about singleplayer gaming...

[Lone_Bullet.be]

Quite a rant about SP games...so get ready while i'll put on my flamesuit..

I've got the feeling that over the last year no real good SP game came out that i liked ( liked as also by means of genre... i basically only play FPS/ some TPS / RPG-FPS ).

Sure, HL2 series was great.. but looking at HL1... well...I think i might be spoiled by HL1.
Stalker was VERY pormising but, while good and enjoyable, I guess i was dissapointed because the game was overhyped.
Bioshock? yeah... primising indeed but for some reason it could not keep my attection for a long time.

Perhaps i'm getting old because I'm thinking of the ' good old times ': the lae 90's and early 2000's:

HL1.. waw. I was in awe.
Unreal. Goody *drool*
UT99...this is something weird: I REALLY like the athmosphere as i god the demo and played it for months ( yeah..4 little levels...for months ) but when i got the full version of a friend the magic wore of a little. I think it'sd because of the music ( other music in the demo? )
Deus ex 1: My god, an example.. 2 was consolised but ok-ish
Vampire: the masquerade - bloodlines: VERY buggy game thx to a rushed release date but I loved the gme non the less... One of my favourite of all times! ( nuts, aint it? )
Oblivion: PC-heavy but the freedom... the freedom!!

Conclusion: I think more developers should go for the ' I *could* do the mainquest, but not necesserely' ( god, not an native-english...how's it written again? ^^' ) - type of gameplay.
Collecting things, breaking into houses, hacking Pc's... selling the loot...
And then some games that are just fun...
Thats what i want, i think. freedom in a game. combined with a good story line, and athmosphere.

Problem is, the marked seems to want otherwise.. AND consoles seems to get priority.
The only game i'm looking forward to now is Allan Wake.

Am i the only one looking at the games this way? ( they all got something nice, but only very few got what i want )

Yeh...i'm getting old...

Lone out

 

[N3mi5is]

Conclusion: I think more developers should go for the ' I *could* do the mainquest, but not necesserely

Totally agree.

Alot of games offer "freedom of choice" and "open-worlds" etc but when it comes down to it, you could be running through a straight hallway from beginning to end story wise. Sure you may be able to kill the guys this way or that way from over here to over there, but I think a stroryline truly with multiple main arcs (stalker did this well, IMO) would be a nice change.

Not downplaying the awesomeness of HL1 and 2 etc.

 

[Frosteh]

Being able to deviate from the main quests/story for a while is a great way to give you a greater feeling of freedom, Oblivion did this well, it was just one massive world full of all sorts of completely irrelevant quests, although for some people the lack of direction is actually a big downside.

Even singleplayer FPS games can be quite non linear, Half life for example was a very linear game and essentially just a corridoor shooter, and so was the original Sin as a comparison, but there was some really neat things in Sin where if you took time to hack computers or save certain characters in certain missions you'd play different subsequent missions or even play levels that you'd otherwise totaly skip, it was a nice touch.

Sometimes even the small things help, like the pool table that actually worked in Duke Nukem 3D, the working arcade machines in Prey and even Doom3, the Duke Nukem Forever older trailers look like it had a working duke nukem pinball machine, not sure if that will make it into the new one, I sure hope so

 

[oqvist]

lol it sounds like you are really more into rpgs then fps games nowadays .

Anyway this is normal. Of course when you are new to gaming everything seems better. But try replay half life now it´s not that good really .

What you could try is changing a console. fps games on wii like metroid prime 3 and heroes 2 is very refreshing. especially metroid prime 3 have it´s own feel and is just bloody awesome.

On the 360 we have the Darkness... Aweful controls and the AI isn´t that smart but with this controls that is a must lol. But it has an awesome story, atmosphere and you do get side missions as well. They don´t really give you anything but still fun. It´s the type of fps where you feel you have done and seen a lot when you finish it.

Crysis I loved too. It has so awesome gameplay and so many tactics you can use it´s a stellar achievement. If you are after a story it does the trick but want keep with you like the Darkness for example. HL 2 may have a well presented story but it is not even close to the level of attachment you feel to Jenny in the Darkness. the Darkness is for me the fps with the best told story ever and it´s based on a shitty comic with a guy with tentacles!!!

 

[Denki]

you should try The Witcher, it offers a lot of the storyline freedom I think you might be looking for. Very strong moral choices to be made with a consequence on the outcome of events. Helps you also get a solid 40-60 hrs for your 40-50 bucks.

Also if you want a huge world to explore, have you ever though of playing an MMO? LOTRO isn't half bad, it can be quite fun, and there is a decent story line as well which parallels the main story of the movies/book. It also has rewards for doing things like exploring.

The 90s- early 2000s were a good time in gaming, but if you really look back and play those games again, a lot of them aren't that good. Not to say there weren't truly amazing games, but a lot of the games billed as great really aren't that good anymore.

 

[ITPaladin]

Add in there the oldie but goodies:

Thief 1 and 2, maybe 3.

I never finished either one of them. I came close on 1 though at the "I have no equipment and must find it, get out of this cavern system" part.

I have game ADD and jump around alot

 

[Gorankar]

Add in there the oldie but goodies:

Thief 1 and 2, maybe 3.

I never finished either one of them. I came close on 1 though at the "I have no equipment and must find it, get out of this cavern system" part.

I have game ADD and jump around alot

Thief 1 was great, part 2 was more of the same, but very good. #3 suffered consolitis to such an extent that I was extremely sorry I bought it.

OP, I also think SP fps games have slid some in the last few years. I blame it on me aging, and the increasing numbers of gamers with broadband. As well as the increased emphasis placed on the online aspect of nearly every fps game that seems to have come with it. Anymore, MP has become nearly required in the fps genre. Some games, that are by their nature a SP game, end up getting dev time taken away from the SP game so that the dev can tack MP onto it. That may have something to do with the perceived back slide. Just my opinion.

 

[oqvist]

Thief 3 was awesome. It´s not as consolated as some try it out to be. For sure lot of loading times but it has some awesome levels and an interesting city. Shalebridge Cradle I would pay full price for only that. If you had played that you wouldn´t feel sorry for buying Thief 3.

 

[Lone_Bullet.be]

hehe... aah yes, Thief series...got them all ^^
totally forgotten about them
Hitman series got some funtime too...but thats only when you have oceans of time!

I'ill try the Witcher and Sin, but i'd rather stay away from consoles ( horrible aiming -_- ) and MMO's ( I saw friends giving up a €600/year study so they could play WoW >.< )
GuildWars if a lil fun till now, as I like the beautyfull surroundings and athmosphere of the shiverpeaks. But If you don't stay active you'll get kicked out of the guild quickly and there's no fun in GW withough a guild...

SO, back to Bloodlines... Love this game.

I wish they had a modern age Oblivion-alike...
Doing your average jobs at day and a lil thievery, perhaps even assassination at night... collect loot...
One thing Bloodlines was véry good at was creating diversity, for example, between all the dark-alleys and normal stuf, you had a haunted Hotel...
Gimme F.E.A.R. ( completed ), DOOM3 ( BOOORIIIING ) or even a Clives barker Game, but I STILL get the shivers over my back from that hotel!

Yeh... why did troika went over it's head? I WANT A SEQUEEEELLL!!!
ANyway, i'm off....buying the witcher

 

[Frosteh]

Thief 3 was awesome. It´s not as consolated as some try it out to be. For sure lot of loading times but it has some awesome levels and an interesting city. Shalebridge Cradle I would pay full price for only that. If you had played that you wouldn´t feel sorry for buying Thief 3.

Shalebridge Cradle will actually make you shit yourself, if you're into scary stuff do this one in the early hours with the house pitch black with full surround sound.

Unfortunately I have issues with Consolated PC games and found the changes to Thief3 over the original games way too lame to see the game through, depsite being a big Thief fan, I may go back and finish it with a load of mods installed to remove behind view, glittering loot, streaky arrows etc.

If you're into this sort of game deffo grab thief2 despite how old it is now it's still a fantastic game.

 

[oqvist]

you don´t have to use behind view... I can´t even recall it was there so I probably didn´t use it lol.

I don´t think that is due to consoles rather it actually make sense for sneakers since you get better view around corners... Some call it cheating but how realistic is it that you can lean around corners and noone see you anyway hehe.

Also the AI was quite a lot better then in previous thief games and the new game engine which allow for torches and realistic shadows did help thief 3 quite a bit. I don´t think as much as I loved the originals I would want to go back.

As for consoles yes the aim is aweful with gamepads. You would love metroid prime 3 I am dead certain and the Wii is actually the best console for fps games believe it or not. Question is just how many it will get but the controller makes it more fun and intuitive then the classic Mouse keyboard concept.

Then we have "semi fps" games like Resident Evil 4 though to say it´s control scheme is spot on is a bit to much it´s a capcom resident evil game after all hehe.
Heroes 2 also seems great but then you may be fed up with WW 2 hehe.

But anyway I was in the same sit some years ago. I completetly abandoned fps and rts games for flight sims to begin with then simracing. Now I occasionally get back to fps games like Crysis, Bioshock, Metroid prime, the Darkness and is having a blast. I mean the worst fps games I played this year is HL Ep 2 and HALO 3. Says it all not exactly bad games

 

[Lone_Bullet.be]

Problem is I only have a 24" LG PC monitor and i recon thats a lil small for a Wii.
I'll go hire a Wii for a weekend and make up my mind then because i'm a little sceptical about consoles...

Oh and don't get me wrong! I DO have great fun with games...but thats mostly online.
And onlinegames usually lack the athmosphere and freedom ( you're bound to other players as they want you to coöperate ).

I'm thinking of trying ' The longest Journey '. Just to blow money and i might have a lil fun afterall

 

[oqvist]

I have dreamfall - the longest journey... Well it´s okay but the gameplay isn´t really that fun and it´s buggy. okay for 10 buck or something.

As for Wii it´s more that you don´t want a too large monitor due to it not being HD. I have a 32" LCD aliasing galore. Still Wii prooves kind of the thing that graphics doesn´t matter and well RE4, SMG, Metroid Prime 3 do kind of look good while looking bad lol. Great design I guess. Of course bigger screen is nice but I think you will be a happy camper with your 24" .

Don´t think you should be sceptical about consoles... Sure the 360 has the problem it´s games is often similar to what is on the PC but it has titles like Ace of Combat 6, PGR, Forza 2, Eternal Sonata, the Darkness and others.

As for Wii it doesn´t have that many great games yet but well the best game it has blows everything I have played on 360 out of the water.

SMG and Metroid prime 3 is a must for every gamer. Re 4 is really nice as well. Zelda if you are into that I am not sure what I think of it yet lol. Zack and Wiki seems nice. Wii sports is great fun it has more unique games it feels like and it´s potential is much larger du to it´s controllers.

 

[qwertyu]

dreamfall has a great story, but very crappy console-like combat system. I'm thinking its a pc port of a console game, unlike its predecessor. Wonder why adventure games, pc games by design, are being consolized too.

Btw, someone tried a game called, "evil days of luckless john"? Seems like a fun game. Its adventure game, what i like about it is that i didnt know anything about it until i read about it on a review. No hype, i dont even know who made it.

 

[Netrat33]

dreamfall has a great story, but very crappy console-like combat system. I'm thinking its a pc port of a console game, unlike its predecessor. Wonder why adventure games, pc games by design, are being consolized too.

Btw, someone tried a game called, "evil days of luckless john"? Seems like a fun game. Its adventure game, what i like about it is that i didnt know anything about it until i read about it on a review. No hype, i dont even know who made it.

No dreamfall problem has nothign to do with crappy console-like combat. It has to do that they implemented combatl! It was an adventure game and combat was never to be the focus. You dont' really do that much fighting so even with it's combat faults it didnt' really stick out so much for me. The game however as a whole: you don't do that much playing either! heh. Fantastic story and game but there really wasn't much to do in the game. When part 3 comes out, I hope they do more of a balance like the Longest Journey was.

 

[Droc]

These days, its a barrage of console ports and the few promising titles, get snatched up by crap companies like EA, Atari or any number of other companies that simply rush games out the door as fast as possible , spending more time on advertising them actually making the game.

That being said, Total War 2 still has me, aswell as X3(crap story, but in terms of SP, this game is endless).

For me, Max Payne, Max Payne II were the best SP experiences that I can think of in recent memory.

Stranglehold really worked for me also. At the time I was binging out on Jet Li movies and when I got the game, it just fit in with what I wanted so well.

Bioshock and me just didnt get along. I liked the initial 1950's style, but it just went south from there.

Aside from that, I played Uncharted: Drake's Fortune on my friends PS3 and it really wowed me.

 

[MemoryInAGarden]

The big problem with single player PC gaming over the last few years is that many of the hyped titles have been FPSes, and many of those have disappointed or required hardware that wasn't available at their release to run them well.

The Baldur's Gates, Planescapes, etc, of the past seem to be long gone.