Attention to the smaller things

[Insanity72]

I just love it when I'm playing a game and I notice those little things the developers have slipped in that really show they wanted this game to be good.

So what are some of those small things that you've noticed that you've really enjoyed.

For me, in COD: WaW (not that i ever play COD anymore). If you reload the Double Barrel Shotgun, after only firing one shot, the player will actually hold the unfired shot in the gun with his thumb while discarding the other.

 

[ChupathingyX]

The Deck of 52 member profiles in Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction. They added nothing but backstory and giving a face to a character who you would see only once and never see again, but it added so much to the feel of the game world and story. Also, the little interactions with various equipment in the HQ's and the individual names given to every single "collectible" in the game.

The sync kills in Dawn of War (along with the unique building animations) and Dawn of War II.

Spoiler

Many of the smaller details that get brought up in Muv-Luv Alternative.

The Henry Stillman broadcasts in Resistance 2.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

I appreciate little stuff like this also, I think it helps to immerse you in a game. Normally all those little things start to add up over time and help you sink in ,rather than fall out of the experience.
I can't think of anything offhand right now though because its stupidly late and I haven't slept yet.

 

[OldDirtyCrusty]

After replaying Batman:AC i was amazed how many little nods Rocksteady have putted in there (Batman:AA has it too). There are tons of references in the enviroment and both games feature lots of info about the characters.
The goons talk about the things happening during the game. When you`re gliding into their sight they taunt you. I love how they react when you bust into a crowd from above and some of them get terrified.
Batmans costume get`s torn appart after some cutscenes. At the end of the game you can clearly see he had a rough night. The costume shows little snowflakes melting on it and freezes or get`s muddy in certain bossfights.

The reaction of clothes to weather and other circumstances is always nice like in the mentioned batman games and RDR or Uncharted.

I´m also a sucker for bulletholes (walls, bodies,...) and gore, destructable enviroment and nice melee animations. The impact on the enemy is important too (the wait for MP3 is almost over, man i love euphoria).

Full body awareness is great too (one of the things the last Syndicate managed very good).
I don´t like floating around with a pair of hands and no shadow.

When games get hair right. In this gen it`s always disapointing to see unanimated long hair. Most games don`t even animate ponytails. Damn, so much for playing a long haired barbarian, back to the baldy looks.

Animated outdoor areas with softmoving trees and grass. When the grass or bushes react to the player it`s even better and i have nothing against nice lightning.

 

[Antitonic]

I always liked the graffiti in the safehouses of Left 4 Dead 1 and 2. Added some flavour to an otherwise generic world.

 

[DoPo]

Bloodlines. It just shows how much Troika loves their settings (in this case, just the setting of their game). There are a lot of subtle nods to sometimes random stuff that tie in well in the game. And there is talking to the Thin Blood Seer which would blow your mind if you have finished the game (and if you haven't, then just ask her if you'll win at the end of this). Also, playing a Malkavian with their weird insight is pure awesome that can be really appreciated if you understand it.

 

[Esotera]

Spoiler: Oblivion - The Arena

This doesn't really do it justice, but next time you're playing Oblivion, zoom in & have a look at the amount of detail close up. It's absolutely insane for something that will most of the time just be walked right past.

 

[Swyftstar]

I remember noticing in the first Gears of War that the barrel of the Lancer glows red hot an smokes after you use it. I thought that was pretty cool.

 

[Smeatza]

There is a level in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 where you play against and then alongside a Deadpool NPC. if you play as Deadpool as well in a scene later on your Deadpool exclaims "Am I the only one who's freaked out there's two of me here?"

 

[distortedreality]

Physics working in realistic ways that aren't often seen.
Like fully upgraded Unrelenting Force in Skyrim, often times if you use it on someone and they go hurtling into sharp rocks or a solid concrete wall they'll just die.

The downside to this is when it doesn't work, it gets all the more annoying.

I blew that Thalmor ***** off of the top of the big-assed mountain after the peace conference and she didn't die, she just bounced all the way down. Was quite annoyed.

 

[neonsword13-ops]

Having Izanagi as the main character's Persona in Persona 4. Adding to that, making Izanami the real final boss.

It wasn't necessary, the game would have still done well without it, but it adds so much symbolism it's almost crazy.

 

[Hal10k]

Spoiler: Oblivion - The Arena

This doesn't really do it justice, but next time you're playing Oblivion, zoom in & have a look at the amount of detail close up. It's absolutely insane for something that will most of the time just be walked right past.

The interesting thing about that poster is that it's actually a reworked version of the cover from the first Elder Scrolls game, Arena:

Spoiler: Seen here.

The main differences are Sword Guy being replaced with Bow Guy for the sake of diversity and the lady in front being replaced for showing a bit too much diversity.

 

[Ando85]

I love how on Counter-Strike if you look in the toilet on the map cs_militia you will find a surprise.

 

[sextus the crazy]

All the little character animations in Company of Heroes. I care more for my generics in that game than the main characters in most games.

 

[Corporal Yakob]

All the little character animations in Company of Heroes. I care more for my generics in that game than the main characters in most games.

Not to mention the dialogue they come up with that relates to whatever their doing:

(German soldier, running past civilian cars): "I heard one of the other troopers found a briefcase full of money in an abadoned vehicle just like that."

(German soldier, at ease when raining): "When I was a kid I would run into every thunder-storm I could find!"

(German soldier, under fire): "Shoot me will you!?! I'll tear you to pieces!!!"

It really adds incentive to get every soldier back home alive!

 

[HarryScull]

the sound bites in RTS games when you order units around.

its a very small thing and takes less than a second but it confirms your unit got the order, gives you some insight into that unit, makes the game feel more immersive, makes you feel important, reflects on the factions culture and adds to the atmosphere.

who new that such beauty and wonder came from the simple sentence ORKS! ORKS! ORKS! or MOAR DAKKA!

 

[sextus the crazy]

All the little character animations in Company of Heroes. I care more for my generics in that game than the main characters in most games.

Not to mention the dialogue they come up with that relates to whatever their doing:

(German soldier, running past civilian cars): "I heard one of the other troopers found a briefcase full of money in an abadoned vehicle just like that."

(German soldier, at ease when raining): "When I was a kid I would run into every thunder-storm I could find!"

(German soldier, under fire): "Shoot me will you!?! I'll tear you to pieces!!!"

It really adds incentive to get every soldier back home alive!

the sound bites in RTS games when you order units around.

its a very small thing and takes less than a second but it confirms your unit got the order, gives you some insight into that unit, makes the game feel more immersive, makes you feel important, reflects on the factions culture and adds to the atmosphere.

who new that such beauty and wonder came from the simple sentence ORKS! ORKS! ORKS! or MOAR DAKKA!

The best RTS games have these. They add personality a life to something otherwise boring. Supreme commanders robots don't talk and thus lack the charm of units like, say, the firebat(need a light?) or the rifleman(give me one round and point me at Berlin!)

 

[Angry Camel]

In Ninja Gaiden 2, you could look down at the highways at one point in Chapter 1 and see all the cars moving along.

Batman AA and AC both had some great little secrets. In AA you could se Ra's body and scan it for a riddle. When the game is done, it disappears. AC had all the Scarecrow messages and the secret boat just to add a little bit more.

In Halo CE, reloading the shotgun whlie it still had shells meant Master Chief wouldn't pump it again.

 

[sagitel]

is online flash games acceptable? i was playing cactus MCcoy and i was surprised from the details. like one of the weapons you get is a set of cards that you can throw. and the guy made them have 52 ammo. not many pay attention to this,

also in Portal2 the sound bites from the that guy in the aperture was just so great. it added background, character and life to the dead compound. and the next thing was the robots saying i forgive you and things like that when you destroyed them.