driver on 18/1/2016 at 10:43
Quote Posted by Volitions Advocate
I haven't played it yet, but I'm worried the new GITS game thats F2P on steam right now will be going the same way.
GITS is crying out for a Deus Ex style game, instead we get what appears to be yet another a run-of-the mill team shooter. The PSone outing aside, I don't think there's been a decent use of its licence on any gaming format (and yes I'm aware you just blasted things, but the 360 degree fuchikoma movement added a fairly unique touch and the cut scenes were wonderful, filling out the story nicely).
As for the new TR game, I enjoyed the reboot and I'll probably pick up this one once it's dropped in price/on Steam sale because the focus on combat is putting me off. More Tomb Raiding, less body count. I found it strange that the tombs seemed to be tacked on optional areas, something that could be skipped in order to get to the next part where you gunned down legions of grubby tramps, and from the looks of it RotTR hasn't changed that.
Volitions Advocate on 25/1/2016 at 20:59
Quote Posted by driver
GITS is crying out for a Deus Ex style game, instead we get what appears to be yet another a run-of-the mill team shooter.
Exactly my point. If I were a game studio looking for license title. I'd hit this up as hard as I could fight for it. With cyberspace and real life you could have a SS1 clone, along with the augs and the intrigue of DX. Instead we get counterstrike. Such a waste.
froghawk on 25/1/2016 at 21:44
Finally played my first Tomb Raider games ever, being the first 2 Crystal Dynamics games. I know Legend was hailed as a much-needed change in the formula at the time, but I thought it was pretty bad playing it today. A very brief game with entirely linear levels, mind-numbingly easy puzzles, way too much emphasis on combat (and the combat mechanics are terrible and not fun at all), an annoying headset, and a poorly written story.
Anniversary was much, much better. There's a lot more actual tomb raiding, the game is on the long side, the levels are HUGE and the puzzles are often quite tricky (St Francis Folly especially stuck out to me as an excellently designed level), no headset, no combat with humans, etc. I didn't enjoy what little combat there was, but it was used sparingly enough that I could live with it. The writing and story were still awful, but there was so little dialogue in the game that I was also ok with that.
Just started Underworld, it seems to be a nice compromise between the two approaches - bigger levels, no headset, less frequent combat with humans than Legend (and while the combat still sucks, it's definitely better than it was in Legend). However, the camera is driving me nuts, and it becomes increasingly difficult with each game to get over what a terrible person Lara is.
Which makes me hesitant to play these reboots. If the emphasis is on more combat instead of Tomb Raiding, can't I get that from pretty much any other game in existence? It sounds like the new games are also trying to make you feel bad for Lara, but she's such an unlikable protagonist that I don't think I'll be able to.
Manwe on 25/1/2016 at 22:38
Quote Posted by froghawk
and it becomes increasingly difficult with each game to get over what a terrible person Lara is.
Funny, I've been replaying 2, 3, 4, and 5 and I thought the same. At best I found her to be a despicable person, at worst she's a psychotic murderer. And it's not even a matter of cognitive dissonance between gameplay and cutscene. She's actually written as a horrible cunt who enjoys killing people in the most sadistic ways.
There's a scene at the beginning of 5 where she's about to fall to her death, and the bad guy offers to help her out, but asks in exchange that she doesn't lay a finger on him when she's safe. When the situation is reversed a minute later, what does she do? Walks away saying "I can't help you, I promised I wouldn't lay a finger on you" as the guy falls to his death.
The guy just saved your life you fucking psycho!
Nameless Voice on 25/1/2016 at 23:37
Yeah, in every game other than Anniversary (and TR1), she's extremely unlikeable.
froghawk on 26/1/2016 at 04:37
Granted, most video game protagonists are evil mass murderers, but it's not always as charged as 'rich white woman gets bored and goes around the world stealing ancient artifacts and desecrating tombs while mass-murdering endangered animals and any people that stand in her way'.
driver on 26/1/2016 at 11:27
Quote Posted by Manwe
There's a scene at the beginning of 5 where she's about to fall to her death, and the bad guy offers to help her out, but asks in exchange that she doesn't lay a finger on him when she's safe. When the situation is reversed a minute later, what does she do? Walks away saying "I can't help you, I promised I wouldn't lay a finger on you" as the guy falls to his death.
The guy just saved your life you fucking psycho!
That's not quite accurate. Firstly he's stopping her from climbing up herself, only offering to help/get out the way once he's made it clear he's going to rob her blind then rob her again once she's found the treasures in the tomb they're in. Secondly, he doesn't fall to his death as he reappears in the first game (The part of Chronicles he appears in is set before that outing), where Lara does actually kill him, but only after he attacks her. Seeing as he and his partner had tried to kill and rob her on several occasions just prior to that moment, I think there's a certain justification for letting him fall.
I'm not saying that Lara isn't a mass-murdering psychopath with a penchant for slaughtering countless people and endangered species, I'm just saying that's not the most egregious example.
Manwe on 26/1/2016 at 12:16
Quote Posted by driver
Secondly, he doesn't fall to his death as he reappears in the first game (The part of Chronicles he appears in is set before that outing), where Lara does actually kill him, but only after he attacks her.
Ah nice, I hadn't picked up on that. I still have to play 1 and I haven't played anniversary in a while.
henke on 15/2/2016 at 06:40
Reeeeeeally now? Better writing than The Witcher 3?
And where's SOMA and Sunless Sea? Nudged off the nominees list by the latest Assassin's Creed game?
Not sure I trust this award. Then again I haven't played ROTTR or AC:S, maybe they do have amazing writing.
