Scots Taffer on 16/11/2007 at 05:57
I don't know. Assuming that game reviewers "rush" through games constantly, which he uses to explain why they condemned Assassin's Creed as repetitive, doesn't exactly seem to correlate with the same process that they go through when they accurately review an RTS on its depth, playtime and so on, does it?
Fafhrd on 16/11/2007 at 06:17
He's not saying they rush through games constantly, he's saying that right now they're being forced to rush through games due to the crazy holiday AAA barrage. You'd be rushing too if you had to play through six games and have a review written for each in the span of three weeks.
Plus, y'know, RTS vs. Sandbox Action. Can't really skip all the exploration and sidequests in an RTS.
Scots Taffer on 16/11/2007 at 06:20
Again, I think that's a massive presumption to make on the basis of his sole experience in dealing with a holiday game launch rush.
Hidden_7 on 16/11/2007 at 09:44
Ok, spent most of the day with it, THOUGHTS:
On Controls:
There IS a jump button. That is, for anyone who felt there was a jump button in PoP then there is one in this. It IS context sensitive, but you can do anything you would want to do with a regular jump button. Overall I am VERY impressed with the context sensitive controls. The occasional hitch where he does something I didn't want him to do, but it does not feel like I'm being automated out of doing things. With the free running I'm finding I'm basically just hitting that Sprint/Free Run key right before I want to interact with something anyway, since he's a tad too hard to control at that speed constantly. Basically the platforming revolves around picking the best route through a level, sometimes while being chased, and less about split second button presses. A plus
On Combat:
Fun, simple, looks sweet. Hasn't gotten old for me yet. It is based around counters, but not so cripplingly that you just stand back and wait to counter attacks, sometimes you go on the offensive, sometimes you set up your own attacks, overall it has a good back and forth, your health bar is really more of a momentum bar, and it looks badass.
On it being Repetative:
I think I might have found the trend in the reviews. People that liked the story didn't care about the repitition, and people that didn't like the story did care. This is because it's kinda like the Spider-Man 2 game for the console in that you have only like 4 tasks you do around the city, and they all just repeat, however the difference from Spider-Man is that every one drives the story forward. The one exception to this is the helping civilian quests, but those are fun because they involve beating up some no good guards, so... I dunno, I don't mind. The others may all be simple repative tasks, but each one gives you some neat info about the guy you're about to take out. Really makes you feel like you're an assassin, reasearching your mark. Yeah, the actual gameplay effect of the info you get is pretty minimal, I'd consider these more of a flavour thing, but then again, so were most of the notes in Thief and logs in SS2. Some had useful info, but some were just fun to read. So the value of these tasks kinda depends on how into the story you are, which brings me to my next point.
On the Story:
You're going to love or hate this, I'm pretty sure. Personally, I'm really interested. The dual story-lines sounded stupid at first, but it works really well in game, and I'm interested in both. I'm never dissapointed to switch narratives, there's enough to keep you interested in both Altair's and Desmond's plight. The one thing that does kinda bug me is the main conceit of genetic memories has no scientific backing whatsoever, in fact has lots of evidence (lots) against it, and in the real world gets used mostly by ignorant people to justify racism. To hear it described in the game as some kind of scientific breakthrough that the close-minded institution is trying to supress kinda bugged me. Ultimately I can ignore it and just chalk it up to Sci-Fi silliness, but I tend to prefer science fiction where the stuff they are talking about is kinda in the realm of "who knows, maybe?" rather than "definitely impossible." Though I do like time travel stories so... meh. Oh, and before anyone jumps on me for spoilers, nothing I've said so far isn't revealed in the first 5 minutes of gameplay. There is no big reveal, or at least that isn't one, it is the core plot conciet and set-up for the story.
On its resemblance to Thief:
None. At all. Anyone looking for some kind of thief redux experiance best look elsewhere. This is the least stealth stealth-game I have ever played. It basically breaks down to not doing stupid stuff in front of guards, and running and hiding in hide spots if you do anyway and get caught. There's no stealing stuff, no creeping about big intricately detailed mansions, no shadow system whatsoever, all the stealth is "social stealth", all the gameplay takes place during the day, there is really no element of Thief here whatsoever. The one possible exception to this is that people who enjoyed Life of the Party should probably give this a try. Jumping about rooftops is fun as the dickens, and I suppose the chases from the guards at the end of each assassination brings up some Thief memories of just straight running for your life because you screwed up.
On Techincal:
Graphics are fantastic, the believablity of the world is insane, it actually feels like a densely populated city, the lighting effects, especially the cloud cover shadows are tops, and the whole thing runs very smoothly on my PS3. Sound is good too, overall no voice acting is really grating me, and very few technical glitches noticed.
Overall:
I'm liking it! :D Money well spent so far, I am only a third of the way in, and I hear the ending is a real killer, so we'll see, but so far my first impressions have been very positive. Each individual element could maybe use a little more polish, but as an overall package, very nice. And there's nothing like the rush you get climbing the tallest tower in a city and taking a swan-dive off it into a bale of hay. That's an effect you really all gotta see.
Moi Dix Mois on 16/11/2007 at 12:48
I agree with the sentiment but that's pretty fucking weak.
edit - but the second link makes it all worth while.
Thirith on 16/11/2007 at 13:51
I'd definitely say that the comic says more about videogame nerds than about Jade or Ubisoft's marketing. I mean, c'mon, it's miles away from the T&A marketing you get for Tomb Raider. Yes, she's used to advertise the game, but I've seen so much more blatant quasi-prostitution and sexist crap in game advertising.
And I think there's an element of hypocrisy in nerd backlash when the game gets less-than-perfect scores.
Moi Dix Mois on 16/11/2007 at 14:10
I think the nerd rage comes from the way the waters have been kind of muddied. Sex is used to sell games but rarely before has it been presented in such a way that we're supposed to believe the walking pair of tits who's selling us the title was also some major creative influence on it.
Gambit on 16/11/2007 at 15:25
That is an extreme nerd reaction. She´s just a pretty girl and everybody is already crying "Sex advertisement" - "T&A" - etc...
It would be the case if she was showed in a sensual manner. But we only see her talking. The fact that she´s pretty and has a lot of screen time can be argued thought but you can´t compare it to Final Fantasy mini skirts.
Muzman on 16/11/2007 at 15:52
This always comes up sooner or later, it's kinda astounding. If she was somewhat less photogenic or a fat bloke people would barely make any comment (actually if she was the less photogenic female the typical gamer fucknut would no doubt say "WOOF LOL, they don't understand marketing at all. Just looking at her is putting me off buying the game. Double LOL)
And, as mentioned, the comic is a staggering misrepresentation. All she has to do is show up and talk about the game and she's blowing gamers to get them to buy it? What the fuck guys? (guys, meaning apparently most of the male gamer demographic)
I know feminism is ten years dead and the shelves are stocked to the rafters with Maxim and Loaded and Ralph and every other dumb fuck "comedy and skin" mag, and guys are allowed to be morons again without serious social repocussions, but the stupidity does manage to outstrip even my misanthropic views sometimes.
