SplitterTrace on 16/5/2017 at 08:47
What are some modern day games that you feel fit under the category of the "Immersive Sim"
I already know about Dishonored and Prey (2017), but there's bound to be others that fit under that category...
Starker on 16/5/2017 at 09:20
Alien Isolation and the latest Deus Ex probably fit the bill, though I have yet to play either.
Jason Moyer on 16/5/2017 at 10:53
There are lots of games that incorporate immersive sim elements now, Prey and the Dishonoreds are the only recent ones (already out, anyway) that I'd say fit the subgenre neatly though. The Eidos Montreal games (DXHR, DXMD, Thiaf) are great action/stealth games but they don't really simulate anything. Apparently (haven't played it) the latest Metal Gear Solid would fit if it were first person. The ArmA games rely heavily on systems-driven gameplay. Bethsoft started incorporating immersive sim concepts into their games with Oblivion, but I wouldn't consider their stuff entirely simulation driven yet. Frictional's games, particularly Penumbra, are pretty close. Gone Home and Neon Struct were obviously influenced by immersive sims. I'm assuming Far Cry 2, the BioShocks, and the STALKERs don't qualify as new and they should probably have their own genre anyway (improvisational shooter?).
henke on 16/5/2017 at 12:01
When this topic comes up there's always a bit of debate about what it precisely means. (
https://medium.com/@marcelloecm/what-happened-to-immersive-sims-743ca6e09cf0) This article from Medium sums it up in 3 traits:
-Persistent gameplay systems, which players can leverage to accomplish goals in creative ways not necessarily intended by the developers.
-Open-ended level design and unpredictable AI, leading to emergent gameplay and ensuring that each playthrough will be different.
-A structure of linear progression, whereby gameplay occurs within a well-defined, overarching story and clear objective.
Under that definition I'd certainly put Metal Gear Solid V in there. Neon Struct I'm not so sure about. Been a while since I played it but IIRC it didn't give you all that much wiggleroom in how you approach problems, pretty much just a straight-up stealth-game. Ubisoft's openworld action-stealth games feel like they might fit when it comes to their side-missions, but when you get to the main story they have an unfortunate tendency to strip away your freedom in favor of making you play through linear, pre-scripted missions.
Oh,
Sir, You Are Being Hunted! It wasn't great, but it was pretty much entirely built on systems rather than pre-scripted events. It had a clear objective: build the teleporter(or whatever it was) and it gave you the tools to accomplish this in a variety of different ways.
Thirith on 16/5/2017 at 13:36
I'd also mention the recent Hitman. It can be played as something much more linear if all the training wheel options are switched on, but deactivate some of them and Hitman is very much systems-based, with a few scripted options built into each open-ended level.
icemann on 16/5/2017 at 14:08
I'd say that MGS 5 is an immersive sim regardless of it not being a first person game.
I'd nearly call The Witcher 3 for this category as well since it feels like a living breathing world, though I guess it's more sandbox in the way that all the Assassin's Creed games are. Difficult to define.
Malf on 16/5/2017 at 14:16
Speaking of Hitman (I do so love that game), did any of youse see the "Real Life Hitman" Youtube promo vid they made?
It's awesome :D
[video=youtube;4KXJM_KJDc8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KXJM_KJDc8[/video]
Fun fact: I had no idea the guy who voices 47 is actually a Brit!
Renault on 16/5/2017 at 14:18
Warren Spector talked about feeling like you're actually in the game world, so just based on that I usually rule out third person games like Hitman and Metal Gear. Nothing kills immersion more than seeing your own ass while running around.
twisty on 16/5/2017 at 14:20
The Long Dark definitely fits the bill, in my opinion.
