tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6904713839696769313.post3736080445569030..comments2024-02-26T00:27:47.712-08:00Comments on Cross-Up: On the Pursuit of Next Gen -- ACT IIVoltechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01038586008627390463noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6904713839696769313.post-61541792209529423712015-03-05T22:05:03.704-08:002015-03-05T22:05:03.704-08:00I don't want to admit you're right, but --...I don't want to admit you're right, but -- yeah, you're right.<br /><br />There's no denying that Nintendo's not in the best place right now, and that its latest console's not going to get the traction it deserves -- because apparently, it has "no games". Here's the thing, though: at this stage, the other two eighth-gen consoles have proven that even if they have more games (and even that's debatable, considering the huge gaps between releases there have been), they don't have more good games. With a couple of exceptions, it feels like they don't have ANY good games.<br /><br />I'd ask who the real loser in this situation is right now, but it's pretty much as you said: right now, it's us. We're pretty much just beta testers paving the way for devs' future, and borderline undeserved, success. (You don't even KNOW how many issues I had with the latest Dragon Age.) It's wrong, it's unfair, and it's seriously pissing me off.<br /><br />Fortunately, there are respites. <br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wm6f-46pZA<br /><br /><br /><br />YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVoltech44noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6904713839696769313.post-41046721152976570892015-03-04T09:25:39.240-08:002015-03-04T09:25:39.240-08:00Next gen, to me, is defined as an excuse to make s...Next gen, to me, is defined as an excuse to make short shitty games for two years while expecting your customer base to be unpaid beta testers. (Or worse, charging people for the honor of testing)<br /><br />i'm perfectly fine with nintendo sticking to last gen mentality.Eric R. Jacksonhttp://dimanagul.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6904713839696769313.post-47662892148352314642015-03-03T21:54:08.670-08:002015-03-03T21:54:08.670-08:00"If it gets a sequel, expect more of the same..."If it gets a sequel, expect more of the same."<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa8NREI_IPs<br /><br /><br /><br />Yeah, I guess the team size -- and the problems that follow -- is a real issue. I mean, I heard that Resident Evil 6 had somewhere around six hundred people working on it...and considering how "cohesive" that was, it shows every step of the way. Plus, there are multiple Ubisoft teams working on Assassin's Creed, yes? So not only do you have one communication nightmare, but you have TWO of them at once. <br /><br /><br />I get it. I know these guys are just trying to survive, and do what they think is right, but...come on. The big guys are showing the survival instincts of drunken lemmings. At this stage I'm wondering just what the hell it's going to take for those big guys -- publishers, investors, shareholders, whatever -- to realize that something is amiss. Something needs to happen soon, and decisively. But until then...<br /><br /><br />*desperately cradles copy of Devil Survivor 2 for solace*Voltech44noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6904713839696769313.post-76212018657755490562015-03-03T00:21:51.621-08:002015-03-03T00:21:51.621-08:00There's actually an easily-understandable reas...There's actually an easily-understandable reason why big budget games are falling flat a lot lately.<br /><br /><br />The larger the budget you have, the more people you involve, the more middle-management you need, and the more investors you have that are too scared of dumping a lot of money on a gamble.<br /><br /><br />This is why you see a lot of "the same, but less". It doesn't help that a lot of the people involved in the creation process face constant layoffs and crunch time, which, from what I've read, is a fairly soulsucking process.<br /><br /><br />Oh, and the developers are pretty adamant in believing that the internet is wrong and that their game is the best thing since sliced bread. If it gets a sequel, expect more of the same.burnpsyhttp://burnpsy.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6904713839696769313.post-43549034928136161572015-03-02T22:05:54.791-08:002015-03-02T22:05:54.791-08:00I guess if nothing else, credit DOES have to be gi...I guess if nothing else, credit DOES have to be given to the game for trying to do something different. It could've been just another brown and gray shooter (well, more of one), or it could've just been another zombie fest, but it wasn't. it went with a new setting with lore and junk, and that's pretty cool.<br /><br />Here's what tears me up, though: should a game that bungles the first outing so badly have the privilege -- not the right -- for a sequel? Sure, these guys put in a lot of work to make the game, and that's respectable. But look where most of it went: to the graphics. Now there's a shell of a game on store shelves, and if people want to see a better version of that, they have to buy that shell to fund The Apology Edition. Or, alternatively: sure, maybe Watch Dogs 2 will be good, but in order to get it, people had to suffer through Watch Dogs 1, and now have to wait years for anything even remotely substantial.<br /><br />That doesn't sound like a very good situation to be in. But that's just my opinion, of course.<br /><br />In any case, I'm glad you actually found something to like about the game. I haven't watched an LP yet (I'm hoping the Best Friends Zaibatsu gets to it at some point), but merely the fact that there ARE female characters is a point in its favor. I wouldn't mind watching just to see them in action for myself...which just goes to show how starved everyone is for some competent ladies in gaming, but whatever. I'll take what I can get. Also:<br /><br />"...that are screaming for a twenty-hour experience!"<br /><br /><br /><br />That's working under the assumption that a hypothetical version of The Order has gameplay that isn't run-of-the-mill cover shooting, I hope. And since everybody else is talking about game length: Metal Gear Rising is my go-to on the subject, because even if it's five or so hours, those are five AMAZING hours with plenty of replay value, even without the DLC. The Order as-is sounds like it can barely manage to beat out Gears of War...the first one.<br /><br /><br />Nothing would make me happier than seeing AAA gaming lay off the gunplay for a good, long while -- because if they're not going to do anything interesting with it (and they aren't), then it's time to go back to step one.Voltech44noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6904713839696769313.post-20440358086084019072015-03-02T12:07:55.333-08:002015-03-02T12:07:55.333-08:00As Jim Sterling (loosely) said in his review, The ...As Jim Sterling (loosely) said in his review, The Order: 1886 is a teaser trailer for an amazing game. After watching a 5 and a half hour LP, I agree completely. The game does play at consistent frame rate from what I've seen, there's hardly any uncanny valley-ness to the character animations and expressions, and the graphics look more polished here than in most AAA games I've seen being farted out triannually. (Heck, the fact the cut-scenes are in-game from the engine is pretty nice for the sake of visual consistency and fluidity.) It's just a damn shame they didn't put that energy into the amazing setting, lore, and characters that are screaming for a twenty-hour experience! The Order made me cry that it decided to be a prequel-esque first entry rather than a rich, holistic game. It deserved better development treatment than this. *shakes fists angrily* D:<<br /><br /><br />And to stand on a wonderfully controversial podium for a moment, The Order has two or three badass female characters who *gasp* have a sense of agency in the plot and competence as knights and/or fighters. It's a shame that I have to say that, but in this day and age when we have to fight about a type of media fucks up when writing a female character someone has to pass out cookies to games that are on the right track. If a sequel - and fully fleshed game - will ever happen, I'd love to see Isabeau, Devi, and Lakshmi have more character moments and development.<br /><br /><br />I'll keep defending for having a solid premise and promising characters, but I don't blame anyone who refuses to pay $60 for The Order. It's a hell of a lot more going for it than most AAA games out nowadays... but not by much thanks to the developers caving under peer pressure.Melanie Lighthttp://melanie-light.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com