think Cairo (the first time) is before Trier and Antarctica and I quite enjoyed those sections. So folks should stick around for those.
Papy on 22/1/2008 at 00:23
Quote Posted by henke
what gameplay issues?
For me, the two biggest gameplay issue with IW are that my character was already max out after the first part of Cairo (which meant biomods were not interesting anymore after that and the game became an almost pure shooter) and the fact that the game was simply far too easy.
But haven't we discuss that to great length already?
Keeper Beege on 22/1/2008 at 00:45
Quote Posted by ZylonBane
Also, the strength upgrade in IW is hilariously awesome. At the max upgrade level, you can murder people by throwing coffee cups and ashtrays at them. Except when you're in a weapon deactivation zone, when suddenly you can't. Too bad only taverns can afford those things, and not top-secret weapons research facilities.
I too found that side-splittingly hilarious.
EvaUnit02 on 23/1/2008 at 03:21
Quote Posted by Keeper Beege
I too found that side-splittingly hilarious.
For sure. I discovered this by accident when I threw a cardboard box at a some guy in Trier.
