@abHS4L88 @IndridCipher Agreed. I had a decision a month ago to see which one would I buy: a 3ds, a 3ds XL, or a Vita. I instantly ruled out the Vita b/c of its lack of exclusives. I think the Vita can do well, but needs more of those system sellers. I think Dragon's Crown is the latest one, but honestly how many of my friends actually own a Vita that I can actually play with ? (answer is zero - most of my friends have ps3's, 360's, PCs, and DS lite's [yes, the old one]). I ended up buying the XL and I'm already satisfied with the system (wish I waited for a bigger price drop though!). I think Vita has greater, realistic shooters though, but in terms of RPGs and platformers, 3ds takes the cake.
Exactly, well said! : ))) Games are games. This is why the best playing games aren't even the most fun games - it's usually a certain style or genre that makes a game fun for a specific person.
For example, I found that I LOVE (as of nowadays) 3 specific types of games: stealth games, violent games, and 3d mario games (eg, the Last of Us, Hitman Absolution [which was my top game of 2012 actually], and super mario galaxy 2, etc etc). For me, the former gives me that craving for tension, and the latter gives me that craving for collecting stuff and jumping around freely.
Another example is that while some people LOVE sports games, I can only bear the MMA/boxing games (which i assume b/c they are violent and b/c I'm somewhat of a fan of the sports).
In any case, a game should be fun for YOUR tastes. I occasionally disagree with some reviews (I go crazy over why some people like Ni no kuni or Dishonored), b/c those are simply not my taste in games.
Rest in peace. Condolences to his wife, family, and friends.
Never paid attention to him much b/c he never reviewed the games I was most interested in. But i do remember him having the most unbiased, level-headed reviews. The video game industry lost a great reviewer, and also (apparently) a person with a great heart.
@giantqtipz Totally agree with the Dishonored bit. I keep thinking playing an all-stealth playthrough ruined the game for me, but honestly the world was not believable anyway, so I don't think I would've enjoyed that game much if given another chance.
However, I think that conviction was fun to play in a stealth playthrough - there's just something fun about being a fast, silent, lethal sam fisher. And I think blacklist looks the same,
I would also like to add that once you get over the novelty of the blink and time-stop mechanic, the game just feels derivative, and also those powers made the game way too easy.
"I think, however, that the finest game stories are those that could only exist in the way they do in the game...In essence, the best stories in games are collaborations between the player and the developer."
I agree with the above. Sometimes though, I feel that if a story is well integrated, you wouldn't notice it - which is a good thing. Since I'm always analyzing games and movies (or maybe if it's just me taking notice of the underlying architecture of games even if i don;t want to), it's hard of me not to notice how game elements and story are delivered. I know I'm going to be hated with this, but in Braid, the way the story was delivered via text boxes all in singular rooms was very jarring compared to the rest of the experience. I would call it lazy, but the fact it was made by 1 guy means that i can't say that. That's my own opinion though. :)
Also, the word agency was a good word to describe player experience - learning something new everyday.
@Kevin-V "I think, however, that the finest game stories are those that could only exist in the way they do in the game...In essence, the best stories in games are collaborations between the player and the developer."
I agree with the above. Sometimes though, I feel that if a story is well integrated, you wouldn't notice it - which is a good thing. Since I'm always analyzing games and movies (or maybe if it's just me taking notice of the underlying architecture of games even if i don;t want to), it's hard of me not to notice how game elements and story are delivered. I know I'm going to be hated with this, but in Braid, the way the story was delivered via text boxes all in singular rooms was very jarring compared to the rest of the experience. I would call it lazy, but the fact it was made by 1 guy means that i can't say that. That's my own opinion though. :)
Good insight, but I think you're looking for a change to the fundamental aspects of games, specifically story-telling. Unfortunately that's not what games need - at all. Personally, I think games need a CONTEXT that people can relate with, not a story. A good example of this is World of Warcraft, and even though I only played the 7 day trials (multiple times), it is simply the best game that's ever been made. This is b/c the context of being in this world, that you're an adventurer exploring this place that is truly alive. And with that, there's action in there too, that makes the game totally addicting. And there is no excellent plot or story to speak of - it's all CONTEXT, what the player perceives and accepts that he/she is. Story should take a back seat, and experience the forefront.
Also, cinematography is what sets apart TV from movies, not movies from other movies. All movies have some level of cinematography, tv shows (with the exception of a few) don't have that.
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