Ok, now before I begin, I'd like to state that this is not an attempt to flame out anyone's favourite game/console. Despite what you may get from the title. The term ******* Muppets comes from Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and refers to a scene in which one Harry Lonsdale tells Barry to hire some guys for a job but to make sure they're not complete ******* Muppets. This sentiment explains how I feel about most "Fictional" FPS game and story developers, note the content creators not the guys who develop the framework. Coders rule.
Alright, now that I've explained the quote to you, lets get into the subject I want to talk about. First Person Shooters, and they're utterly over-used, boring cliche'd storylines.
Example: Go and look at any FPS that isn't supposed to be a realistic shooter, realistic shooters being for example COD 4, Rainbow Six Las Vegas and Ghost Recon just to name a few. Now let's look at some Fictional FPS's and Survival Horrors that mimic FPS. Half-Life 1&2, Farcry, Crysis, Condemned 1&2.
Let's look at the plotlines that these games devolve into. Half-Life : Aliens and Mutanagenic Monsters Farcry : Mutanagenic Monsters, Crysis : Aliens, Condemned 1&2 : Aliens/Mutanagenic Monsters, not really sure which.
Now note I don't pick on Resistance: Fall of Man, as it's a PS3 title that makes no bones of what it's about.
My main concern is that all "Fictional" FPS games for a long time have been over abusing the whole Aliens/Mutanagenic Monsters/Guy developing paranormal powers storyline. Unlike Fear which is an example of non cliche'd story telling. It uses psychokinesis as a minor plot device. IE: it simply states the the commander commands his troops psychicly hence why he's not around.
As opposed to Prey which even though it combines Mutanagenic Monsters, Aliens AND a guy who develops powers, it was revolutionary in it's Portal and Alterable gravity single/multi player setup and it's cool and funky organic weaponary.
Now, let's go back a few years to probably my favourite old school FPS of all time. Wheel of Time, based on Robert Jordan's (We all mourn your passing) book series The Wheel of Time, based on the original UT Engine. Why is wheel of time which uses the creatures (though not mutanagenic) from the books cool. Because you start fighting Trollocs, move up to half men (characters who can disappear into shadows and jump you at will) and eventually a single Forsaken, Forsaken being humans who chose to serve the books equivalent of Saitan.
What's your overall point you say. Well it's this, FPS story creators seem to have found these three over abused plot arcs and are continuing to shell out generic similar seeming games, which make use of the same engine, with the same similar seeming content and promote it as the next best thing. So my message is simple
DEVELOPERS LEAVE THE MONSTERS, ALIENS AND THE GUY WITH POWERS AT HOME. And bother to come up with something that actually tries to engage me. Something with Versimilitude (I suggest you look it up) or else you'll fully realise a generation of gamers who enviscerate the Emperor in Oblivion simply because there is no motivation to care or help him.
Homma_Cavoola
Removed censor
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