Honorable and Dishonorable Mentions

[GrizzlerBorno]

I know what Yahtzee means with ME2 point. Bioware writes such phenomenal stuff, that to see that literature come out of the face of rather plasticky game characters seems...wrong.

I had this problem in Dragon Age as well. But i also realize that it only bothers us because the writing is excellent. I mean, Assassins creed had just as realistic facial animation as ME2. But you notice it less because AssCreeds writing is good but not excellent. Its kinda the traditional Uncanny valley effect i guess.

We'll see if RockStar can fix this with their LA Noire. Until then....Fuck Facial animations Mass Effect is an INCREDIBLE game!

 

[Chasmodius]

It's interesting to me that Yahtzee panned Darksiders, because the majority of the other video game-oriented internet celebrities whose advice I consider worth listening to (the Loading Ready Run games podcast) loved it, and I think Paul even placed it at the top of his 2010 list. They fully agreed with Yahtzee that it blatantly stole nearly everything from other games, but it stole all the best parts, apparently. I haven't played it, personally, so I cannot actually speak from experience.

 

[Swifteye]

I felt the same way about Mass Effect 2. Actually, I feel that way about all Bioware games: like I really could've just as well read a novelization of the game and walk away with the same entertainment value.
They put a lot of emphasis on story but you don't really own the story like you do with something like Fallout 3. So you're left wondering "what the hell do you need me for?"

I do not understand the perspective. It may sound silly but I like rpgs but i've never been a real fan of books. What does owning the story do that being apart of it doesn't? I have a limited perspective on games like fallout 3 but i've always felt the more you can own your enviroment and the story at hold the less of a story there is too actually claim.
hmm example. like if they made Sonic the hedgehog open world rpg where you could create a character and set about doing whatever you want traveling between worlds, dimensions, creating a unique outcome only for yourself. Sure it's kinda fun and awesome but there's always something really nice missing when it's just that open like the ability for people to actually say your name or your character to be able to express a emotion that has a better chance of being human or relatable. And of course the story even though you have full control is almost always bare bones exucution and can give the whole world a hollow feel when you run out of stuff to exploit.

 

[GonzoGamer]

I felt the same way about Mass Effect 2. Actually, I feel that way about all Bioware games: like I really could've just as well read a novelization of the game and walk away with the same entertainment value.
They put a lot of emphasis on story but you don't really own the story like you do with something like Fallout 3. So you're left wondering "what the hell do you need me for?"

I do not understand the perspective. It may sound silly but I like rpgs but i've never been a real fan of books. What does owning the story do that being apart of it doesn't? I have a limited perspective on games like fallout 3 but i've always felt the more you can own your enviroment and the story at hold the less of a story there is too actually claim.
hmm example. like if they made Sonic the hedgehog open world rpg where you could create a character and set about doing whatever you want traveling between worlds, dimensions, creating a unique outcome only for yourself. Sure it's kinda fun and awesome but there's always something really nice missing when it's just that open like the ability for people to actually say your name or your character to be able to express a emotion that has a better chance of being human or relatable. And of course the story even though you have full control is almost always bare bones exucution and can give the whole world a hollow feel when you run out of stuff to exploit.

IDK.
Have you tried Fallout New Vegas?
For all of it?s technical issues (well... It?s completely broken) the way they structured the story and the world, you really own the story: not just what you specialize in but if/what faction you side with, what sort of friends follow you around (and how loyal they are), and even your character?s sexual preference. And all of these things impact your experience with different conversations, quests, rewards, and other things.
With a game like that I feel like I?m making the story of this character.
But when I play something like Dragon Age (a more on-rails rpg: which isn?t necessarily a bad thing; I can see how someone might prefer a more cinematic and narrative experience) I feel like I?m watching a movie and all the character needs me to do is decide who he wants to talk to and how he?s going to kill those guys. As Casual Shinji noted, sometimes these kinds of rpg?s feel more like interactive dvd menus than games.
At the same time I can see how a game like Fallout might feel intimidating. You are constantly wondering if you?re actions/choices might badly affect you at some point in the future. It is a little stressful but in an exciting sort of way; like that feeling you get when you?re about to fight someone in real life.

 

[TheMadDoctorsCat]

I felt the same way about Mass Effect 2. Actually, I feel that way about all Bioware games: like I really could've just as well read a novelization of the game and walk away with the same entertainment value.
They put a lot of emphasis on story but you don't really own the story like you do with something like Fallout 3. So you're left wondering "what the hell do you need me for?"

Bad example. One of the few things that bugged me about Fallout 3 apart from the HORRIBLE RANDOM ENCOUNTERS OF MEDIOCRITY (Oh! I just killed a bug! And another bug! And now a scorpion! And now a radroach! GODDAMMIT I AM NOT PEST CONTROL!) is that you can't control the story. There are no decisions you have to make. The main story is set in a specific arc that you can't alter. I don't know why it's done like this - I'd prefer a shorter "main" story with more arcs so that you can actually affect the land you're in.

Also see my LONG post in the recent "TES5: Skyrim" thread. Damn, I should send that to the developers of "The Elder Scrolls".

 

[GonzoGamer]

I felt the same way about Mass Effect 2. Actually, I feel that way about all Bioware games: like I really could've just as well read a novelization of the game and walk away with the same entertainment value.
They put a lot of emphasis on story but you don't really own the story like you do with something like Fallout 3. So you're left wondering "what the hell do you need me for?"

Bad example. One of the few things that bugged me about Fallout 3 apart from the HORRIBLE RANDOM ENCOUNTERS OF MEDIOCRITY (Oh! I just killed a bug! And another bug! And now a scorpion! And now a radroach! GODDAMMIT I AM NOT PEST CONTROL!) is that you can't control the story. There are no decisions you have to make. The main story is set in a specific arc that you can't alter. I don't know why it's done like this - I'd prefer a shorter "main" story with more arcs so that you can actually affect the land you're in.

Yea...
Wait, You sure you mean Fallout 3? That one had some pretty interesting unique random encounters: some were even intros to (or rewards for) side quests in the game. The one with the UFO exploding overhead could?ve been a bit louder but that was my only complaint. I didn?t even count the random bug/beast encounters as random encounters. Fallout New Vegas had two and the rest of the random encounters were pest control as you said. One thing Fallout NV did do well was having a more interesting main story that branched out into different missions depending on which (if any) faction you were a part of. Other than that it kind of sucked but that?s another post.
The thing is that in most cases the ?main? story is complete crap: that?s with any Bethesda, Bioware, Sqweenix, and any other rpg maker I can think of. Seriously, the last time I got into an RPG story it was Phantasy Star 4 for the Genesis. The problem I have is that in a Bioware game, you?re kind of stuck to the story. With a Bethesda game the main story is kind of secondary to the one that?s going on in your head as you lead your character around.

 

[TheMadDoctorsCat]

I felt the same way about Mass Effect 2. Actually, I feel that way about all Bioware games: like I really could've just as well read a novelization of the game and walk away with the same entertainment value.
They put a lot of emphasis on story but you don't really own the story like you do with something like Fallout 3. So you're left wondering "what the hell do you need me for?"

Bad example. One of the few things that bugged me about Fallout 3 apart from the HORRIBLE RANDOM ENCOUNTERS OF MEDIOCRITY (Oh! I just killed a bug! And another bug! And now a scorpion! And now a radroach! GODDAMMIT I AM NOT PEST CONTROL!) is that you can't control the story. There are no decisions you have to make. The main story is set in a specific arc that you can't alter. I don't know why it's done like this - I'd prefer a shorter "main" story with more arcs so that you can actually affect the land you're in.

Yea...
Wait, You sure you mean Fallout 3? That one had some pretty interesting unique random encounters: some were even intros to (or rewards for) side quests in the game. The one with the UFO exploding overhead could?ve been a bit louder but that was my only complaint. I didn?t even count the random bug/beast encounters as random encounters. Fallout New Vegas had two and the rest of the random encounters were pest control as you said. One thing Fallout NV did do well was having a more interesting main story that branched out into different missions depending on which (if any) faction you were a part of. Other than that it kind of sucked but that?s another post.
The thing is that in most cases the ?main? story is complete crap: that?s with any Bethesda, Bioware, Sqweenix, and any other rpg maker I can think of. Seriously, the last time I got into an RPG story it was Phantasy Star 4 for the Genesis. The problem I have is that in a Bioware game, you?re kind of stuck to the story. With a Bethesda game the main story is kind of secondary to the one that?s going on in your head as you lead your character around.

I think we have different definitions of "random encounter". There were definitely interesting encounters in Fallout 3, although some of them were irritating (one that sticks in my mind is that at one point in the game, when doing the Greyditch ants quest, you can walk through the wrong door and into the middle of a fight between mutants and BoS warriors at one point. I did this a few times, each time thinking, "Damn, this looks good, I'll come back after I finish this quest." I did come back afterwards and everyone was dead. Yep, if you poke your head around the door for two seconds and then go back inside, it automatically STOPS the encounter. There's a mini-quest involving a Brotherhood of Steel member that's trapped in a building somewhere, etc. Hardly anybody knows this unless they've read the big game guide because nobody's actually seen it play out.)

But that kind of encounter isn't "random". I mean the bits where you are just walking around the wasteland and something attacks you. It's never a challenge, it doesn't serve any purpose, most of them don't have any loot. It's just an annoyance. And it happens several times every time you want to get ANYWHERE. Why? I don't know. I suppose the programmers wanted to give the player something to do besides just wandering the game world.

But honestly, if you're interested in debating this, read my post in the Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim thread. It's long but there's a bit about managing encounters in it that I wish would occur to every RPG creator. The fact is there's no NEED for "random" encounters any more.

But I agree about the main "story" mission. Again, I've written a lot about this in the TES5 thread, but my point is that you actually follow a predetermined path and don't actually affect anything. When you engage people in conversation, why can't you have non-quest-related dialogue? For example, if you went to a friendly clan and said to them, "I've just cleared out the super mutant shack on the hill, you might want to send someone out to colonise it." That kind of thing. It's not exactly difficult to manage, technically speaking.

 

[Swifteye]

I felt the same way about Mass Effect 2. Actually, I feel that way about all Bioware games: like I really could've just as well read a novelization of the game and walk away with the same entertainment value.
They put a lot of emphasis on story but you don't really own the story like you do with something like Fallout 3. So you're left wondering "what the hell do you need me for?"

I do not understand the perspective. It may sound silly but I like rpgs but i've never been a real fan of books. What does owning the story do that being apart of it doesn't? I have a limited perspective on games like fallout 3 but i've always felt the more you can own your enviroment and the story at hold the less of a story there is too actually claim.
hmm example. like if they made Sonic the hedgehog open world rpg where you could create a character and set about doing whatever you want traveling between worlds, dimensions, creating a unique outcome only for yourself. Sure it's kinda fun and awesome but there's always something really nice missing when it's just that open like the ability for people to actually say your name or your character to be able to express a emotion that has a better chance of being human or relatable. And of course the story even though you have full control is almost always bare bones exucution and can give the whole world a hollow feel when you run out of stuff to exploit.

IDK.
Have you tried Fallout New Vegas?
For all of it?s technical issues (well... It?s completely broken) the way they structured the story and the world, you really own the story: not just what you specialize in but if/what faction you side with, what sort of friends follow you around (and how loyal they are), and even your character?s sexual preference. And all of these things impact your experience with different conversations, quests, rewards, and other things.
With a game like that I feel like I?m making the story of this character.
But when I play something like Dragon Age (a more on-rails rpg: which isn?t necessarily a bad thing; I can see how someone might prefer a more cinematic and narrative experience) I feel like I?m watching a movie and all the character needs me to do is decide who he wants to talk to and how he?s going to kill those guys. As Casual Shinji noted, sometimes these kinds of rpg?s feel more like interactive dvd menus than games.
At the same time I can see how a game like Fallout might feel intimidating. You are constantly wondering if you?re actions/choices might badly affect you at some point in the future. It is a little stressful but in an exciting sort of way; like that feeling you get when you?re about to fight someone in real life.

Hmm. I never played the fallout games my understanding of this experience is limited but I have played dragon age and many games like it and I never understood the feeling like your just watching a movie thing being a negative. Rpgs have always been like this in one form or another I've always thought of rpgs as interactive books myself. Like reading a book that you also get to play. Although that does remind me of those choose your own adventure books which I guess supports the theory that some people do enjoy being able to control a story in a big way(although I think those books didn't do very well you don't see them much anymore)

Maybe when this shooter craze cools down rpgs will get to become the norm again and thus the rise of open ended rpgs will ensue. I'd play fallout but I'm not a fan of the elements that make fallout what it is.

 

[donfuhrer]

the best way to have a game that kills the player over and over again and still be appealing is to keep a fast pace and a good soundtrack

Touhou anyone?

 

[GonzoGamer]

I felt the same way about Mass Effect 2. Actually, I feel that way about all Bioware games: like I really could've just as well read a novelization of the game and walk away with the same entertainment value.
They put a lot of emphasis on story but you don't really own the story like you do with something like Fallout 3. So you're left wondering "what the hell do you need me for?"

I do not understand the perspective. It may sound silly but I like rpgs but i've never been a real fan of books. What does owning the story do that being apart of it doesn't? I have a limited perspective on games like fallout 3 but i've always felt the more you can own your enviroment and the story at hold the less of a story there is too actually claim.
hmm example. like if they made Sonic the hedgehog open world rpg where you could create a character and set about doing whatever you want traveling between worlds, dimensions, creating a unique outcome only for yourself. Sure it's kinda fun and awesome but there's always something really nice missing when it's just that open like the ability for people to actually say your name or your character to be able to express a emotion that has a better chance of being human or relatable. And of course the story even though you have full control is almost always bare bones exucution and can give the whole world a hollow feel when you run out of stuff to exploit.

IDK.
Have you tried Fallout New Vegas?
For all of it?s technical issues (well... It?s completely broken) the way they structured the story and the world, you really own the story: not just what you specialize in but if/what faction you side with, what sort of friends follow you around (and how loyal they are), and even your character?s sexual preference. And all of these things impact your experience with different conversations, quests, rewards, and other things.
With a game like that I feel like I?m making the story of this character.
But when I play something like Dragon Age (a more on-rails rpg: which isn?t necessarily a bad thing; I can see how someone might prefer a more cinematic and narrative experience) I feel like I?m watching a movie and all the character needs me to do is decide who he wants to talk to and how he?s going to kill those guys. As Casual Shinji noted, sometimes these kinds of rpg?s feel more like interactive dvd menus than games.
At the same time I can see how a game like Fallout might feel intimidating. You are constantly wondering if you?re actions/choices might badly affect you at some point in the future. It is a little stressful but in an exciting sort of way; like that feeling you get when you?re about to fight someone in real life.

Hmm. I never played the fallout games my understanding of this experience is limited but I have played dragon age and many games like it and I never understood the feeling like your just watching a movie thing being a negative. Rpgs have always been like this in one form or another I've always thought of rpgs as interactive books myself. Like reading a book that you also get to play. Although that does remind me of those choose your own adventure books which I guess supports the theory that some people do enjoy being able to control a story in a big way(although I think those books didn't do very well you don't see them much anymore)

Maybe when this shooter craze cools down rpgs will get to become the norm again and thus the rise of open ended rpgs will ensue. I'd play fallout but I'm not a fan of the elements that make fallout what it is.

Fallout (even the last couple) are more RPGs than shooters. If you dig RPGs you should try them. There have always been both types of RPGs: comparing Fallout and Dragon Age is kind of like comparing Phantasy Star (while not a shooter in any way, one of the first console game to properly do the first person perspective... for the dungeons)and Shadowgate. The former is a more broad in scope where much of the story related is based on what you feel like doing; closer to a game of D&D. The latter is more narrative based where you decide how the story goes rather than where the story goes; closer to a choose your path book like you mentioned.
There's an appeal to both but I prefer the former.

 

[A1]

Of course Yahtzee wouldn't like Heavy Rain. He hates cutscenes, and the entire game is a cutscene. I still think it's better than almost every single game he claims to like in his review...

Although this now tells all the Mass Effect fans why he didn't go with ME2.

Well, technically that's incorrect. David Cage has outright stated his belief that the story of a game should be carried by the gameplay, not cutscenes. Yahtzee may have issues with Heavy Rain, but the (ultimately misguided) idea of the entire game being a cutscene is not one of them.

 

[ZeppMan217]

Perfect story line in ME2? Huge plot holes in Heavy Rain?...Were you playing some special versions? Like, ME2: Director's Cut and Heavy Rain Alpha build?

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Spoiler

Just Cause 2: Jusr cuzz!
Dead Rising 2: WHy is this DLC 50$ and why is case zero less?
Mario Galaxy 2:Nintendo.... STOP IT ALREADY AND MAKE A REAL MARIO GAME DAMNIT!!!!
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood LC getting in the way of mediocre multilayer... or vice versa...whatever it is why is this 50$?

Dark Void:Fun but forgettable... thankfully.
Alan Wankary: Oy devs be a bit less douche bagery and make the game a bit less repative/redundant/killing the atmosphere one fight at a time(like deadly premision)

Bayonetta:Would like to play with her again... HA!! *hic... passes out*
Super Meat Boylz sir can I die again?
Lost Planet 2: more DLC 50$ again.......
Splinter Cell... wut? that series died years ago. NEXT!
Darksiders Wud iketa lay with er gin... HA!! *passes out*
Mass Effect 2: MORE DLC FOR THE TABLE WIF THE DROOL BUCKET!!
Heavy Rain: STOP THE PRESSES!!!!! FMA(full motion video) MAKES A RETURN TO GAMING!!!!


Can I haz a job now? pay my editor half wat I get... plus 30% to cover medical expenses....
(yes I know I suck, just trollin for the lulz)[footnote]Moderator Edit: Trolling for teh lulz is still trolling. Please refrain from trolling in the future. Thanks![/footnote]

How about trying to match/copy Yahtzee in his over simplistic disband and joy for game X,Y or Z?

Also trolling to a certain extent can be funny otherwise you would not have the on the payroll.

 

[RavenLoud]

The lack of Vanquish in your reviews has made you irrelevent to me.

jk, but please review it, I loved it and I'd love to see you rip it apart